Melwas as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Melwas

What is the meaning of the name Melwas ?

The baby name Melwas is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈmɛl.wəs/ (MEL-wuhs); alternate /ˈmɛl.wæs/ (MEL-wass).

Melwas is Welsh in Origin.

Melwas is a Brittonic (early Welsh) name recorded in Latinized medieval sources. Most scholars derive it from the elements mael “prince, chieftain” and gwas “youth; servant,” yielding senses such as “princely youth” or “servant of the chief.” Some spellings reflect Maelwas/Maelgwas; the reading with mel “honey” is generally dismissed.

Attested in the 12th‑century Vita Sancti Gildae by Caradog of Llancarfan, Melwas appears as the king of the Summer Country (Somerset) who abducts Queen Guinevere and later restores her through Saint Gildas’s mediation with King Arthur. The figure migrated into continental romance, where his name became Meleagant or Meliagant (Chrétien de Troyes), later Mellyagraunce/Malagant in English tradition. Rare as a modern given name, Melwas appeals to Arthurian enthusiasts and Welsh‑heritage namers. Documented variants: Melwas, Maelwas, Melvas; Old French Meleagant/Meliagant; Middle English Mellyagraunce; later Malagant.

⚙ Melwas turns up in none of the birth registries or name datasets we cover. Names like this are usually very rare, tied to a particular region or tradition, or freshly invented. Whatever the reason, hardly anyone else has it.