• RESEARCH on how property, street, and business names are changing across Wales shows a clear shift towards using Welsh language place names.

The report commissioned by the Welsh Government collected a wide range of valuable evidence, including:

Local authorities received three times more applications for Welsh language street names than English language names between 2018-2023.
Most changes to property names do not involve a change in the language of the property name.
When they do change language, properties are at least three more likely to be renamed from English to Welsh than from Welsh to English.
In all regions of Wales, more house names are changed from English to Welsh than Welsh to English.
People report that Welsh house names give them “a sense of pride, place or nostalgia”.
Welsh Language Secretary Mark Drakeford said: “Place names help tell the story of who we are as a nation, and this new research helps us understand our linguistic landscape. I’m encouraged to see more people embracing Welsh property names, regardless of their background.”

The research focused primarily on property names, business names, and street names, with the need for further investigation into names for topographical features in the natural environment also highlighted.

As part of the Welsh Government’s wider work to promote and celebrate Cymraeg and our culture, it has established a network of Cultural Ambassadors to support the language in their communities. The Cultural Ambassadors will be able to draw upon the List of Historic Place Names of Wales, which includes over 700,000 names and is funded by the Welsh Government.

Mark Drakeford said: “I’m proud to launch the gold level of our cultural ambassadors course, where people can learn more about the language and our culture online. The course includes modules on a range of topics including place names. If you want to support the Welsh language in your area, or know somebody who would be an ideal ambassador, then go for it.”

Parties urged to adopt key Welsh language priorities

THE WELSH LANGUAGE COMMISSIONER, Efa Gruffudd Jones, has published an ambitious manifesto setting out five key priorities for the future of the Welsh language—calling on all political parties to adopt the proposals ahead of the Senedd Cymru elections in 2026.

While acknowledging the financial pressures faced by public bodies, the Commissioner has identified areas where meaningful progress can still be made in strengthening the use of the Welsh language during the next Senedd term.

The proposals include extending statutory Welsh language duties to more public services, creating a new specialist unit to promote the use of Welsh in the workplace, and ensuring mandatory language training for all education professionals.

“My ambition as Commissioner goes beyond a narrow interpretation of my statutory role,” said Ms Gruffudd Jones. “This manifesto calls for action and leadership from the Welsh Government—regardless of its political makeup—and for wider support to enable key partners, including my own office, to help make a lasting difference.”

She emphasised the critical timing of the manifesto, with the forthcoming implementation of the Welsh Language and Education Bill and the recommendations of the Commission for Welsh-speaking Communities set to shape the language landscape in Wales.

“I am fully aware of the pressures on our public bodies. That is why we are focusing on five clear, practical priorities which follow the path outlined in our strategic plan. I am confident these areas can deliver measurable improvements in the use of the Welsh language.”

The Commissioner’s office now intends to meet with political parties to present the proposals in more detail and press for their inclusion in party manifestos ahead of the election.

The five priorities are:

1. Language duties – Extend Welsh language standards to more public services to increase the availability of Welsh-medium provision.
2. Community language planning – Strengthen the promotion standards to support coordinated, place-based language planning in Welsh-speaking communities.
3. Workplaces – Create a dedicated unit within the Commissioner’s office to support and increase the use of Welsh in the workplace.
4. Health and clinical care – Improve access to Welsh-language clinical care through targeted investment and policy intervention.
5. Education workforce – Introduce a five-year compulsory Welsh language training framework for all teachers and education staff in Wales.

The full manifesto is available to view via the attached document. Please note the embargo details contained within.

WELSH, Cornish, Scottish Gaelic and Irish language speakers have come together for a pioneering cultural exchange celebrating their shared linguistic heritage.

The Celtic Exchange programme, developed by the British-Irish Council, brought together young creative professionals to learn new media skills and co-create multilingual content, while exploring the cultural threads that bind the Celtic nations.

Participants travelled through the Western Isles, meeting filmmakers, content creators and musicians who use ancient languages as the foundation for modern creative expression. Along the way, they discovered surprising similarities between their languages and cultures, building lasting friendships and professional networks.

Ifan Prys of Rondo Media, who took part in the exchange, said: “The trip was a unique opportunity to meet other Celtic language content creators, to share ideas, and to strengthen networks between our linguistic communities.
The programme was full of varied and rich activities. We had the opportunity to network with MG ALBA, BBC Alba, and local producers, discussing opportunities, challenges and shared ambitions.
The chance to learn, share and be inspired alongside people from diverse linguistic backgrounds was invaluable. It reinforced the importance of working creatively in our own languages.”

Participants produced original multilingual content during the trip, which premiered at the 2025 Celtic Media Festival in Newquay, Cornwall.

Bethan Campbell from Boom Cymru also joined the programme. She said: “The trip to Scotland was a very special experience, full of valuable and diverse activities.
I really enjoyed every moment and made treasured memories. The highlight was spending time with the other young people and making new friends from every corner of Britain. Sharing our stories and hopes for the future was truly inspiring.
Collaborating with such passionate and creative people reminded us all of the importance of creating content in our own languages.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who made it happen – experiences like this are rare, and I feel incredibly lucky.”

Welsh Language Secretary Mark Drakeford said: “The Celtic Exchange programme celebrates our living languages and helps young people build creative careers using their indigenous tongues, wherever they choose to live and work.
We’re proud to work with partners across the nations to grow our languages, strengthen cultural connections and support opportunities in creative industries rooted in our shared heritage.”