Common Gaelic words in place names
When reading the following list it's important not to take any of the given meanings too-literally. Keep in mind the possibility that the real meaning of any Gaelic place name might be a little more subtle than its literal translation suggests.
| Gaelic | Scots | English | Example, and notes |
| allt | burn | stream | Allt a’ Choire Odhair - burn of the dun corrie |
| alltan | burnie | streamlet | Alltan na Beinne - burnie of the hill |
| beag | wee |
little | Gleann Laoigh Beag - glen of little calf-one |
| caochan | ? | little blind one | Caochan nan Spòld - little blind one of the haunches |
| clach |
stane |
stone | Clach nan Tàillear – stone of the tailors |
| clais | ? | hollow | Clais Mhadaidh – hollow of the wolf |
| dubh | ? | black/dark | An Dubh-Ghleann – the dark glen |
| féith |
? | bog-channel | Féith nan Sgòr – bog-channels of the rocky-hills |
| gleann | glen | ? | Gleann Laoigh Beag - glen of little calf-one |
| lochan | lochan | lakelet | Lochan Féith nan Sgòr – lochan of the bog-channels of the rocky-hills |
| mhòr | ? | big | Dail a’ Mhorair Mhòr - big haugh of the nobleman |
| preas | ? | copse [?] | Preas nam Meàrlach – copse of the robbers |
| poll | ? | pool | Poll an Éisg - pool of the fish |
| ruighe | shiel | grazing place [?] | Ruighe nan Clach - grazing place of the stones |
| uisge | water | river | Usige Beitheachan - water of little birch place |
