Aber and Inver as place-name elements

Aber and Inver are common elements in place-names of Celtic origin. Both mean "confluence of waters" or "river mouth". Their distribution reflects the geographical influence of the Brittonic and Goidelic language groups, respectively.

Aber goes back to Common Brittonic. In Old Welsh it has the form Oper and is derived from an assumed *od-ber, meaning 'pouring away'. It is found in Welsh, Cornish and Breton.

Place names with aber are very common in Wales. They are also common on the east coast of Scotland, where they are assumed to be of Pictish origin. They are found to a lesser extent in Cornwall and other parts of England and Brittany. It may be that the relative dearth in Cornwall is simply a result of there being fewer rivers on a peninsula.

In Anglicised forms, aber is often contracted: Arbroath (formerly "Aberbrothick") for Aber Brothaig, Abriachan for Aber Briachan. In the case of Applecross (first attested as Aporcrosan), it has been transformed by a folk etymology. (Its Scottish Gaelic name, a' Chomraich, has lost the "Aber-" element altogether)

"Aber" is rendered into Scottish Gaelic as Oba(i)r, e.g. Obar Dheadhain "Aberdeen", Obar Pheallaidh "Aberfeldy", and Obar Phuill "Aberfoyle."

The Welsh names Abergwaun (Fishguard ), Aberhonddu (Brecon), Aberteifi (Cardigan), Aberdaugleddau (Milford Haven), Aberpennar (Mountain Ash) and Abertawe (Swansea) all contain Aber- in their Welsh language equivalent.

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