Scottish Place Names D
DALHOUSIE OLD COUNTY: Midlothian NAME ON MAP: Dalwussy DATE: c.1235 MEANING: GOIDELIC dail `field' a' h'oisinn `in the corner, at the angle'.
DALKEITH OLD COUNTY: Midlothian NAME ON MAP: Dalketh DATE: c.1145 EARLIEST RECORD: Dalkied DATE: 1140 MEANING: BRYTHONIC dol `field, meadow` [in the, by the] cet, chet `wood'.
DALLAS OLD COUNTY: Moray NAME ON MAP: Dolays DATE: 1306 MEANING: BRYTHONIC dol `field, meadow' ‑ais `at the'.
DALMELLINGTON OLD COUNTY: Ayr NAME ON MAP: Dalmeledone DATE: 1302‑04 EARLIEST RECORD: Dalmellingtoun DATE: 1275 MEANING: possibly GOIDELIC dail meallan `field among a cluster of hills' with OLD ENGLISH tun `settlement, village' added. Compare the entry for Dunfermline.
DALMENY OLD COUNTY: West Lothian NAME ON MAP: Dumanie DATE: c.1180 MEANING: from the early spellings, either GOIDELIC dùn mainne `hill of delay' or dubh moine `black moss' is possible, but the modern form suggests confusion with GOIDELIC dail `field'.
DALMUIR OLD COUNTY: Dunbarton NAME ON MAP: Dalmore DATE: c.1200 MEANING: GOIDELIC dail `field' mór `big'.
DALRYMPLE OLD COUNTY: Ayr NAME ON MAP: Dalrimpill DATE: a.1300 MEANING: GOIDELIC dail `field' chruim puill (the dative form of crom poll) `at the curving stream'.
DALSWINTON OLD COUNTY: Dumfries NAME ON MAP: Dalsuyntone DATE: 1292 MEANING: probably GOIDELIC dail `field' or bail `village' (a spelling at c.1295 is Baleswyntoun) with OLD ENGLISH swin `pig' tun `settlement, village'. The personal names Suen or Sveinn cannot be excluded.
DALTON OLD COUNTY: Dumfries NAME ON MAP: Paradelton DATE: c.1280 MEANING: probably OLD ENGLISH dæl `valley' tun `settlement'.
DENHOLM OLD COUNTY: Roxburgh NAME ON MAP: Denhom DATE: 1304 EARLIEST RECORD: Denum DATE: 1296 MEANING: probably OLD ENGLISH denu `valley' with holm (from OLD NORSE holmr) `island, dry area in a marsh'.
DINGWALL OLD COUNTY: Ross & Cromarty NAME ON MAP: Dignewall DATE: 1263 EARLIEST RECORD: Dingwell DATE: 1227 MEANING: OLD NORSE thing `council, parliament' völlr `open space'. The word survives in `Tynwald', the modern parliament of the Isle of Man.
DIRLETON OLD COUNTY: East Lothian NAME ON MAP: Dirlton DATE: 1270 MEANING: probably "Dirl's OLD ENGLISH tun `settlement, village'".
DORES OLD COUNTY: Inverness NAME ON MAP: Durris DATE: 1263 MEANING: probably GOIDELIC dubh `black, dark' ras `shrubland' or ros `wood'.
DORNOCH OLD COUNTY: Sutherland NAME ON MAP: Durnach DATE: 1145 MEANING: GOIDELIC dornach `pebbly place'. The word derives from dorn `fist'.
DOUGLAS OLD COUNTY: Lanark NAME ON MAP: Douglas DATE: 1298 EARLIEST RECORD: Duuelglas DATE: c.1150 MEANING: BRYTHONIC du glas or GOIDELIC dubh glais `black stream'. See under Clan Names.
DRON OLD COUNTY: Perth NAME ON MAP: Dron DATE: c.1190 MEANING: probably GOIDELIC dronn `hump'.
DRUMMOND OLD COUNTY: Perth NAME ON MAP: Droman DATE: 1296 MEANING: GOIDELIC drumein (from druim) `at the ridge'. See under Clan Names.
DRYBURGH OLD COUNTY: Roxburgh NAME ON MAP: Dryburg DATE: c.1211 EARLIEST RECORD: Dryburgh DATE: c.1150 MEANING: OLD ENGLISH dryge `dry' burg `fort, borough'.
DRYMEN OLD COUNTY: Stirling NAME ON MAP: Drumyn DATE: 1238 MEANING: see the entry for Drummond.
DUART OLD COUNTY: Argyll (Mull) NAME ON MAP: Duart MEANING: GOIDELIC dubh `black' ard `height'. The castle may have been built just after the date of this map. See the entry for MacLean.
