Aber and Inver as place-name elements

Aber and Inver are common elements in place-names of Celtic origin. Both mean "confluence

Confluence (geography)

In geography, a confluence is the meeting of two or more bodies of water. It usually refers to the point where two streams flow together, merging into a single stream...

of waters" or "river mouth". Their distribution reflects the geographical influence of the Brythonic

Brythonic languages

The Brythonic or Brittonic languages form one of the two branches of the Insular Celtic language family, the other being Goidelic. The name Brythonic was derived by Welsh Celticist John Rhys from the Welsh word Brython, meaning an indigenous Briton as opposed to an Anglo-Saxon or Gael...

and Goidelic language groups respectively.

Aber

Aber goes back to the ancient British language, or Brythonic, which was a p-Celtic language

P-Celtic and Q-Celtic

There are two main competing schemata of categorisation of Celtic languages. The older P-Celtic/Q-Celtic hypothesis links Gaulish with Brythonic as P-Celtic and links Goidelic with Celtiberian as Q-Celtic. The difference between P and Q languages is the treatment of Proto-Celtic *kw, which became...

. In Old Welsh it has the form Oper and is derived from an assumed Proto-Brythonic *od-ber, meaning 'pouring away'. It is found in Welsh, Cornish and Breton

Breton language

Breton is a Celtic language spoken in Brittany , France. Breton is a Brythonic language, descended from the Celtic British language brought from Great Britain to Armorica by migrating Britons during the Early Middle Ages. Like the other Brythonic languages, Welsh and Cornish, it is classified as...

, and must also have been common in Pictish

Pictish language

Pictish is a term used for the extinct language or languages thought to have been spoken by the Picts, the people of northern and central Scotland in the Early Middle Ages...

.

Place names with aber are very common in Wales. They are also common on the East coast of Scotland. They are found to a lesser extent in Cornwall and other parts of England, and in Brittany.

In Anglicised forms, aber is often contracted: Arbroath (formerly "Aberbrothick") for Aber Brothaig, Abriachan for Aber Briachan. In the case of Applecross (first attested as Aporcrosan), it has been transformed by a folk etymology. (Its Gaelic name, A' Chomraich, has lost the "Aber-" element altogetherhttp://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/gaidhlig/faclair/sbg/lorg.php?facal=A'%20Chomraich&seorsa=Gaidhlig&tairg=Lorg&eis_saor=on.)

"Aber" is rendered into Scottish Gaelic as Oba(i)r http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/gaidhlig/faclair/sbg/lorg.php?facal=Aber&seorsa=Beurla&tairg=Lorg&eis_saor=on, e.g. "Obar Dheadhain" (Aberdeen), "Obar Pheallaidh" (Aberfeldy), and "Obar Phuill" (Aberfoyle).

The Welsh names Fishguard

Fishguard

Fishguard is a coastal town in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales, with a population of 3,300 . The community of Fishguard and Goodwick had a population of 5043 at the 2001 census....

(Abergwaun), Brecon

Brecon

Brecon is a long-established market town and community in southern Powys, Mid Wales, with a population of 7,901. It was the county town of the historic county of Brecknockshire; although its role as such was eclipsed with the formation of Powys, it remains an important local centre...

(Aberhonddu), Cardigan

Cardigan, Ceredigion

Cardigan is a town in the county of Ceredigion in Mid Wales. It lies on the estuary of the River Teifi at the point where Ceredigion meets Pembrokeshire. It was the county town of the pre-1974 county of Cardiganshire. It is the second largest town in Ceredigion. The town's population was 4,203...

(Aberteifi), Milford Haven

Milford Haven

Milford Haven is a town and community in Pembrokeshire, Wales. It is situated on the north side of the Milford Haven Waterway, a natural harbour used as a port since the Middle Ages. The town was founded in 1790 on the north side of the Waterway, from which it takes its name...

(Aberdaugleddau), Mountain Ash (Aberpennar) and Swansea

Swansea

Swansea is a coastal city and county in Wales. Swansea is in the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan. Situated on the sandy South West Wales coast, the county area includes the Gower Peninsula and the Lliw uplands...

(Abertawe) all contain Aber- in their Welsh language

Welsh language

Welsh is a member of the Brythonic branch of the Celtic languages spoken natively in Wales, by some along the Welsh border in England, and in Y Wladfa...

equivalent.

It occurs in Brittany and Cornwall, although with far less frequency. In this case of Cornwall, this may be partly geographical since there are fewer rivers on a peninsula.

