The history of Wales is long and complex, full of tales of battles and conflicts with the English who were determined to breach its borders and lay claim to its beautiful landscape. But how did this history influence the name given to the country and those who live there today?
The English name 'Wales' comes from the Anglo Saxon word 'Wealhas' which roughly translates as 'foreigner'. The Welsh name for Wales is Cymru, this comes from the earlier Brythonic Celtic word 'combrogos' meaning ‘compatriot'.
Keep reading to find out more about the origins of these words, and why Wales isn't called Walesland in the same manner as the other countries of the United Kingdom.
Why is Wales Called Wales?
The English word 'Wales' comes from the Anglo-Saxon word Wealhas which means 'foreigners'.
The word 'Wealha' comes from the Proto-Germanic word Walha which meant 'foreign'. This is also why we have words such as 'walnut' which comes from 'walhazhnuts' meaning 'foreign nut'
'Wealha' (or 'foreigner') is how the Saxons referred to the people who lived in current-day Great Britain but spoke the Brythonic language because they regarded them as a lower level of society
What's Wales in Welsh?
The Welsh word for Wales is ‘Cymru'. This comes from the Welsh word ‘Cymro’ which is plural for ‘a Welshman'. The word 'Cymro' comes from the earlier Brythonic word 'combrogos' meaning ‘compatriot'.
The Brythonic language was spoken by Ancient Britons. Brythonic was used throughout Great Britain during the Iron Age and during the Roman occupation.
Over time, the Brythonic language was split up into several, different dialects which would eventually become the Welsh language as well as Cornish, Breton and Cumbric
Why is Wales Not Walesland?
It is not fully clear why Wales is not called Walesland like Scotland, England and Ireland.
The word England derives from the words Engla Land. Engla is the Old English genitive case of Angles and the name, therefore, means land of the Angles. Scotland derives from the land of the Scots and Ireland from the old Irish word Eire meaning ‘land of abundance and ‘fertile land’ or from the Goddess Eriu from Irish mythology.
The most likely reason that Wales isn't called Walesland is that for much of early history, Wales was not a unified country with one name for the land and all of its people.
Wales was divided into kingdoms, for example, Gwynedd, Dyfed and Ceredigion. At the time, there was no collective name for the people we would now describe as ‘Welsh'
What Are People From Wales Called?
The people of Wales are known as 'Welsh' in English or 'Cymry' in the Welsh language.
The English word ‘Welsh’ comes from the Anglo-Saxon word ‘Wealas’ which meant 'foreigner'. This was the name given to anyone in Britain who spoke the Celtic language Brythonic which was the early precursor of languages like Welsh, Cornish and Breton.
Because of this, ‘Wealas’ was often used not just for people from Wales and was often applied to people from Cornwall as well.
The Welsh word for the people of Wales is 'Cymry' whereas the Welsh word for the country itself is 'Cymru'. Both of these stem from the earlier Brythonic word 'combrogos' meaning ‘compatriot'.
In the 10th-century poem named Armes Prydein Vawr (The Great Prophecy of Britain), the word ‘Kymry’ is used. In the poem, the ‘Kymry’ are called upon to rise up against the English and kick them out for good.
Related Questions
What Was Wales Called Before Wales?
For much of its history, Wales was divided into Kingdoms. Before it was called Wales, these kingdoms were collectively known as Walha between 400 and 650 AD, which meant 'foreigners'. During the Anglo-Saxon period, this morphed into Wealas which eventually became Wales. The country became a unified ‘Wales’ as we know it today in 1536 under Henry VIII’s Act of Union.
Published: 3 January 2023 · Last updated: 10 October 2023