DUDDINGSTON OLD COUNTY: Midlothian NAME ON MAP: Dodingstone DATE: 1295 EARLIEST RECORD: Dodinestun DATE: c.1150 MEANING: "Dudda's OLD ENGLISH tun `settlement, village'" or "Dudda's people's village". OLD ENGLISH ‑ing means `associated with'; OLD ENGLISH ‑inga means `belonging to the people of': without the earliest spelling it is impossible to differentiate.
DUFFUS OLD COUNTY: Moray NAME ON MAP: Duffhus DATE: 1274 MEANING: possibly GOIDELIC dubh uisg `dark water'. (Hence whisky.)
DULL OLD COUNTY: Perth NAME ON MAP: Dul DATE: 1206 MEANING: BRYTHONIC dol or GOIDELIC dail `field, meadow'.
DUMBARTON OLD COUNTY: Dunbarton NAME ON MAP: Dunbretane DATE: 1300‑1445 MEANING: "GOIDELIC dùn `fort' of the Breatuin `Britons'". It was the capital of the British kingdom of Strathclyde. See the entry for Cumbrae islands.
DUMFRIES OLD COUNTY: Dumfries NAME ON MAP: Dunfres DATE: 1183 MEANING: "GOIDELIC dùn `fort, hill' with preas `of the copse, shrubs'". (The OLD ENGLISH equivalent was scrubb's burg, now Shrewsbury.)
DUNAVERTY OLD COUNTY: Argyll (Kintyre) NAME ON MAP: Dunaverdin DATE: 1252 EARLIEST RECORD: Aberte DATE: 712 MEANING: "GOIDELIC dùn `hill' a' bhardainn `of the warning or summons'".
DUNBAR OLD COUNTY: East Lothian NAME ON MAP: Dunbar DATE: 1072 EARLIEST RECORD: Dynbaer DATE: c.709 MEANING: "GOIDELIC dùn `fort' [on the] barr `height, top'".
DUNBEATH OLD COUNTY: Caithness NAME ON MAP: Dunbeath DATE: 1450 EARLIEST RECORD: Duinbaitte DATE: c.680 MEANING: "GOIDELIC dùn `fort' [at the] beath `birch‑tree'".
DUNBLANE OLD COUNTY: Perth NAME ON MAP: Dumblin DATE: c.1272 EARLIEST RECORD: Dumblann DATE: c.1200 MEANING: "GOIDELIC dùn `hill' (or here perhaps `fortified home') of [St] Blane or Blaan". He was a 6th century disciple of St Comgall and St Candice from Bute and founded a monastery on the island.
DUNBOG OLD COUNTY: Fife NAME ON MAP: Dunbulg DATE: 1250 EARLIEST RECORD: Duinbolg (perhaps) DATE: c.598 MEANING: "GOIDELIC dùn `fort' [on a] builg `rise' (literally `belly')".
DUNCANSBAY OLD COUNTY: Caithness NAME ON MAP: Dungalsbaer DATE: c.1225 MEANING: "Dungad's (GOIDELIC donn chad `brown warrior') OLD NORSE by, byr `settlement'".
DUNDEE OLD COUNTY: Angus NAME ON MAP: Dunde DATE: a.1182 EARLIEST RECORD: Donde DATE: a.1177 MEANING: probably "GOIDELIC dùn `fort' of Daig". His history is unknown, but the name means `fire'. "Fort on the Tay" is a possible alternative.
DUNDONALD OLD COUNTY: Ayr NAME ON MAP: Dundonald DATE: 1461 MEANING: "GOIDELIC dùn `fort' of Domhnall (`world ruler')".
DUNDRENNAN OLD COUNTY: Kirkcudbright NAME ON MAP: Dundraynane DATE: 1290 EARLIEST RECORD: Dundrainan DATE: c.1160 MEANING: "GOIDELIC dùn `hill' draighnean `with the thicket'".
DUNFERMLINE OLD COUNTY: Fife NAME ON MAP: Dunfermline DATE: 1251 EARLIEST RECORD: Dumfermelyn DATE: a.1092 MEANING: GOIDELIC dùn `fort, hill' with an unexplained second element.
DUNIPACE OLD COUNTY: Stirling NAME ON MAP: Dunipace DATE: 1195 EARLIEST RECORD: Dunipast DATE: 1183 MEANING: possibly GOIDELIC dùn na bais `hill of death', but BRYTHONIC din y pás `hill of the exit or pass' is an alternative.
DUNIVEG OLD COUNTY: Argyll (Islay) NAME ON MAP: Duniveg MEANING: GOIDELIC dùn `fort' and, possibly, beag `small'. A castle was here by 1314.
DUNKELD OLD COUNTY: Perth NAME ON MAP: Dunkeld DATE: a.1150 EARLIEST RECORD: Duincaillen DATE: 865 MEANING: "GOIDELIC dùn `fort' of the Chailleainn `Calendonians'".