Inver

Inver is the Goidelic or q-Celtic form, an Anglicised spelling of Scottish Gaelic inbhir (likewise pronounced with /v/), which occurs in Irish

Irish language

Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...

as innbhear or inbhear, going back to Old Irish indber, inbir, inber. This is derived from the PIE root *bher-, 'carry' (English bear, Latin fero) with the prefix in-, 'into'. The word also occurs in Manx

Manx language

Manx , also known as Manx Gaelic, and as the Manks language, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, historically spoken by the Manx people. Only a small minority of the Island's population is fluent in the language, but a larger minority has some knowledge of it...

in the form Inver http://www.gaelg.iofm.net/DICTIONARY/dict2/I.html

Place-names with inver are very common throughout Scotland, where they outnumber aber-names by about 3:1. They are most common throughout the Western Highlands and the Grampians. It is usually assumed that in many cases, places which originally had a name with aber experienced a substitution, and occasionally this can be verified from historical records. This must be seen in the context of the Gaelic settlement of Scotland from Ireland in the early Middle Ages.

Place-names with inver are, however, oddly seldom in Ireland, given that the form is originally Irish; Ireland tends instead to have names with béal ('mouth') in such locations, as Béal Átha na Sluaighe (Ballinasloe, Co. Galway), Béal an Átha an Fheá (Ballina

Ballina, County Mayo

Ballina is a large town in north County Mayo in Ireland. It lies at the mouth of the River Moy near Killala Bay, in the Moy valley and Parish of Kilmoremoy, with the Ox Mountain range to the east and the Nephin Beg mountains to the west...

, Co. Mayo) or Béal Feirste (Belfast

Belfast

Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...

). The difference in usage may be explained by the fact that Gaelic names in Ireland are typically a thousand years older than those in Scotland, and hence the prevailing fashion could have been different.

In Anglicised forms, inver occasionally appears as inner: such as Innerleithen

Innerleithen

Innerleithen is a small town in the committee area of Tweeddale, in the Scottish Borders.-Etymology:The name "Innerleithen" comes from the Scottish Gaelic meaning "confluence of the Leithen", because it is here that the river joins the Tweed. The prefix "Inner-/Inver-" is common in many Scottish...

. Innerhaddon is also variant of Inverhaddon.

In some cases, an "Inver" has been lost, e.g. Ayr

Ayr

Ayr is a town and port situated on the Firth of Clyde in south-west Scotland. With a population of around 46,000, Ayr is the largest settlement in Ayrshire, of which it is the county town, and has held royal burgh status since 1205...

(Inbhir Air), which was recorded as "Inberair", and Ayre

Ayre

Ayre is one of six sheadings in the Isle of Man and consists of the parishes of Andreas, Bride and Lezayre.Ayre is also a House of Keys constituency, electing a single MHK....

(Inver Ayre) in the Isle of Man

Isle of Man

The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...

.

Occasionally, the English name forms are entirely unrelated: Dingwall

Dingwall

Dingwall is a town and former royal burgh in the Highland council area of Scotland. It has a population of 5,026. It was formerly an east-coast harbor but now lies inland. Dingwall Castle was once the biggest castle north of Stirling. On the town's present-day outskirts lies Tulloch Castle, parts...

(Inbhir Pheofharan) Scotland and Arklow

Arklow

Arklow , also known as Inbhear Dé from the Avonmore river's older name Abhainn Dé, is a historic town located in County Wicklow on the east coast of Ireland. Founded by the Vikings in the ninth century, Arklow was the site of one of the bloodiest battles of the 1798 rebellion...

(An tInbhear Mór) in Ireland both have "Inbhir-" in their Gaelic forms.

Syntax

Because Celtic languages place the generic element of a compound (what kind of thing it is) before the specific element (which one it is), the elements aber and inver normally appear at the beginning of a place name, the opposite of the English (Germanic) pattern. Contrast:

Inver-ness (mouth of the river Ness)
Eye-mouth (mouth of the river Eye)

This explains why Celtic placenames are often stressed on (the first syllable of) the last element (Inverness, Aberystwyth), whereas English placenames seldom are.

A variation occurs when the confluence itself is made the specific element. The names Lochaber and Lochinver both mean 'lake of the confluence'. Here, exceptionally, the elements aber and inver answer the question which loch, and so are placed second. This is reflected perfectly regularly in the stress patterns: Lochaber, Lochinver. Similarly, Cuan Inbhir on Clear Island, Co. Cork, means the "harbour of confluence".

Use in British colonies

Place names from the British isles were frequently exported to the colonies which became the British Empire, often without any thought being given to etymology. Thus there are many examples in the United States and in Commonwealth countries of places with names in Aber- or Inver- which are not located at a confluence. In Gaelic-speaking Nova Scotia, however, the element Inbhir- seems to have been productive in its original sense.

Invercargill

Invercargill

Invercargill is the southernmost and westernmost city in New Zealand, and one of the southernmost cities in the world. It is the commercial centre of the Southland region. It lies in the heart of the wide expanse of the Southland Plains on the Oreti or New River some 18 km north of Bluff,...

in the South Island

South Island

The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...

of New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

is a special case. In 1856 a petition was put forward to Thomas Gore Browne

Thomas Gore Browne

Colonel Sir Thomas Robert Gore Browne KCMG CB was a British colonial administrator, who was Governor of St Helena, Governor of New Zealand, Governor of Tasmania and Governor of Bermuda.-Early life:...

