The story of 15 Edinburgh areas and how they got their names
| Published date | 22 June 2022 |
| Publication title | EdinburghLive (Scotland) |
Some are fairly self-explanatory, but others are more surprising.
So, here are some of the popular areas of Edinburgh and where their names come from.
Princes Street
Now a bustling trap for tourists and hub for high street businesses, Princes Street was originally known as St. Giles Street, after the city's patron saint, the cathedral named after the saint still stands nearby.
However, King George the Third took a dislike to Giles, who was also the saint of Lepers, and chose to rename the street after both of his sons- Hence Princes Street.
The Inch
In the South of Edinburgh, a stone's throw from Blackford Hill, The Inch actually has nothing to do with the imperial measurement. It instead gets its name from the Gaelic word "innis" to mean island. It is theorised that the area was once a dry "island" amid wetter countryside.
Dean Village
Another classic for tourists and Edinburgh locals alike, the picturesque Dean village is known for its stunning architecture and peaceful views around The Water of Leith.
The area was once called the Water of Leith Village and was a mill town, using the stream to power their mills. However, King David I referred to the village as "Dene", which ultimately warped into the modern "Dean Village".
Stockbridge
Full of cafés, restaurants and charity shops, Stockbridge is another very picturesque area of the capital. The name would seem self explanatory from the bridge in the centre but the name Stockbridge comes from the Scots word "Stock" for wood. It is not clear what happened to the old wooden bridge but the new stone one has since become a feature of the city.
Dalry
In the centre of the city, Dalry remains something of a mystery for historians and the original name for the area is still not known for sure.
However, there are theories, including that it could be from the Gaelic "Dail Rig" for "place of fields" or "Daily Ruigh" for "King's Field.
Duddingston
Duddingston is best known for Dunningston Kirk, a fantastic example of Norman architecture in Scotland which dates all the way back to the 12th century.
The kirk is also where the area gets its name, commissioned by the Norman Knight Dodin, the town that cropped up around the church adopted the name as "Dodinestun", which later morphed into "Doudinstoun" and eventually into...
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