De-Anglicisation of Names

[gilmore]

A Fhaol Liath,

I would say your etymology is more or less correct. The first Celtic element, bre (Goidelic brí, Brythonic bre) does indeed mean hill. However, it can also mean high and in this case I think that is probably more accurate. The Anglo-Saxon don/dun/den element means hill as well. Since naming a place hill-hill seems rather silly, I would suggest it likely means high hill.

There are quite a few British surnames that come from the words for the same thing in 2 different languages, such as the above example, as well as Cheatwood. It isn't at all uncommon.

[slohairt]

Agreed. And the etymology may very well be hill-hill, I was just suggesting a more logical etymology.

By the way, was the double posting deliberate?

[gilmore]

...
By the way, was the double posting deliberate?

No, I don't know what happened. I guess the board hiccupped or seomthing.

[Nick the DSM]

or lagg- its known to do stuff like that.