, the Governor of New Zealand

Governor-General of New Zealand

The Governor-General of New Zealand is the representative of the monarch of New Zealand . The Governor-General acts as the Queen's vice-regal representative in New Zealand and is often viewed as the de facto head of state....

, for a port at Bluff

Bluff, New Zealand

Bluff is a town and seaport in the Southland region, on the southern coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It is the southern-most town in New Zealand and, despite Slope Point being further to the south, is colloquially used to refer to the southern extremity of the country...

. Browne agreed to the petition and gave the name Invercargill to the settlement north of the port. Cargill is not the name of a river, or a location, but is in honour of Captain William Cargill

William Cargill

William Walter Cargill was the founder of the Otago settlement in New Zealand, after serving as an officer in the British Army. He was a Member of Parliament and Otago's first Superintendent.-Early life:...

, who was at the time the Superintendent of Otago

Otago

Otago is a region of New Zealand in the south of the South Island. The region covers an area of approximately making it the country's second largest region. The population of Otago is...

, of which Southland

Southland Region

Southland is New Zealand's southernmost region and is also a district within that region. It consists mainly of the southwestern portion of the South Island and Stewart Island / Rakiura...

was then a part.

In Wales

Aberaeron

Aberaeron |Aeron]] being a Welsh god of war) is a seaside resort town in Ceredigion, Wales. Situated between Aberystwyth and Cardigan, it is home to the headquarters of Ceredigion County Council. The population was 1520 in 2001.-History and design:...

, Aberaman

Aberaman

Aberaman is a village near Aberdare in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, south Wales.-Schools:*Blaengwawr Comprehensive School *Blaengwawr Primary *Oaklands Primary -Sport:...

, Aberangell

Aberangell

Aberangell is a village in Gwynedd, Wales named after the Welsh Folk-tale king Aberyn Angell .It stands at the confluence of the River Angell and the River Dyfi and was the terminus of the narrow gauge Hendre-Ddu Tramway and also had a station on the Mawddwy Railway. Aberangell has a very small...

, Aberarth

Aberarth

Aberarth, Ceredigion, Wales is a small seaside village situated towards the southern end of Cardigan Bay between Aberystwyth and Cardigan.As its name suggests it is at the mouth of the River Arth and is on the A487 coastal road.- History & Amenities :...

, Aberon, Aberbanc

Aberbanc

Aber-banc is a village in the Welsh county of Ceredigion.Aber-banc is situated on a sharp bend on the A475 approximately 4 miles east of Newcastle Emlyn. Nant Gwylan and the River Cwerchyr join the River Cynllo here and there are a number of Tree Preservation Orders along the north eastern bank of...

, Aberbargoed

Aberbargoed

Aberbargoed is a small town in the Welsh county borough of Caerphilly, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire, south Wales. Aberbargoed once contained the largest ever colliery waste tip in Europe, although this has now been reclaimed and turned into a country park.- Mining :Coal mining...

, Aberbeeg

Aberbeeg

The small village of Aberbeeg lies in the county borough of Blaenau Gwent in Wales, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire.Nearby are the villages of Llanhilleth and Six Bells, where the former colliery allowed the whole community to thrive as part of the South Wales coalfield...

, Abercanaid

Abercanaid

Abercanaid is a small village in the Welsh county borough of Merthyr Tydfil, Glamorgan, Wales, United Kingdom with a population of about 5,060. It is situated 2.5 miles south of Merthyr town centre and is west of Pentrebach, across the River Taff and north of Troedyrhiw...

, Abercarn

Abercarn

Abercarn is a small town community in Caerphilly county borough, Wales, 10 miles north-west of Newport on the A467 between Cwmcarn and Newbridge, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire.-History:...

, Abercastle

Abercastle

Abercastle is a village in the Welsh language speaking area of Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales. Abercastle has a working harbour which is managed by Abercastle Boat Owners Association...

, Abercegir

Abercegir

Abercegir is a small rural village in the Welsh principal area of Powys.It lies approximately 4 miles east of the town of Machynlleth.- External links :*...

, Abercraf

Abercraf

Abercraf is a village within the historic boundaries of Brecknockshire, Powys, mid Wales.- Location :Abercraf lies in the extreme south of the county, in the Upper Swansea Valley 2.5 miles northeast of the small town of Ystradgynlais...

, Abercregan

Abercregan

Abercregan is a village in the Welsh county borough of Neath Port Talbot, Glamorgan. It is situated around north-east of Port Talbot and just west of Cymmer, and is also close to the River Afan...

