DASG Blog

Ainmean nam Meur

Say, what are the digits at the end of your hands? What are they called? No, what are they really called? We are returning to the interesting subject, carrying on from the marvellous blog, here made years ago: “Na Meuran”. I recommend you give it a look because it is very resourceful and helpful for learning more about the subject.

There was enough to read in this blog but I wanted to add to it because of the incredible amount of folklore about the names of fingers. We have almost a new name in every place in Scotland and abroad, so I wanted to create a list of them to put them in the one place. Here is what I have. Let us know if there is a name, or list of names, missing. 

Lists Connected to Places:

Alltan Dubh, Achadh an Uillt Bhuidhe:

1. Òrdag [Little hammer]
2. a’ sgròbag [Little scraper]
3. Màiri fhada [Long Mary]
4. Mac an Aba [Son of the Abbot]
5. frìdeag [Little one]

Nether Lochaber:

1. òrdag
2. meurag [Little finger]
3. gille fada [Long lad]
4. mac an aba
5. gircean/girgean [Dwarf, pigmy]

West Lewis:

1. Òrdag
2. corrag [Little finger]
3. meur fada [Long finger]
4. nic-an-t-sraididh [Daughter of the sparks]
5. lughdag bheag an airgid [Little hinge of the silver]

Glenurquhart and Aird, Invernessshire:

1. òrdag
2. mac an ab’
3. ceanna fad’
4. lùdag [Little hinge]
5. a’ bhìdeag [Little bit]

 
Other Variations from Aird, Invernessshire

1. òrdag
2. a’ bhòrdag [Little plank]
3. gille fada
4. mac an aca
5. a’ bhìdeag

 
Port Charlotte, Islay:

1. òrdag
2. colbhag [Little column]
3. Fionnladh fada [Long Finlay]
4. Mac an Aba
5. An fhuideag(?) [Little swivel(?)]

Easter Ross (as can be found in “Saoghal Bana-Mharaiche”, by Seòsamh Watson:

1. òrdag
2. an t-seunabhag
3. an t-seaman fada [Long tail]
4. Madadh fada [Long hound/fox]
5. crìonag/bhìdeag [Diminished one/Little bit]

Tayvallich, Argyll:

1. Òrdag
2. corragag
3. mealla-fada [Long mound]
4. mac an aba
5. lùdag

MacKay Country, Sutherland (as can be found in “Gàidhlig Dhùthaich Mhic Aoidh”, by Seumas Grannd):
Ardmore, Inshegra, Blairmore (Eddrachilles):

1. An òrdag
2. An Sgeilbeag [Little chisel]
3. A’ mheur fhad’ [Long finger]
4. Mac an ab’
5. Meur bheag an airgid [Little finger of the silver]

Skinnet (Melness):

1. An òrdag
2. Fear a’ ghunna [The one of the gun]
3. Am fear fad’ [The long one]
4. A h-uile dad [Everything]
5. Meur bheag an airgid

Strath Halladale

1. An òrdag
2. Fear a’ ghunna
3. Am fear fad’
4. Mac an ab’
5. Gille beag an t-siùcair [Little one of the sugar]

 
Wester Ross (as can be found in “Faclan is Abairtean à Ros an Iar”, by Roy Wentworth)
Variation 1:

1. An òrdagaidh
2. Calgagaidh
3. Màiri fhada/Màiri fada
4. Mac an aba
5. Fìsteagaidh

 
Variation 2:

1. An òrdag
2. A’ chorrag
3. Meiri meadhan [Middle Mary]
4. Meiri lùdan [Mary of the hinge]
5. A’ lùdan [The hinge]

 
Mixed Nouns in Edward Dwelly's Dictionary:
THUMB

• Òrdag.

POINTER

• ailmeag; [Little tiller]
• bun nam fead; [Base of the whistles]
• cearbag; [Ragged one]
• cearrag; [Wrong one]
• cilbeag; [Weathered one]
• Colbag;
• colchag;
• colgag;
• colsag;
• Geilbeag; [Little chisel]
• Màthair na h-òrdaige; [Mother of the thumb]
• sgealb; [Chisel]
• sgealb;
• sgealbag; [Little chisel]
• sgolbag; [Little splinter]
• sgolgag;
• tolgag. [Little denter]

MIDDLE

• balbhag; [Little mute one]
• breabag; [Little kick]
• corgag;
• corrag-mheadhain; [Middle finger]
• “Fìgis”
• Fionna-fad [Long fair-one]
• Ful na Fead
• giolla fad [Long lad]
• Gòrag [The foolish one]
• An Gunna Fada [The long gun]
• Meur meadhanach [Middling finger]
• Mac a’ Phì [MacPhess]
• meuragaidh fada [Long fingerling]
• Meur a’ Mheadhain [Finger of the middle]
• prionna fada
• seanntag [Little old one]

RING

• Ceann an aba [The abbot's head]
• Mac an t-Sagairt [Son of the Priest]
• Mac an Abair
• Mac an t-Sradaich [Son of the sparks]
• Màthair na Lùdaig [Mother of the hinge]
• Màthair na Lùdain [Mother of the hinge]

PINKIE

• Brìdeag
• Caogag [The little wink]
• caoineag [Little lament]
• ceannamhag a’ bhrìdein;
• cìorgag [Little comb]
• Ciste bheag an airgid [Little chest of silver]
• Corrag bheag [Little small finger]
• crìonag [Dimished one]
• cuisteag [Wheeshed one]
• cuiteag [Weak one]
• dìdean beag an airgid [Little peeper of silver]
• Fìdeag [Whistle]
• gilceag
• lùbag dubh na catha [Little bend of the battle]
• lùdag [Little-hinge]
• Lùdag Bheag [Little hinged one]
• Lùdag Bheag an Airgid [Little hinged-one of the silver]
• Lùdag bheag na catha; [Little hinged-one of the battle]
• lùdagan [Little hinged-one]
• lùdan [Little hinge]
• Lùdan bheag an airgid [Little hinged-one of the silver]
• Màiri Bheag an Airgid [Little Mary of the silver]
• meur beag an airgid [Little finger of the silver]
• òrdag bheag an airgid [Little hammer-one of the silver]
• plaoisgeag [Little husked-one]
• plaosgag [Husked-one]
• Plaosgan [Husked-one]

There we have it, finally! I hope that you have learned more about finger names in Gaelic. Do you know of any other names? Let us know on facebook, twitter and our website.