English / Map Form: Morvern
Gaelic Form: A' Mhorbhairne
Location: Lochaber, Highland
Post Town: OBAN
County: Argyll & Bute
Local Authority: Argyll & Bute
English / Map Form: Morvern
Gaelic Form: A' Mhorbhairne
Genitive Form: na Morbhairne
Language Notes
Possibly reduced form of G nom. sg. muir, ‘sea’ fem. + G lenited. nom. sg. of beàrn, ‘gap’ = ‘sea gap’Element Meaning
Possibly:muir ~ sea; beàrn ~ gap
Sources
| Morvarne | 1476 RMS ii no. 1246 |
| Morwarne | 1478 RMS ii no. 1410 |
| Murverne | 1516 RRS I no. 2872 |
| Morwarne | 1635 Retours (Argyle) no. 56 |
| Morverne | 11630 Geog. Coll. ii, 156 |
| Morvarne | 1662 Retours (Inverness) no. 88 |
| Morvern | 1654 Blaeu Map (Kintyre) |
| Marbhainn | Dwelly 1912 |
| A’ Mhorbhairn | Watson 1926, 123 |
| A Mharairne (a Mhorairne) | Dieckhoff, 184 |
Additional Information
The derivation follows that of Watson 1926, 123. This is an established name.
