The English words Wales and Welsh derive from the same Old English root (singular Wealh, plural Wealas), a descendant of Proto-Germanic *Walhaz, which was itself derived from the name of the Gaulish people known to the Romans as Volcae and which came to refer indiscriminately to inhabitants of the Western Roman ...

The word "Welsh" is derived from the Old English word "wealh," which in turn comes from the Proto-Germanic word "Walhaz." This term was originally used by ancient Germanic tribes to refer to the "Volcae," a Celtic people known to the Romans. Over time, the meaning evolved to describe anyone who spoke a Celtic or Romance language, effectively meaning "foreigner" or "stranger" to the Germanic speakers. As Anglo-Saxon tribes settled in Britain, they applied this label to the indigenous Britons they encountered. Interestingly, the Welsh people's own name for themselves is "Cymry," and they call their language "Cymraeg," which translates to "compatriots" or "fellow countrymen." The English name "Welsh" is thus an "exonym"—a name given to a group by outsiders—rather than the name the people chose for themselves.