What does Mòr mean in Scottish mountain names?

Mòr means "big" or "great" in Scottish Gaelic. It's used to distinguish the larger of two similar peaks in the same area, and it's pronounced roughly like "more" with a slightly longer vowel sound.

What does Beag mean on Scottish hills?

Beag means "small" or "little" in Scottish Gaelic. You'll often see it paired with a nearby peak called Mòr (big), helping you tell which summit is which when two similar hills share the same base name.

Why do some mountains have Mòr in the name but no Beag nearby?

Sometimes Mòr is used to indicate the main or most significant peak in an area, even without a smaller companion hill. The system is practical rather than rigidly consistent—it's about what made sense to the people naming the landscape, not following strict rules.

Why is it called that?

Why Scotland's Mountains Are Full of Mòrs and Beags

Once you know that "mòr" means big and "beag" means small in Scottish Gaelic, you'll spot this wonderfully pragmatic naming system all over Highland maps—because when you've got two similar lumps of rock next to each other, calling one the big version and one the wee version does the job without requiring ancient warrior legends or any particular imagination.

24 October 20267 min read