, Abercych

Abercych

Abercych is a small village of less than 100 houses, scattered mostly along the sides of a small lane that runs along the slopes of a valley in the north of the county of Pembrokeshire in South West Wales, in the parish of Manordeifi. It is an ancient village, the Welsh placename of which means...

, Abercynon

Abercynon

Abercynon is a small village in the Cynon Valley in Mid Glamorgan, Wales. The unitary authority is now known as Rhondda Cynon Taff. It is composed of the village of Abercynon itself,Carnetown,Glancynon,Park View and Pontcynon. However, in recent years the sign to show motorists they are entering...

, Aberdare

Aberdare

Aberdare is an industrial town in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Dare and Cynon. The population at the census was 31,705...

, Aberdaron

Aberdaron

Aberdaron is a community and former fishing village at the western tip of the Llŷn Peninsula in the Welsh county of Gwynedd. It lies west of Pwllheli and south west of Caernarfon, and has a population of 1,019. It is sometimes referred to as the "Land's End of Wales"...

, Aberdaugleddau

Milford Haven

(Milford Haven), Aberdulais

Aberdulais

Aberdulais or mouth & Dulais) is a village in Neath Port Talbot, Wales, lying on the River Neath.- History, amenities & attractions:...

, Aberdyfi

Aberdyfi

Aberdyfi , or Aberdovey is a village on the north side of the estuary of the River Dyfi in Gwynedd, on the west coast of Wales....

, Aberedw

Aberedw

Aberedw is a village in the Welsh county of Powys.The ruins of the medieval Aberedw Castle are nearby.It is also the site of Llywelyn ap Gruffydd's death, although it is commonly thought that this occurred in Cilmeri, where his men were finally defeated....

, Abereiddy

Abereiddy

Abereiddy is a hamlet in the county of Pembrokeshire, in south-west Wales.It has a small beach which was awarded the Blue flag rural beach award in 2005. A large car park adjoins the beach, where in the summer an ice cream van can usually be found. The beach also has public toilets which are open...

, Abererch

Abererch

Abererch is a small village and former civil parish in the Welsh county of Gwynedd. The parish was abolished in 1934, and incorporated into Llannor. It is a mostly Welsh speaking village. There is a primary school and a playschool, and a railway station....

, Aberfan

Aberfan

The Aberfan disaster was a catastrophic collapse of a colliery spoil tip that occurred in the Welsh village of Aberfan on Friday 21 October 1966, killing 116 children and 28 adults.-Mining debris:...

, Aberffraw

Aberffraw

Aberffraw is a small village and community on the south west coast of the Isle of Anglesey , in Wales, by the west bank of the River Ffraw, at . The UK postcode begins LL63. Access by road is by way of the A4080 and the nearest rail station is Bodorgan. In the early Middle Ages Aberffraw was the...

, Aberffrwd, Ceredigion, Aberffrwd, Monmouthshire

Aberffrwd, Monmouthshire

Aberffrwd is a village in Monmouthshire, Wales. It lies on the River Usk just off the A40....

, Abergavenny

Abergavenny

Abergavenny , meaning Mouth of the River Gavenny, is a market town in Monmouthshire, Wales. It is located 15 miles west of Monmouth on the A40 and A465 roads, 6 miles from the English border. Originally the site of a Roman fort, Gobannium, it became a medieval walled town within the Welsh Marches...

, Abergele

Abergele

Abergele is a community and old Roman trading town, situated on the north coast of Wales between the holiday resorts of Colwyn Bay and Rhyl, in Conwy County Borough. Its northern suburb of Pensarn lies on the Irish Sea coast and is known for its beach, where it is claimed by some that a ghost ship...

, Abergorlech

Abergorlech

Abergorlech is a village in the Welsh principal area of Carmarthenshire. It lies on the River Cothi on the B4310 road, between Brechfa to the southwest and Llansawel to the northeast....

, Abergwaun

Fishguard

Fishguard is a coastal town in Pembrokeshire, south-west Wales, with a population of 3,300 . The community of Fishguard and Goodwick had a population of 5043 at the 2001 census....

(Fishguard), Aberkenfig

Aberkenfig

Aberkenfig Aberkenfig Aberkenfig (Welsh Abercynffig, meaning mouth of the Kenfig (stream) is a village of around 2,000 people located in the County Borough of Bridgend, Wales to the north of Bridgend town.-Location:...

, Abergwesyn

Abergwesyn

- External links :*...

, Abergwili

Abergwili

Abergwili is a village in Carmarthenshire, West Wales, lying near to the junction of River Towy and River Gwili.- Bishop's Palace :It is known for its Bishop's Palace, home to the Bishop of St David's since 1542, when Bishop William Barlow transferred his palace from St David's to Abergwili,...

, Abergwynfi

Abergwynfi

Abergwynfi is a village in the Welsh county borough of Neath Port Talbot, Glamorgan, South Wales.Abergwynfi is the first half of a village of two parts, the other being Blaengwynfi...

