The Eryri National Park Authority (previously Snowdonia NPA) has recommended the use of some Welsh place-names, particularly for geographic features, such as lakes, that they are to use when referring to features in Snowdonia (in Wales), which they refer to by its Welsh name Eryri.

Most place-names in Snowdonia (Eryri) are of Welsh origin, with some of them having connections to Welsh folklore.^[1] However, a few recent private name-changes from Welsh into English, inspired a campaign to rename places with English place-names or anglicisations in the area to their Welsh place-names instead to allow the promotion of the Welsh language and culture. Standardisation of Welsh place names were also conducted choosing a preferred Welsh form over multiple versions.

Background

The status of Welsh place-names had been debated for decades, with them only becoming present on road signs in Wales in the 1960s following a long campaign to make the signs bilingual rather than English-language only. Protesters argued the use of such English-only signs were an indication that Wales was an "English and British territory" and that bilingual signs would distinguish Wales as a separate country with its own language and identity.^[2]

In recent years, localised private name changes have been occurring elsewhere in Wales, replacing the previously long-standing Welsh name for an English alternative. This include the renaming of a Aberystwyth caravan park, from the longstanding "Glan y Môr" to an English name "Aber Bay",^[3] a Ceredigion farm changing its name from "Faerdre Fach" to "Happy Donkey Hill" to appeal to tourists, and the use of "Cable Bay" over the older Welsh name of "Porth Trecastell" in Anglesey, and tourist name "Lake Australia" over the older Welsh "Llyn Bochlwyd" in Snowdonia (Eryri), were cited as examples of Welsh place-names being under threat, by Welsh language campaigners, who now lead a campaign for the protection, re-emphasis and "rediscover[y]" of Welsh place-names.^[2][4]

In 2022, a Gwynedd councillor put forward a motion, asking the national park authority to stop using the English names, Snowdon and Snowdonia.^[5]

On 16 November 2023, the Snowdonia National Park Authority (NPA) voted to use the Welsh names Eryri and Yr Wyddfa, over their pre-existing names used in English, Snowdonia and Snowdon, respectively. In the same meeting, the NPA adopted a paper on "Place Name Principles" which would be the guide the NPA is to use when addressing place-names within the national park. By the time of the meeting, the NPA had already prioritised the Welsh names in documents, while keeping the English names in parenthesis as a temporary courtesy.^[6][5] The NPA stated using the Welsh name would make visitors engage with the Welsh language and culture.^[5]

The national park authority (NPA) worked with Cardiff University School of Welsh and the Welsh Language Commissioner to recommend a standard list of the names of lakes in Snowdonia (Eryri). The NPA then voted in a meeting on 15 November 2023, to accept the list, in which they voted unanimously in favour. The NPA stated that the list was to "safeguard" the area's Welsh place-names and its heritage.^[7][8] The list most notably recommends that all of the few previously used English lake names in Snowdonia (Eryri) be discouraged, in preference to using only the Welsh names, and therefore to use the Welsh names for all lakes in the national park.^[9] Notable names discouraged are "Bala Lake" (or "Lake Bala") to be replaced by "Llyn Tegid"; "Australia Lake" (or "Lake Australia") to be replaced by "Llyn Bochlwyd"; and "Bearded Lake" to be replaced by "Llyn Barfog".^[10][11] The move was described to be part of an effort of Welsh language activists to campaign for historical sites to only be referred to by their Welsh names, described as "Welsh names for Welsh places".^[9]

The NPA is to look at the names of waterfalls and mountains in the national park.^[10]

Notable individual renames

• Carnedd Uchaf to Carnedd Gwenllian – 2009 name change to honour Gwenllian of Wales.^[12]
• Cader/Cadair Idris name dispute – The name of Cadair Idris, also known as Cader Idris has been under dispute over its spelling, with Snowdonia National Park preferring "Cader Idris".^[13][14] It has been argued that "Cadair" is the more-widely used correct spelling.^[15]
• Snowdon changed to Yr Wyddfa – On 16 November 2022, the NPA announced they would be phasing out their use of "Snowdon" for the Welsh name "Yr Wyddfa".^[5][16] The Welsh Language Commissioner still recognises Snowdon, in their list of standardised Welsh place-names in Gwynedd.^[17]
• Snowdonia National Park changed to Eryri National Park – On 16 November, the NPA announced they would be phasing out their use of "Snowdonia" for the Welsh name "Eryri".^[5] The English name is set in law, so would still be required on statutory documents.^[18] A local marathon, the Snowdonia Marathon, endorsed this change, when they announced they're themselves renaming to Marathon Eryri.^[19]

Lake name standardisation

The main issues with the existing toponymy to be addressed, as part of a standardisation of names, were:^[20]

• To decide whether a name is to be with or without hyphens, or mutations, and recommend a name over colloquial versions.
• Consider the history, meaning and origin of the name. Emphasise local use, consultations with those closely connected to the names, and using specialised local knowledge.
• Using the knowledge of national park wardens, to correct any misspellings that have been prevalent on maps for years.

Further reviews

The NPA announced it is to now look at the names of waterfalls and mountains in the national park.^[10] A list of standardised names of waterfalls has not been released as of November 2023, however was reported to likely also encourage to use of the Welsh names only.^[9]

See also

• List of lakes in Wales
• List of standardised Welsh place-names
• List of standardised Welsh place-names in Gwynedd
• List of standardised Welsh place-names in Conwy County Borough

References