Place name of the week

Loch Lochy ~ Loch Lòchaidh

This loch is mentioned around the eighth century as stagnum Loogdae and Stagnum Lochdae. Stagnum is a Latin word which is probably a translation of ‘loch’. The second source mentioned explains the name as qui Latine dici potest Nigra Dea ‘which in Latin can be called the Black Goddess’. Whilst the ‘goddess’ part is likely folk-etymology, lòch was an early Gaelic word meaning a particular shade of ‘black’, fitting with the modern Gaelic form Loch Lòchaidh. The suffix added to lòch is common in river names, and it is likely that the River Lochy or Abhainn Lòchaidh was the original name.

The element lòch also appears in other names such as Lochiel, probably Lòchail ‘black place’, or Inverlochlarig ~ Inbhir Lòch Làirig ‘the confluence of the black pass’. lfor more information visit www.ainmean-aite.org