, Abergwyngregyn

Abergwyngregyn

Abergwyngregyn is a village of historical note in Gwynedd, a county and principal area in Wales. Under its historic name of Aber Garth Celyn it was the seat of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd....

, Abergynolwyn

Abergynolwyn

Abergynolwyn is a village in southern Gwynedd, Wales, located at the confluence of the Nant Gwernol and the Afon Dysynni.Historically, the village was part of Merionethshire and its main industry was slate quarrying and the village was founded in the 1860s to house workers at the nearby Bryn...

, Aberhafesp

Aberhafesp

Aberhafesp is a small village in Powys, Wales.It is situated about five miles west of Newtown on the B4568 close to the River Severn.- External links :*...

, Aberhonddu

Brecon

(Brecon), Aberllefenni

Aberllefenni

Aberllefenni is a village in the south of Gwynedd, Wales. It lies in the valley of the Afon Dulas.Part of the ancient county of Merionethshire, it is the location of Foel Grochan, a slate quarry which together with Hen Chwarel and Ceunant Ddu formed the Aberllefenni Slate Quarry, which extracted...

, Abermaw (Barmouth), Abermorddu

Abermorddu

Abermorddu is a village in the county of Flintshire, Wales.Approximately 5 miles from Wrexham and situated on the A541 road, it is contiguous with the village of Caergwrle and closely related to the village of Hope.The local secondary school is ....

, Abermule

Abermule

Abermule is a village in Powys, mid Wales, located on the River Severn. The Montgomeryshire canal runs through Abermule, the canal is very close to the river.- Amenities :...

, Abernant, Carmarthenshire, Abernant, Powys

Abernant, Powys

Abernant is a hamlet 6 miles south of Builth Wells, Powys.The spring forms above Abernant, near the summit of Banc y Celyn , and runs through Abernant to join the River Wye....

, Abernant, Rhondda Cynon Taf

Abernant, Rhondda Cynon Taf

Abernant situated in the Cynon Valley in the South Wales Valleys is a former coal mining village on the northeastern suburbs of Aberdare, in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales.-History:...

, Aberpennar (Mountain Ash), Aberporth

Aberporth

Aberporth is a community and small town in Ceredigion on the west coast of Wales. The population was 2,485 in 2001.- Location :The town lies at the southern end of Cardigan Bay about six miles north of Cardigan and ten miles south of New Quay approximately one mile west of the A487, on the...

, Aberriw

Berriew

Berriew is a village in Powys, Wales, situated on the Montgomeryshire Canal and the river Rhiw near the confluence with the River Severn at...

(Berriew), Abersoch

Abersoch

Abersoch is a large village in the community of Llanengan in Gwynedd, Wales. It is a popular coastal seaside resort with approximately 1,000 inhabitants, on the east-facing south coast of the Llŷn Peninsula at the southern terminus of the A499. It is about south-west of Pwllheli and south-west of...

, Abersychan

Abersychan

Abersychan is a settlement and community north of Pontypool in Torfaen, Wales, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire. It has a population of 6,826.It lies in the narrow northern section of the Afon Lwyd valley...

, Abertawe

Swansea

(Swansea), Aberteifi (Cardigan - town), Abertillery

Abertillery

Abertillery is a town in the county borough of Blaenau Gwent in South Wales, north-west of Newport, originally on the Great Western Railway. Its population rose steeply during the period of mining development in South Wales, being 10,846 in the 1891 census and 21,945 ten years later...

, Aberthin

Aberthin

Aberthin is a small village, just outside Cowbridge in the Vale of Glamorgan, South Wales.- Amenities :It has no shops, but does have two pubs, a village hall which when built in 1749 was created as Wales's second purpose-built Calvinistic Methodist meeting house, and a very special tree.It is...

, Abertillery

Abertillery

, Abertridwr, Caerphilly, Abertridwr, Powys

Abertridwr, Powys

Abertridwr is a small village in the north of Powys and close to Llyn Efyrnwy.The area surrounding Abertridwr is rich in forestry and is an excellent site for outdoor pursuits of many different types.- External links :*...

, Aberystwyth

Aberystwyth

Aberystwyth is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, Wales. Often colloquially known as Aber, it is located at the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol....

, Llanaber

Llanaber railway station

Llanaber railway station serves the village of Llanaber near Barmouth in Gwynedd, Wales. The station is an unstaffed halt on the Cambrian Coast Railway with passenger services to Harlech, Porthmadog, Pwllheli, Barmouth, Machynlleth and Shrewsbury...

In Ireland

An tInbhear Mór (Arklow

Arklow

, Co. Wicklow), Inbhear (Inver

Inver

Inver is a village in County Donegal, Ireland. It lies on the N56 National secondary road mid-way between Killybegs to the west and Donegal Town to the east. Inver has an excellent football pitch and a club called Eany Celtic...

