Llewelyn

Those looking for a striking boy's name with Welsh roots will fall hard for Llewelyn. A form of Llywelyn, Llewelyn stems from a blend of the Gaulish-Celtic deity names Lugus and Belenus: *Lugubelinos. Lugus, a major god likened to the Roman god Mercury, inspired many place names throughout Britain and Europe, including Lyon, Leiden, and Laon. The name Lugus could derive from the root *lewk-, meaning "light," *lewgh-, meaning "oath," or *lewg-, meaning "dark."

Belenus, a pastoral god associated with the Beltane festival, possibly gets his name from the word*bel-, meaning "strong," or *bhel-, meaning "bright" or "brilliant." Yet another possible origin for Llewelyn is the Welsh word llew, meaning "lion," or llyw, topping this vibrant moniker off with the title of "leader."

You may recognize Llewelyn from the movie No Country for Old Men, adapted from Cormac McCarthy's novel. Although Llewelyn Moss, brought to life by actor Josh Brolin, is a bit of an anti-hero, your little lion will have their own compelling story to tell.