Cerys is a Welsh name derived from caru, meaning "to love." It is sometimes interpreted as "love" or "loved one." The name is purely Welsh — not used anywhere else in the world until the 20th century.
Cerys is among the most popular girl's names in Wales. The Welsh singer Cerys Matthews (of the band Catatonia) brought the name to wider attention in the 1990s. Outside Wales it remains rare but distinctive.
Cerys reduces to nine — the number of bright love.