, Co. Donegal), Inbhear nOllarbha (Larne Lough

Larne Lough

Larne Lough is a sea lough or inlet in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. The lough lies between Islandmagee and the mainland. At its mouth is the town of Larne...

, Co. Antrim), Inbhear Scéine the traditional name for Kenmare Bay, Co. Kerry

In Scotland

Aberarder

Aberarder is a hamlet to the south of Loch Ruthven, Scottish Highlands and is in the Scottish council area of Highland. It lies on the B851 road, to the east of Loch Ness. After the Rising of 1745, Aberarder was owned by the Farquharsons of Invercauld....

, Aberargie

Aberargie

Aberargie is a village in the Scottish region of Perth and Kinross....

, Aberbothrie, Abercairney, Aberchalder

Aberchalder

Aberchalder is a small village on the north shore of Loch Oich in Highland region and is in the Scottish council area of Highland. Scotland. It lies on the A82 road and is situated in two parishes, Boleskine and Kilmonivaig. Fort Augustus is within .-Etymology:The town is named for its location...

, Aberchirder

Aberchirder

Aberchirder , known locally as Foggieloan or Foggie, is a village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, situated on the A97 road six miles west of Turriff.- History :...

, Abercorn

Abercorn

Abercorn is a village and parish in West Lothian, Scotland. Close to the south coast of the Firth of Forth, the village is around west of South Queensferry.-History:...

, Abercrombie

Abercrombie, Fife

Abercrombie is a hamlet in Fife, situated around 1 mile to the north of the village of St Monans, and 10 miles south of the town of St Andrews. Abercrombie was the former name of the parish of St Monans, although both Abercrombie and St Monans had churches.The hamlet is centered around Abercrombie...

, Aberdalgie

Aberdalgie

Aberdalgie is a village in the Scottish council area of Perth and Kinross. It is located southwest of Perth, to the south of the B9112 road in Strathearn....

, Aberdeen

Aberdeen

Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....

, Aberdour

Aberdour

Aberdour is a scenic and historic village on the south coast of Fife, Scotland. It is on the north shore of the Firth of Forth, looking south to the island of Inchcolm and its Abbey, and to Leith and Edinburgh beyond. According to the 2006 population estimate, the village has a population of...

, Aberfeldy, Aberfoyle, Abergairn, Abergeldie, Aberlady

Aberlady

Aberlady is a coastal village in the Scottish council area of East Lothian. On Aberlady Bay, it is five miles northwest of Haddington and approximately 18 miles east of Edinburgh, to which it is linked by the A198 Dunbar - Edinburgh road.Aberlady Parish Church dates back to the 15th century. It...

, Aberlednock, Aberlemno

Aberlemno

Aberlemno is a parish and small village in the Scottish council area of Angus. It is noted for three large carved Pictish stones dating from the 7th and 8th centuries AD ; the stones can be viewed at any time in spring-autumn, but are covered by wooden boxes in the winter to prevent frost damage...

, Aberlour

Aberlour

Aberlour , is the name of a place in Moray, Scotland, 12 miles south of Elgin on the road to Grantown. A burn , a tributary of the River Spey, and surrounding parish, are both named Aberlour, but the name is most commonly used in reference to the village which straddles the stream and flanks the...

, Abermilk, Abernethy, Aberscross, Abersky, Abertarff, Abertay, Aberuchill, Aberuthven

Aberuthven

Aberuthven is a village in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It lies approximately northeast of Auchterarder and southwest of Perth at the A9 and A824 roads....

, Abriachan

Abriachan

Abriachan , pronounced with the stress on the i , is a village in the Highland council area of Scotland. It is situated high above the western shore of Loch Ness, 15 km to the south-west of the city of Inverness. The village has a population of approximately 120...

, Applecross

Applecross

The Applecross peninsula is a peninsula in Wester Ross, Highland, on the west coast of Scotland. The name Applecross is at least 1300 years old and is not used locally to refer to the 19th century village with the pub and post office, lying on the small Applecross Bay, facing the Inner Sound, on...

, Arbirlot

Arbirlot

Arbirlot is a village in a rural parish of the same name in Angus, Scotland. The current name is a contraction of Aberelliot - mouth of the Elliot. It is situated west of Arbroath. The main village settlement is on the Elliot Water, 2.5 miles from Arbroath. There is a Church of Scotland church and...

, Arboll

Arboll

Arboll is a place in Easter Ross, Highland, northern Scotland made up of several scattered farms. It is situated about to the east of Tain and a short distance inland from Dornoch Firth....

, Arbuthnott

Arbuthnott

Arbuthnott is a small village in northeast Scotland, 26 miles south of Aberdeen. It is located on the B967 east of Fordoun and north-west of Inverbervie in Aberdeenshire. The nearest train station is Stonehaven....

