Lludd is a figure from Welsh mythology, best known as Lludd Llaw Ereint ("Lludd of the Silver Hand"). The name is Nudd altered due to alliterative assimilation with his byname Llaw Ereint ("silver hand"), a process common in medieval Welsh naming. The root of the name lies in the Celtic god Nodens, via the Irish Nuada. Etymology Linguistically, Lludd is a variant of Nudd, itself a Welsh cognate of Old Irish Nuadu, from Nodens, a pre-Roman Celtic deity associated with healing, hunting, and the sea. The shift from Nudd to Lludd may have been influenced by alliteration with Llaw Ereint, creating a smoother heroic epithet. Mythological References In Welsh legend, Lludd appears in two major texts. In the tale Culhwch and Olwen, Lludd is the father of Creiddylad, a figure often compared to Cordelia. In the story Lludd and Llefelys from the Mabinogion, he is portrayed as the king of Britain, son of Beli Mawr, with his brother Llefelys ruling Gaul. Lludd sought Llefelys's aid to rid Britain of three plagues, including the Coranians (a mysterious race from Asia), a shriek that caused barrenness, and a giant boar-like monster. This tale directly influenced Geoffrey of Monmouth's History of the Kings of Britain, where Lludd is reimagined as King Lud, the legendary founder of London. The name Ludgate is traditionally derived from Lludd, and a statue of him was said to have stood at the site of St Paul's Cathedral. Connection to Irish Mythology Lludd's earlier form, Nudd, is cognate with the Irish god Nuada (or Nuadha), who lost his arm in battle and had it replaced with a silver one, earning the byname Airgetlám ("silver hand"). This motif directly parallels Lludd's epithet Llaw Ereint. Like Nuada, Lludd is a king who leads during times of strife, and his tale echoes the Irish myth cycle of the Tuatha Dé Danann. Legacy The name Lludd lives on in Welsh cultural memory, particularly through the geography and folklore of London. The etymological equivalence between Lludd, Lud, and the Celtic Nodens illustrates how ancient deities were reshaped in medieval literature, combining religious, historical, and literary traditions. While not a common given name in modern Wales, Lludd remains a resonant symbol of Britain's mythic past.