Thus inver (Gaelic inbhir), meaning a confluence or river-mouth, is found as Inverness and Lochinver; and kil (Gaelic cill), meaning church is another common prefix, eg Kildonan, Kilchrist and Kilmarie. Norse names are usually found near the coast, eg Laxford (laxa-fjord - salmon firth) and Helmsdale (probably hjalmun-dalr - valley of the helmet, recalling a battle).

Some Gaelic names on maps have been "anglicised". Others keep their Gaelic spelling. Obvious land features, especially hills, (anglicised as bens), have a wealth of subsidiary descriptions in Gaelic. These include tom - low hill; maol - bald or rounded hill; carn - high and rocky hill; plus a range for spiky and prominent hills whose names often start with stob, sgurr or stuc (and lots more).

Other common prefixes from Gaelic which refer to geographical features include drum (druim - a ridge) e.g. Drumochter and Drumnadrochit; or kyle (caol - a strait) as in Kyleakin and Kylesku.

Gaelic colours also turn up in place names - Cairngorms are blue stones, Glasven in Sutherland is Glas-bheinn - grey or green hill, while Glen Roy is from ruadh, red.