, Arbroath

Arbroath

Arbroath or Aberbrothock is a former royal burgh and the largest town in the council area of Angus in Scotland, and has a population of 22,785...

, Fochabers

Fochabers

Fochabers is a village in the Parish of Bellie, in Moray, Scotland, not far from the cathedral city of Elgin and located on the east bank of the River Spey. Around 2,000 people live in the village, which enjoys a rich musical and cultural history...

, Kinnaber, Lochaber

Lochaber

District of Lochaber 1975 to 1996Highland council area shown as one of the council areas of ScotlandLochaber is one of the 16 ward management areas of the Highland Council of Scotland and one of eight former local government districts of the two-tier Highland region...

, Obar Neithich (Nethybridge), Slongaber

Slongaber

Slongaber is a place in southern Scotland, in the district of Dumfries and Galloway.-See also:Aber and Inver as place-name elements...

Ayr

(formerly "Inberair" etc), Inbhir Bhrùra

Brora

Brora is a village in the east of Sutherland, in the Highland area of Scotland. The village is situated where the A9 road and the Far North Line bridge the River Brora...

(Brora), Inbhir Chalain

Kalemouth

Kalemouth is a village in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, where the Kale Water joins the River Teviot, near to Eckford, Cessford, Crailing, Kelso, and Roxburgh.Kalemouth Suspension Bridge is a suspension bridge.-Sources:...

(Kalemouth), Inbhir Eireann

Findhorn

Findhorn is a village in Moray, Scotland. It is located on the eastern shore of Findhorn Bay and immediately south of the Moray Firth. Findhorn is 3 miles northwest of Kinloss, and about 5 miles by road from Forres....

(Findhorn), Inbhir Nàrann

Nairn

Nairn is a town and former burgh in the Highland council area of Scotland. It is an ancient fishing port and market town around east of Inverness...

(Nairn), Inbhir Pheofharain

Dingwall

(Dingwall), Inbhir Theòrsa

Thurso

-Facilities:Offices of the Highland Council are located in the town, as is the main campus of North Highland College, formerly Thurso College. This is one of several partner colleges which constitute the UHI Millennium Institute, and offers several certificate, diploma and degree courses from...

(Thurso - name of Norse origin), Inbhir Ùige

Wick, Highland

Wick is an estuary town and a royal burgh in the north of the Highland council area of Scotland. Historically, it is one of two burghs within the county of Caithness, of which Wick was the county town. The town straddles the River Wick and extends along both sides of Wick Bay...

(Wick), Innerleithen

Innerleithen

, Innerleven, Innerwick (in Perth and Kinross), Inver, Inverarnan, Inverallan

Inverallan

Inverallan is one of the parishes which formed the ecclesiastical parish of "Cromdale, Inverallan and Advie" in Morayshire in Scotland.It is generally equivalent to the area now known as Grantown....

, Inveraldie

Inveraldie

Inveraldie is a village in Angus, Scotland. It lies on the north-bound side of the A90 road, two miles north of Dundee....

, Inveralmond Inveramsay, Inveran

Inveran

Inveran is a small village in the Sutherland region of the Highland Council area of Scotland.It is situated on the A837 at the head of the Dornoch Firth and the site of the Shin Hydro-electric Power Station....

, Inveraray

Inveraray

Inveraray is a royal burgh in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is on the western shore of Loch Fyne, near its head, and on the A83 road. It is the traditional county town of Argyll and ancestral home to the Duke of Argyll.-Coat of arms:...

, Inverbervie

Inverbervie

Inverbervie is a small town on the north-east coast of Scotland, south of Stonehaven, in the Aberdeenshire council area.The Inverbervie name derives from Inbhir Beirbhe, meaning Mouth of the River Bervie in Scottish Gaelic.-History:...

, Inverclyde

Inverclyde

Inverclyde is one of 32 council areas used for local government in Scotland. Together with the Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire council areas, Inverclyde forms part of the historic county of Renfrewshire - which current exists as a registration county and lieutenancy area - located in the west...

, Inveresk

Inveresk

Inveresk is a civil parish and was formerly a village that now forms the southern part of Musselburgh. It is situated on slightly elevated ground at the south of Musselburgh in East Lothian, Scotland...

, Inverfarigaig

Inverfarigaig

Inverfarigaig is a hamlet at the mouth of the River Farigaig, on the south east shore of Loch Ness in Inverness-shire, Scottish Highlands and is in the Scottish council area of Highland.The villages of Bunloit and Balbeg are directly across Loch Ness....

, Invergarry

Invergarry

Invergarry is a village in the Highlands of Scotland. It is in the Great Glen, near where the River Garry flows into Loch Oich.Near the centre of the village is the junction between the A82 road and the A87 road which branches off to the west towards Skye.The ruined Invergarry Castle is situated...

