Place Names

🗺️ What’s in a Name? Discover the Stories Behind UK Place Names

Place names are more than just labels on a map, they’re windows into the past. From ancient languages and forgotten kingdoms to local legends and natural features, the names we see every day reveal fascinating clues about the cultures, food, histories, and landscapes that shaped them.

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Stilton Cheese on a board

Foods Named After British Place Names (including some you probably didn’t know!)

November 6, 2025
8 min read

Explore a list of foods named after British place names and learn about their interesting origins and local connections.

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A collection of road signs

Britain’s weirdest local nicknames

May 10, 2024
1 min read

Britain is treasure-trove of the weird, wonderful and occasionally rude place name, so we thought we'd pick out a few of our favourite of the weirdest local nicknames.

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Os tricky place names quiz

April 1, 2020
4 min read

We've created this challenging place names quiz to see how easily you can be tricked with made up places. See if you can get 100%!

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Amhuinnsuidhe Castle, Isle of Harris

The Gaelic origins of place names in Britain

November 7, 2019
75 min read

Find the original meanings of Gaelic place names in Scotland with this extensive list of terms, complete with pronunciation.

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Lerwick Coast, Shetland Islands

The Scandinavian origins of place names in Britain

November 7, 2019
12 min read

Find the original meanings of British place names that use Scandinavian source words with this extensive list of terms., complete with pronunciation.

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The Scots origins of place names in Britain

November 7, 2019
26 min read

Find the original meanings of British place names that use Scots source words with this extensive list of terms, complete with pronunciation.

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Eryri National Park Valley - Welsh Place Names

The Welsh origins of place names in Britain

November 7, 2019
33 min read

Find the original meanings of British place names that use Welsh source words with this extensive list of terms, complete with pronunciation.

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38 of the spookiest place names in the uk

October 31, 2019
1 min read

For Halloween, we've dug out 38 of the spookiest place names we can find across the UK... can you add any more?

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Why there are hundreds of bottoms in England and loads of pants in Wales…

December 11, 2016
3 min read

Britain has a varied and colourful history, with lots of different influences over the years. Discover why some of the cheekiest place names exist with the experts from ST&G Marvellous Maps.

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A pub next to the river.

The History of Pub Names

October 23, 2016
6 min read

History-lover and GetOutside Champion Mary-Ann Ochota explores some of the history behind Britain's much loved pub names – and ways that you can tell what's occurred in the years before.