Where does “Cwmbrân” come from?

Cwmbrân (Welsh) comes from Welsh brân, from English bran, from Middle English bran, from Old French bren, from Gaulish brennos, from Proto-Celtic bragnos, from Proto-Indo-European bʰreHg- — to smell, to have a strong odour.

Ancestry of “Cwmbrân”, step by step

Cwmbrân traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Welsh brân

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Welshbrâncrow; rook; raven
2EnglishbranThe broken coat of the seed of wheat, rye, or...
3Middle EnglishbranThe ground husk of wheat
4Old Frenchbrenbran
5Gaulishbrennosrotten
6Proto-Celticbragnosrotten
7Proto-Indo-EuropeanbʰreHg-to smell, to have a strong odour

via Welsh cwm

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Welshcwmvalley, dale, glen
2Proto-Celtickumbāvalley
3Proto-Indo-Europeankumbʰo-—
4Proto-Indo-Europeankeu-bend; vault, hole; to shine; light; bright

Words derived from “Cwmbrân”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰreHg- →Every word from Proto-Celtic bragnos →Every word from Gaulish brennos →