Below is a list of Gaelic abbreviations for onomastic research compiled by Dr. Alasdair C. Whyte, which incorporates suggestions from Professor Roibeard Ó Maolalaigh, Professor Richard A. V. Cox, Dr. Jacob King and Dr. Peadar Morgan.
The list is based on the English abbreviations used in Dr. Simon Taylor’s The Place-names of Fife,vols 1-5 (2006–2012). It is our hope that this list will be of use to all researchers writing about onomastics in Gaelic so that the same abbreviations may be used by everyone.
| Gaelic | English | |
| Classification | Ach: Achadh | F: Field |
| Àrs: Feart àrsaidh | A: Antiquity | |
| B: Baranachd | B: Barony | |
| C: Air a’ chosta | C: Coastal | |
| Eag: Eaglaiseil | E: Ecclesiastical | |
| Eile: Eile | O: Other | |
| Eiln: Eilean | I: Island | |
| L: Lusrach | V: Vegetation | |
| M: Maoirne | S: Stewartry | |
| P: Paraiste (làithreach / o shean) | P: Parish (extant / non-extant) | |
| R: Rìoghalachd | Reg: Regality | |
| Tc: Tìr-chumadh | R: Relief | |
| Ti: Tighearnas | L: Lordship | |
| Tò: Tòisigheachd | T: Thanage | |
| Tu: Tuineachadh | S: Settlement | |
| U: Uisge | W: Water | |
| Aspect | cT: An comhair a tuath | NOF: north facing |
| cET: An comhair an ear-thuath | NEF: north-east facing | |
| cE: An comhair an ear | EAF: east facing | |
| cED: An comhair an ear-dheas | SEF: sout-east facing | |
| cD: An comhair a deas | SOF: south facing | |
| cID: An comhair an iar-dheas | SWF: south-west facing | |
| cI: An comhair an iar | WEF: west facing | |
| cIT: An comhair an iar-thuath | NWF: north-west facing | |
| Other abbreviations | AEF: Aibideil Eadar-nàiseanta na Fogharachd | IPA: International Phonetic Alphabet |
| ag: ainm glèidhte | en: existing name | |
| ainm.: ainmneach | nom.: nominative | |
| ap: ainm pearsanta | pn: personal name | |
| b.: boireann | f.: feminine | |
| BCA: A’ Bheurla Choitcheann Albannach | SSE: Scottish Standard English | |
| bua.: buadhair | adj: adjective | |
| c.: circa | c.: circa | |
| CCN: Comharra Clèithe Nàiseanta | NGR: National Grid Reference | |
| clm: cilemeatair | km: kilometres | |
| Cr: A’ Chruithnis | P: Pictish | |
| cusp.: cuspaireach | acc: accusative | |
| d.: denarius (i.e. sgillinn) | d.: denarius (i.e. penny) | |
| earr.: earrann | vol.: volume | |
| f.: fireann | m.: masculine | |
| fl.: floruit | fl.: floruit | |
| G: A’ Ghàidhlig | G: Scottish Gaelic | |
| gin.: ginideach | gen.: genitive | |
| IE: An Ind-Eòrpais | IE: Indo-European | |
| iol.: iolra | pl.: plural | |
| l.: linn | c.: century | |
| La: An Laideann | La: Latin | |
| ls(s): làmh-sgrìobhainn(ean) | ms(s) manuscript(s) | |
| m: meatair | m: metre | |
| n.: neodrach | n.: neuter | |
| OS: An t-Suirbhidh Òrdanais | OS: Ordnance Survey | |
| Sc: Scots | Sc: Scots | |
| SG: An t-Seann Ghàidhlig | OG: Old Gaelic | |
| sing.: singilte | sing.: singular | |
| siorr.: siorramachd | vic.: sheriffdom | |
| SL: An t-Seann Lochlannais | ON: Old Norse | |
| s.n.: sub nomine | s.n.: sub nomine | |
| SSc: An t-Seann Scots | OSc: Older Scots | |
| sui.: suidheachar | loc.: locational or place-name forming | |
| s.v.: sub verbo | s.v.: sub verbo | |
| t.: tastan | s.: shilling | |
| TBr: An Tuath-Bhreatannais | NBr: Northern Brittonic | |
| tabh.: tabhartach | dat: dative |
