Kinlochleven
Ceann Loch Lìobhann
Meaning
head of Loch Leven
Location
Inverness-shire
Highland
NN185615
English / Map Form: Kinlochleven
Gaelic Form: Ceann Loch Lìobhann
Location: Lochaber, Highland
Post Town: KINLOCHLEVEN
County: Inverness-shire
Local Authority: Highland
Nearest Main Roads: A82
English / Map Form: Kinlochleven
Gaelic Form: Ceann Loch Lìobhann
Genitive Form: Cheann Loch Lìobhann
Language Notes
G nom. sg. ceann, masc. ‘head, end’ + gen. sg. loch, masc. ‘loch’ + gen. sg. of Lìobhann river nameElement Meaning
G ceann ~ head; loch ~ loch; Lìobhann ~ river name
Sources
Kean-Loch-Moir | c. 1590 Pont map 13 |
Kinloch Beg | 1875 OS 6 inch 1st edn. |
Leven = Leamhann | Dwelly 1912 |
Leven = Leamhain gen. Leamhna | Watson 1926, 19 |
Ceann Loch Lìobhann | TM. |
Additional Information
This place used to be called Kinlochbeg or Ceann Loch Beag, ‘little loch end’, in the late Nineteenth Century before the settlement was built up. Kinlochmore on the other side still exists, and was the larger settlement. Only Kinlochmore is mentioned in the Ordnance Survey Name books for this area (reel 102, 165).
There are two main orthographical variants of this name: Leamhan(n) and Lìobhan(n). The first variant was adopted predominantly by scholars, on the belief that the name Leven was cognate with Gaelic leamhan, ‘elm’. This is now considered doubtful.
Lìobhan or Lìobhann more accurately represents the first syllable, which is long. Like Nevis, since this term is lexically obscure, there is debate whether the central fricative should be spelled -bh- or -mh-. The former is more established.
Informant TM, when asked, said the orthography was correct, and that although Lìobhainn would be expected in this position Lìobhann was in fact used. This is expected for river-names or loch-names.