ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Scottish toponymy

Okay kiddo, Scottish toponymy means the study of place names in Scotland. That includes the names of cities, towns, villages, rivers, mountains, and pretty much any other place you can think of!

People in Scotland have been naming places for thousands of years. Some names might come from the way the land looks, like "Ben Nevis" which means "mountain with its head in the clouds". Other names might come from something that happened there, like "Culloden" which was the site of a famous battle in Scottish history.

Sometimes different parts of Scotland have their own unique names for the same place. For example, the city of Edinburgh might be called "Embra" or "Auld Reekie" by locals.

People who study Scottish toponymy try to figure out the origins and meanings of place names. This can help us understand more about Scotland's history and culture. So, next time you visit Scotland and hear a funny or interesting place name, you'll know a little bit more about its story!