Cadfael - Name Origin and Pronunciation

Name Origin and Pronunciation

Cadfael is a Welsh name derived from the words cad ("battle") and mael ("prince"). Peters wrote that she found the name "Cadfael" only once in the records, given as the baptismal name of Saint Cadog, who later abandoned it. There are differing pronunciations of the name Cadfael; Ellis Peters intended the "f" to be pronounced as an English "v" and suggested it be pronounced CAD-vel, although normal Welsh pronunciation would be (approximately CAD-vile). The name is commonly mispronounced /ˈkædfaɪl/ (CAD-file) in English, and Peters once remarked that she should have included a guide for this and other names in the series that have uncommon pronunciations.