Welsh toponymy

Okay, so imagine you're playing a game of "I Spy" with a friend, but instead of looking for objects, you're trying to find places on a map. In Welsh toponymy, we're trying to find out the names of all the different towns, cities, and villages that exist in Wales, and we want to know where those names come from.

Sometimes, the names of places come from very old stories or legends. For example, the place name "Conwy" in Wales comes from the legend of a giant who used to live in the area and would throw the boulders around like they were toys! Other times, places are named after people who used to live there, like the town of "Caernarfon," which is named after a man named Cynan who used to rule the area a long time ago.

Wales also has a lot of words that are unique to the Welsh language, and these words are often included in the names of different towns and villages. For example, the name "Llandudno" comes from the Welsh words "llan" (which means "church") and "tudno" (which was the name of a local saint), so the name means "the church of St. Tudno."

Welsh toponymy is all about exploring the history and culture of Wales through the names of its different places. It helps us to understand the stories and legends that have been passed down through the generations and the unique language that is spoken there.