In a message dated 10/09/00 1:04:43 AM Central Daylight Time, marilynstirling@stirlingross.freeserve.co.uk writes: << assume that you've ruled out Rioch being a house, farm, hamlet etc. >> No, rule out nothing as I said I have not used the Gaelic in a number of years my fluency is not what it was as a child, but the word Rioch means scar as far as I know, or to flay as in butcher flesh. Again as in any language there are different dialects and local sayings, and Highlanders, especially we Gaels, have a gift for the ironic so can make getting a 100 or 200 year old name a little chancy at times. The small village I grew up in, when not in Inverness had about 20 people all with the same last name, and many with the same first name, so our last name was useless and everyone had a nic name of sorts. I am sure you have also run into the challenge of the Highland naming patterns. For instance my brother is called Iain, named after my father John, (named in English) he is called Iain, Eyowney, Eyouwnuck, Eenochand even Yorie at times. A lot of the Gaelic depends on the inflections and the personal knowledge the two people conversing have of a person or the topic, much the same as in the English. The name may reflect this. For example if we are talking at home about my brother Iain who was an officer in Her Majesties service for years and let us say the situation is we are out in the woods and he hurts himself. We may refer to him as "Iain the commando" with a wink intoned in the inflection. When we were kids he tipped over the boat while dressed in his best clothing and for years was referred to, especially to get his goat, as the little admiral. I had best stop now as I am starting to confuse myself. I hope I have not confused you also. Dave You will note that Donald mhor may be the fat, tall, skinny or short although the name translated is Big Donald.