What’s in a Name? A Sense of Familiarity, an Ocean Away

Nova Scotia – Connecting Across the Atlantic

Many Nova Scotia place names carry familiar connections to Scotland, Ireland and England. Driving around Nova Scotia, you might notice the names of towns and small communities on roadside signs and wonder how they came to be. We pass familiar place names, often without knowing whose memories of home they carry.

For someone arriving from Scotland, Ireland or England, unexpectedly spotting a name they know could bring a smile—a little reminder of home in a place they’re just getting to know.

Halifax, Dartmouth, Chester, Dundee, Inverness, Arisaig, Iona, New Ross and New Waterford are just a few that might spark that connection. I’ve lived in Nova Scotia for many years, and these names still make me smile.

Some share their names with towns overseas; others connect to islands, waterways or regions. Not every name arrived here in the same way, but there’s a lot of history tucked into those roadside signs.

Familiar Names, Across the Pond

A small selection of Nova Scotia place names and their Scottish, Irish and English connections.

Scotland

Here in Nova Scotia	Across the Atlantic
Aberdeen, NS	Aberdeen, Scotland
Arisaig, NS	Arisaig, Scottish Highlands
Argyle, NS	Argyll, Scotland
Boisdale, NS	Lochboisdale, South Uist, Scotland
Creignish, NS	Craignish, Argyll, Scotland
Culloden, NS	Culloden, near Inverness, Scotland
Dingwall, NS	Dingwall, Scottish Highlands
Dundee, NS	Dundee, Scotland
Dunvegan, NS	Dunvegan, Isle of Skye, Scotland
Glencoe, NS	Glencoe, Scottish Highlands
Inverness, NS	Inverness, Scottish Highlands
Iona, NS	Isle of Iona, Scotland
Knoydart, NS	Knoydart, Scottish Highlands
Lismore, NS	Isle of Lismore, Scotland
Mull River, NS	Isle of Mull / Sound of Mull, Scotland
New Edinburgh, NS	Edinburgh, Scotland
New Glasgow, NS	Glasgow, Scotland
Portree, NS	Portree, Isle of Skye, Scotland
Stirling, NS	Stirling, Scotland
Strathlorne, NS	Lorne, Scotland—through the title Marquess of Lorne

Ireland and Northern Ireland

Here in Nova Scotia	Across the Atlantic
Clare, NS	County Clare, Ireland
Londonderry, NS	Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland
New Dublin, NS	Dublin, Ireland
New Ross, NS	New Ross, County Wexford, Ireland
New Waterford, NS	Waterford, Ireland

England

Here in Nova Scotia	Across the Atlantic
Aylesford, NS	Aylesford, Kent, England
Bedford, NS	Bedford, Bedfordshire, England
Cambridge, NS	Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England
Chester, NS	Chester, Cheshire, England
Dartmouth, NS	Dartmouth, Devon, England
Enfield, NS	Enfield, Greater London, England
Falmouth, NS	Falmouth, Cornwall, England
Halifax, NS	Halifax, West Yorkshire, England
Liverpool, NS	Liverpool, Merseyside, England
Martock, NS	Martock, Somerset, England
Oxford, NS	Oxford, Oxfordshire, England
Southampton, NS	Southampton, Hampshire, England
Tiverton, NS	Tiverton, Devon, England
Truro, NS	Truro, Cornwall, England
Weymouth, NS	Weymouth, Dorset, England
Windsor, NS	Windsor, Berkshire, England

Have you spotted a Nova Scotia community that shares a name with somewhere you know—or somewhere you once called home?

Fun Facts – Nova Scotia Connections to Scotland, Ireland and England

• Nova Scotia means “New Scotland” in Latin. Even our province’s name carries a connection across the Atlantic.

• New Ross is an exact match! The town in County Wexford, Ireland, is also called New Ross—“New” isn’t something we added here.

• Culloden’s name arrived by sea. The community in Digby County was named after the ship Culloden, which was wrecked there in 1859.
  
• The connections go beyond place names. The Scottish Gaelic connection is especially strong in the Highlands and rural communities. Cape Breton’s Scottish and Irish roots are also reflected in its music, dance, family histories and community traditions.

Moving to Nova Scotia

Moving to Nova Scotia from the U.S., U.K. and Abroad