Scottish Place Names B
BADENOCH OLD COUNTY: Inverness NAME ON MAP: Badenau DATE: c.1300 EARLIEST RECORD: Badenach DATE: 1229 MEANING: GOIDELIC bàidheanach `land liable to flood', from bàdh `to drown'. It refers to the upper Spey valley.
BALCOMIE OLD COUNTY: Fife NAME ON MAP: Balcolmy DATE: 1253 MEANING: probably "GOIDELIC baile `settlement' of [St] Colman".
BALDERNOCK OLD COUNTY: Stirling NAME ON MAP: Baldernokis DATE: 1238 EARLIEST RECORD: Buthirnok DATE: c.1200 MEANING: either GOIDELIC buth, both `house' or baile `settlement' with airneach `[among] the sloes'. Compare the next entry.
BALERNO OLD COUNTY: Midlothian NAME ON MAP: Balernauch DATE: 1289 MEANING: GOIDELIC baile `settlement' with airneach `[among] the sloes'. Compare the previous entry.
BALFRON OLD COUNTY: Stirling NAME ON MAP: Buthbrene DATE: 1303 EARLIEST RECORD: Bafrone DATE: 1300 MEANING: GOIDELIC buth, both `house' or GOIDELIC baile `settlement' with, probably, GOIDELIC fraon `sheltered place among hills' or, possibly, GOIDELIC bhròin `house of mourning'.
BALLOCH OLD COUNTY: Dunbarton NAME ON MAP: Bellach DATE: 1238 EARLIEST RECORD: Bealaigh DATE: c.1213 MEANING: GOIDELIC bealach `pass', possibly from an earlier BRYTHONIC bwlch `pass'.
BALMERINO OLD COUNTY: Fife NAME ON MAP: Balmorinach DATE: 1227 EARLIEST RECORD: Balmerinach DATE: c.1200 MEANING: "GOIDELIC baile `settlement' of Merinach"; the saint is said to have accompanied St Regulus to St Andrews. GOIDELIC mearanach `drunken, wanton' is a profane alternative! It is now pronounced bamérnie.
BALMORAL OLD COUNTY: Aberdeen NAME ON MAP: Bouchmorale DATE: 1451 MEANING: possibly "GOIDELIC baile `settlement' [in the] GOIDELIC mór `big' BRYTHONIC ial `clearing'", but the mixture of languages is uncomfortable.
BALQUIDDER OLD COUNTY: Perth NAME ON MAP: Boffodyr DATE: 1304 EARLIEST RECORD: Buffudre DATE: 1266 MEANING: GOIDELIC buth, both `house' or GOIDELIC baile `settlement' with GOIDELIC fiuder, a corruption of OLD ENGLISH fodor `fodder'.
BANCHORY DEVENICH OLD COUNTY: Kincardine NAME ON MAP: Banchery defnyk DATE: a.1300 MEANING: GOIDELIC beannachar `place [surrounded] by peaks'. St Devinicus was a contemporary of St Columba who preached as a missionary in Caithness.
BANCHORY TERVAN OLD COUNTY: Kincardine NAME ON MAP: Bancheritarny DATE: a.1300 MEANING: GOIDELIC beannachar `place [surrounded] by peaks'. St Ternan was a convert of St Ninian (see the entry for St Ninian's Chapel).
BANFF OLD COUNTY: Banff NAME ON MAP: Banffe DATE: 1291 EARLIEST RECORD: Banef DATE: c.1136 MEANING: probably from an early name of the River Deveron. It is likely to be BRYTHONIC or even PRE‑CELTIC and its meaning is unknown. However, a word related to GOIDELIC banbh `pig' should not be excluded as a possible origin; various other rivers are called after animals.
BANNOCKBURN OLD COUNTY: Stirling NAME ON MAP: Bannockburn DATE: 1314 EARLIEST RECORD: Vtred Banoc DATE: 1215 MEANING: BRYTHONIC ban oc `white stream' with MIDDLE ENGLISH burn `burn, stream'.
BARRA OLD COUNTY: Inverness (Outer Hebrides) NAME ON MAP: Barrich DATE: 1292 EARLIEST RECORD: Barru DATE: a.1100 MEANING: possibly named by his disciples after St Barr (c.560‑c.615), bishop of Cork, Ireland. There was once a church here dedicated to the saint. However, "Hilly island", from GOIDELIC barr `top, headland' and OLD NORSE ey `island' is more probable.
BATHGATE OLD COUNTY: West Lothian NAME ON MAP: Bathket DATE: 1250 EARLIEST RECORD: Bathehet DATE: c.1160 MEANING: probably BRYTHONIC baedd `boar' chet `wood' although BRYTHONIC bath, both `house' has also been suggested.
BEATH OLD COUNTY: Ayr NAME ON MAP: Beth DATE: 1178 MEANING: GOIDELIC beath, beith `birch tree'.
BEATH OLD COUNTY: Fife NAME ON MAP: Beeth DATE: c.1140 MEANING: GOIDELIC beath, beith `birch tree'.
BEAULY OLD COUNTY: Inverness NAME ON MAP: Beaulieu DATE: a.1300 EARLIEST RECORD: Prioratus de Bello Loco DATE: c.1231 MEANING: NORMAN‑FRENCH `beautiful place'. The monastery was founded in c.1231 by the Bissets; the first record is in LATIN .
BENBECULA OLD COUNTY: Inverness (Outer Hebrides) NAME ON MAP: Beanbeacla DATE: 1449 MEANING: uncertain: possibly GOIDELIC beinn `mountain', although the island is relatively flat, with GOIDELIC bauchaille `shepherd'. The second element might derive from GOIDELIC na fhaodla `of the fords'.
