Huw
/hɨː/noun
A Welsh masculine given name, the Welsh form of Hugh.
Did you know?Huw descends from the same Germanic naming tradition as Hugh and Hugo, whose root referred to the mind, intellect, or inner spirit—not physical strength.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
Germanic
*hugiz
“Mind, thought, spirit, or understanding”
Old English
Old English
hyge
“Mind, heart, thought, or disposition”
Old Norse
Old Norse
hugr
“Mind, spirit, thought, or courage”
8th–9th Century
Old High German
Hugo
“A masculine personal name derived from the Germanic root for mind or spirit”
11th–12th Century
Old French
Hugues
“French form of the Germanic name Hugo”
Modern Welsh
Welsh
Huw
“Welsh form of Hugh”