English / Map Form: Birnam
Gaelic Form: Braonan
County: Perthshire
Local Authority: Perth and Kinross
English / Map Form: Birnam
Gaelic Form: Braonan
Language Notes
Element Meaning
Sources
| Bior-annam, no Bior-shnaim sound. Bior’naim | 1820 MacIntyre |
| it is Bior’n-aom, the sharp top of the said slope | Proceedings of the Perth Gaelic Society 1884-85, p11 [some other names unreliable here] |
| Braonan | Watson 2001 (1913), 128-9 |
| Bhiornam [gen.], Coille Bhiornaim | An Ròsarnach, iii. 25, 1921 |
Additional Information
The final -m seems intrusive and to be derived from Shakespeare. Hollingshead, from which Shakespeare derived his work, has forms as both Birnam and Birnan. Shakespeare seems to have taken the Birnam form only, which has standardised the name. The Gaelic forms ending in -m seem to be derived from the English form. Although Watson’s Braonan form is not conclusive, this has been proposed given it is already on the sign rail sign.