BERRIEDALE OLD COUNTY: Caithness NAME ON MAP: Beridale DATE: 1340 EARLIEST RECORD: Berudal, in Norse Sagas MEANING: probably from Beri, an OLD NORSE personal name, and OLD NORSE dalr `dale, valley'.
BERWICK OLD COUNTY: Berwick NAME ON MAP: Suth Berwyc DATE: 1187 EARLIEST RECORD: Berwick DATE: 1097 MEANING: OLD ENGLISH berewic `barley farm'. The stronghold changed hands regularly between the Scots and the English, was declared neutral in 1551 and (probably for the last time) English in 1885.
BIGGAR OLD COUNTY: Lanarkshire NAME ON MAP: Bygris DATE: 1229 EARLIEST RECORD: Bigir DATE: c.1170 MEANING: OLD NORSE bygg `barley` garthr `field'.
BIRSE OLD COUNTY: Aberdeen NAME ON MAP: Brass DATE: 1170 MEANING: probably from a river name related to GOIDELIC bras `rash, impetuous'.
BLANTYRE OLD COUNTY: Lanark NAME ON MAP: Blauntyr DATE: 1319 EARLIEST RECORD: Blantthire DATE: 1290 MEANING: possibly BRYTHONIC blaen `edge' and BRYTHONIC tir `land, territory'.
BO'NESS OLD COUNTY: West Lothian NAME ON MAP: Berwardeston DATE: 1335 MEANING: the earliest form suggests "Beornward's OLD ENGLISH naess `headland'" (the personal name means `warrior guardian'). A later form, Borrowstounness, in 1649, would imply that at that date the meaning was "the headland belonging to the borrowstoun `municipal burgh'". It was Bo'ness in 1783.
BONAR BRIDGE OLD COUNTY: Sutherland NAME ON MAP: Bunnach DATE: 1275 MEANING: uncertain: just possibly a MIDDLE ENGLISH corruption of GOIDELIC am bonnàth `the bottom ford'.
BONHILL OLD COUNTY: Dunbarton NAME ON MAP: Buchnwl DATE: c.1320 EARLIEST RECORD: Buchul DATE: 1225 MEANING: GOIDELIC buth an uillt `house by the stream'.
BONKLE OLD COUNTY: Lanark NAME ON MAP: Bonkil DATE: 1290 MEANING: possibly GOIDELIC bun coill `foot of the wood', but GOIDELIC bun cùl `confluence ridge' has also been proposed.
BORGUE OLD COUNTY: Kirkcudbright NAME ON MAP: Borg DATE: 1260 EARLIEST RECORD: Worgis DATE: c.1150 MEANING: either OLD NORSE borg or OLD ENGLISH burg `fort, fortifed manor'.
BOTHWELL OLD COUNTY: Lanark NAME ON MAP: Bothwile DATE: a.1300 EARLIEST RECORD: Botheuill DATE: a.1242 MEANING: either MIDDLE ENGLISH both `booth, shelter' and OLD ENGLISH wella `well', or "Bathan's well". There was a 7th century abbot of Bangor in Ireland of this name.
BOYNDIE OLD COUNTY: Banff NAME ON MAP: Inverbondin DATE: c.1170 MEANING: an old river name, possibly related to the Boyne in Ireland which derives its name from the goddess Boand, who in turn derived her name from GOIDELIC bo bhán `white cow'. See the entry for Aboyne.
BRECHIN OLD COUNTY: Angus NAME ON MAP: Brekin DATE: 1248 EARLIEST RECORD: Brechin DATE: a.1150 MEANING: from Brychan, a BRYTHONIC personal name which left its mark throughout Britain, most notably in Brecon, Wales.
BRODICK OLD COUNTY: Bute (Arran) NAME ON MAP: Brathwik DATE: c.1306 MEANING: OLD NORSE breithr `broad' vík `bay'.
BRODIE OLD COUNTY: Nairn NAME ON MAP: Brodie DATE: 1311 MEANING: GOIDELIC brothach `at the muddy place'. The alternative name, Dyke (see entry) may be a translation of GOIDELIC brothag `little ditch'.
BUCHAN OLD COUNTY: Aberdeen NAME ON MAP: Bochan DATE: 1249 MEANING: probably BRYTHONIC buwch `cow' or GOIDELIC bo `cow' with the suffix ‑an `little'; GOIDELIC bothan `little hut' or GOIDELIC buc‑an `little buck' are possible alternatives.
BUCHANAN OLD COUNTY: Stirling NAME ON MAP: Boughcanian DATE: 1296 EARLIEST RECORD: Buchquhanane DATE: c.1240 MEANING: "GOIDELIC buth `hut, shelter' of the chanain `cannon'". See the entry in Clan Names.
BUCKIE OLD COUNTY: Banff NAME ON MAP: Buky DATE: 1362 MEANING: either GOIDELIC bocaidh `[place] of bucks' or bucaidh `pimple, knob'.
BUSBY OLD COUNTY: Renfrew NAME ON MAP: Busbie DATE: c.1300 MEANING: either OLD NORSE busk‑r `bush(y)' by `settlement', or "Butr's by". The word by, incidentally, still exists in the expression bye‑law.
BUTE OLD COUNTY: Bute NAME ON MAP: Boot DATE: 1292 EARLIEST RECORD: Bot DATE: c.1093 MEANING: possibly GOIDELIC bót `beacon, fire'.