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Scottish Gaelic Given Names for Women

Scottish Gaelic Given Names for Women:
Names of Scottish Gaels from Non-Gaelic Scottish Sources with Irish Gaelic Forms

Mór?
Draft Edition

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Last updated 25 Nov 2001

This is a draft edition! It is very incomplete! See the first part of this article. You have been warned!

Pre-1600 Scottish Gaelic Evidence

As yet, no pre-1600 Scottish Gaelic examples of the name have been found.

Pre-1600 Latin Language Evidence

A list of Gaels who were parishioners in Kilmacronak in Muckarne, in the west Highlands, in 1541 included "Mora nein a doura".[Ewen, p. 209] But here her name is being recorded in Latin, not Gaelic.

So while this shows that mid-16th century Scottish Gaels were using a name that was recorded in Latin documents as <Mora>, it does not tell us what the medieval Gaelic form of that name was.

Pre-1600 Scots Language Evidence

Entries in the late 16th century Burgh Court Books for Inverness record the names of a number of women who, based on their full names, were apparently Gaels (although, since they appear in a burgh/town, at least some of them may have been bi-cultural). Examples include:

"Moir NikLoidd spous to Rynnald McConyll Glas in Keppocht in Lochaber" - 1571 (p. 266)

But these names are being recorded in Scots, not Gaelic.

Pre-1600 Irish Gaelic Evidence

The Annála Connacht mention the following Irish women in entries for the years indicated:[O'Brien]

"Mor ingen Donnchada h. Fergail" - 1242
"Mor ingen Fedlimid h. Conchobair" - 1293
"Mor ingen h. Baigill ben h. Fergail" - 1320
"Mor ingen h. Conchobair ben h. Fergail" - 1356
"Mor ingen meic Gafraid h. Raigillig" - 1405
"Mor ingen tSemais h. Cendetig ben Mec Eochacan" - 1464

But these are the names of Irish Gaels, not Scottish Gaels.

So while this shows that 13th through 15th century Irish Gaels were using a name that was recorded in Gaelic documents as <Mor>, it does not tell us whether medieval Scottish Gaels were also using the name and, if so, whether they used the same form of the name.

Modern Scottish Gaelic Evidence

Speculative Pre-1600 Scottish Gaelic Form