, Invergordon

Invergordon

Invergordon is a town and port in Easter Ross, in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland.-History:The town is well known for the Invergordon Mutiny of 1931. More recently it was also known for the repair of oil rigs which used to be lined up in the Cromarty Firth on which the town is situated...

, Invergowrie

Invergowrie

Invergowrie is a village on the north bank of the River Tay to the west of Dundee. Although formerly incorporated as part of Dundee, it is located in Perth and Kinross....

, Inverhaddon (or Innerhaddon), Inverkeilor

Inverkeilor

Inverkeilor is a village and parish in Angus, Scotland. It lies near the North Sea coast, midway between Arbroath and Montrose. The A92 road now bypasses the village....

, Inverkeithing

Inverkeithing

Inverkeithing is a town and a royal burgh in Fife, Scotland, located on the Firth of Forth. According to population estimates , the town has a population of 5,265. The port town was given burgh status by King David I of Scotland in the 12th century and is situated about 9 miles north from...

, Inverkeithney, Inverkip

Inverkip

Inverkip is a village and parish falling within the Inverclyde council area and historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies about southwest of Greenock on the A78 trunk road...

, Inverleith

Inverleith

Inverleith is an inner suburb in the northern part of Edinburgh, Scotland, on the fringes of the central region of the city. It is an affluent suburb. Its neighbours include Trinity to the north and the New Town to the south, with Canonmills at the south-east and Stockbridge at the south-west...

, Invermoriston

Invermoriston

Invermoriston is a small village 7 miles north of Fort Augustus, Highland, Scotland. The village is on the A82 road, at a junction with the A887. The village's most visited attraction is the Thomas Telford bridge, built in 1813, which crosses the spectacular River Moriston falls...

, Inverness

Inverness

Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...

, Invershin

Invershin

Invershin is a scattered village six miles south of Lairg in south Sutherland in the Scottish Highlands and is in the Scottish council area of Highland.Invershin is located close to the junction of the River Shin and the River Oykel....

, Inversnaid

Inversnaid

Inversnaid is a village on the east bank of Loch Lomond in Scotland, near the north end of the loch. It has a pier and a hotel, and the West Highland Way passes through the village. A small passenger ferry runs from Inversnaid to Inveruglas on the opposite shore of the loch. To reach Inversnaid by...

, Inverugie

Inverugie

Inverugie is a small village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland that lies on the entrance to the River Ugie just north of Peterhead.-Sources:* in the Gazetteer for Scotland.* in the Gazetteer for Scotland....

, Inverurie

Inverurie

Inverurie is a Royal Burgh and town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, approximately north west of Aberdeen on the A96 road and is served by Inverurie railway station on the Aberdeen to Inverness Line...

, Kilninver, Lochinver

Lochinver

Lochinver is a village on the coast in the Assynt district of Sutherland, Highland, Scotland. A few miles northeast is Loch Assynt which is the source of the River Inver which flows into Loch Inver at the village. There are 200 or so lochans in the area which makes the place very popular with...

, Rossinver

Rossinver

Rossinver or Rosinver is a village in north County Leitrim, Ireland. The village is at the southern shore of Lough Melvin at the jumction of the R281 and R282 regional roads....

Notes - "Bail' Inbhir Fharrair",(http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/gaidhlig/faclair/sbg/lorg.php?facal=Beauly&seorsa=Beurla&tairg=Lorg&eis_saor=on&tus_saor=on is an uncommon name for Beauly

Beauly

Beauly is a town of the Scottish county of Inverness-shire, on the River Beauly, 10 miles west of Inverness by the Far North railway line. Its population was 855 in 1901...

, usually "A' Mhanachain"); Fort William was formerly known as Inverlochy, and a small district nearby is still referred to as such.

In England

Aberfal

Falmouth, Cornwall

Falmouth is a town, civil parish and port on the River Fal on the south coast of Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a total resident population of 21,635.Falmouth is the terminus of the A39, which begins some 200 miles away in Bath, Somerset....

(Falmouth, Cornwall), Aberplymm

Plymouth

Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...

(Plymouth, Devon).

Canada

Italicised names denote usage in Canadian Gaelic.
Baile Inbhir Nis
Inverness, Nova Scotia
Inverness is a Canadian rural community in Inverness County, Nova Scotia. In 2001 its population was 2,496.Located on the west coast of Cape Breton Island fronting the Gulf of St...

(Inverness, NS) , Siorramachd Inbhir Nis
Inverness County, Nova Scotia
Inverness County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. Its territory is almost contiguous with the Municipality of Inverness County, which only excludes the town of Port Hawkesbury and First Nation reserves.-History:...

(Inverness County, NS), Inbhir-pheofharain (Dingwall, NS), Loch Abar (Lochaber, NS), Inverhuron, ON

Inverhuron, Ontario

Inverhuron is a community located within the Municipality of Kincardine in the Canadian province of Ontario. The community includes approximately 200 permanent residents and 400 seasonal cottagers....