DUNNET OLD COUNTY: Caithness NAME ON MAP: Dunost DATE: 1275 EARLIEST RECORD: Donoft DATE: c.1230 MEANING: "GOIDELIC dùn `hill, fort' with, possibly, OLD NORSE hofuth `headland'".
DUNNING OLD COUNTY: Perth NAME ON MAP: Dunine DATE: 1200 MEANING: GOIDELIC dùnan `little hill'.
DUNNOTTAR OLD COUNTY: Kincardine NAME ON MAP: Dunnotyr DATE: c.1270 EARLIEST RECORD: Duin foither DATE: 681 MEANING: GOIDELIC dùn `fort' with, possibly, oitire `reef, low promontory' or fother `a slope'.
DUNOLLY OLD COUNTY: Argyll NAME ON MAP: Dunollach DATE: 1322 EARLIEST RECORD: Duin Ollaigh DATE: 685 MEANING: possibly "GOIDELIC dùn `fort' of Ollach".
DUNOON OLD COUNTY: Bute NAME ON MAP: Dunhon DATE: c.1300 EARLIEST RECORD: Dunnon DATE: c.1240 MEANING: "GOIDELIC dùn `fort' [on the] abhainn `river'".
DUNROBIN OLD COUNTY: Sutherland NAME ON MAP: Dunrobyn DATE: 1401 MEANING: from the earliest record, GOIDELIC dùn `fort', but other records have Drum‑ GOIDELIC druim `ridge', with rabhain `long grass'. It is worth noting, however, that one Raffin (the name meant `raven') was the lömadr `lawman' here in 1222, and the name may come from this, perhaps changing later in honour of Robin, Earl of Sutherland, at c.1400.
DUNS OLD COUNTY: Berwick NAME ON MAP: Duns DATE: 1296 MEANING: GOIDELIC dùn `hill' with OLD ENGLISH plural ‑s added. (John Duns, the 13th century theologian whose followers became known as dunces probably came from here.)
DUNSCORE OLD COUNTY: Dumfries NAME ON MAP: Dunescore DATE: a.1300 MEANING: "GOIDELIC dùn `fort, hill' [at the] sgòr `sharp rock'".
DUNSKEATH OLD COUNTY: Ross & Cromarty NAME ON MAP: Dunskeath MEANING: GOIDELIC dùn `fort, hill' with, probably, BRYTHONIC cet, chet `wood'.
DUNSTAFFNAGE OLD COUNTY: Argyll NAME ON MAP: Dunstaffynch DATE: 1375 EARLIEST RECORD: Ardstofniche DATE: 1322 MEANING: the first element GOIDELIC dùn `fort' was earlier ard `height'; the third element is probably OLD NORSE nes `headland'. The second element might be OLD NORSE stafr `staff'. A local traditional interpretation is GOIDELIC dùn da innis `fort by the two islands'.
DUNTOCHAR OLD COUNTY: Dunbarton NAME ON MAP: Duntocher DATE: 1273 EARLIEST RECORD: Drumthoker DATE: 1225 MEANING: "GOIDELIC dùn `fort' [on the] tócher `causeway'".
DUNTROON OLD COUNTY: Argyll NAME ON MAP: Duntroon MEANING: GOIDELIC dùn `fort' and, probably, BRYTHONIC trwyn, GOIDELIC sròn `nose, cape'.
DUNVEGAN OLD COUNTY: Inverness (Skye) NAME ON MAP: Dunbegane DATE: 1498 MEANING: GOIDELIC dùn `fort' with bychan `small'. The NORSE personal name Began, Bechan cannot be totally ignored as a possibility. Although the record is late, the castle is much older.
DURISDEER OLD COUNTY: Dumfries NAME ON MAP: Doresdore DATE: 1303 EARLIEST RECORD: Durisdeir DATE: 1275 MEANING: GOIDELIC dorus doire `door, entrance to the wood'.
DURNESS OLD COUNTY: Sutherland NAME ON MAP: Dyrnes DATE: c.1230 MEANING: OLD NORSE dyr `deer' nes `cape, headland'.
DUTHIL OLD COUNTY: Inverness NAME ON MAP: Dothol DATE: c.1230 MEANING: GOIDELIC tuathail `north' (of Creag‑an‑fhithich).
DYKE OLD COUNTY: Moray NAME ON MAP: Brodie (the GOIDELIC form) is shown. EARLIEST RECORD: Dich DATE: c.1190 MEANING: OLD ENGLISH díc `ditch, dyke'. The place has had alternative names for centuries. See the entry for Brodie.
DYSART OLD COUNTY: Fife NAME ON MAP: Dishard DATE: 1250 EARLIEST RECORD: Disard DATE: c.1210 MEANING: GOIDELIC diseart `retreat' (from LATIN desertum `desert place').