Three Scottish Coastal Names of Note: Earra-Ghàidheal, Satíriseið, and Skotlandsfirðir

This chapter is an example of onomastic research. It explores the historical background of three place-names from the western coastal regions of Scotland, one which is Gaelic in origin and is still extant, Argyll, and two lost Old Norse names, Satíriseið and Skotlandsfirðir. It argues that rather than Argyll being a synonym for Dál Riata, its origin, and possibly also that of Skotlandsfirðir, can be tied to a specific historical event, namely the arrival in the Hebrides during the late 11th century of the warlike Norwegian king Magnus berfœttr.