Locations in New Zealand with a Scottish name facts for kids
This article is about places in New Zealand that have names from Scotland. Many Scottish people moved to New Zealand a long time ago. They often named new towns, rivers, and mountains after places they remembered from home. This helps us see the strong connection between Scotland and New Zealand.
You'll find some interesting names in New Zealand that mix Scottish and Māori words. For example, the Strath-Taieri area and the Ben Ohau Range of mountains combine words from both Scots Gaelic and Māori. The name Glentaki, near the Waitaki River, is another example of this mix.
Invercargill is a great example of a Scottish name. "Inver" means "river's mouth" in Scottish Gaelic. "Cargill" comes from William Cargill, an early Scottish settler. Many of Invercargill's main streets are even named after Scottish rivers, like Dee, Tay, and Clyde! Another interesting name is Inchbonnie, which combines words from both Lowland Scots and Scottish Gaelic.
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North Island Names
Many places on the North Island have Scottish names. You can find them in big cities and smaller towns.
Auckland Area
Several suburbs around Auckland have Scottish names. These include:
Other North Island Places
- Aberfeldy
- Eskdale in Hawkes Bay.
- The Firth of Thames gets its name from "firth," a Scottish word for a narrow inlet of the sea.
- Frasertown
- Huntly
- Kinloch
- Napier
- Waverley in Taranaki, named after a famous book by Scottish writer Walter Scott.
Wellington Suburbs
The capital city, Wellington, also has suburbs with Scottish names:
South Island Names
The South Island has even more Scottish names, especially in the Otago and Southland regions.
Towns and Rivers
- Athol
- Aviemore
- Avon River in Christchurch, named by early settlers.
- Balclutha means 'Clyde town' in Scottish Gaelic.
- Bannockburn
- Cheviot
- The Clutha River is named after the Scottish River Clyde.
- Clyde
- Denniston
- Dumbarton
- Ettrick
- Fairlie
- Fortrose
- Galloway
- Glenorchy
- Glentunnel
- Kelso
- Kinloch
- Lauder
- Luggate
- Lumsden
- Methven
- Mosgiel
- Mossburn
- Ranfurly
- Roxburgh
- Saint Bathans
- Wedderburn
Mountains and Lakes
Many mountains and lakes also carry Scottish names:
- Ben McLeod
- Benmore Range
- Ben Nevis
- Craigieburn Range
- Dunstan Range
- Eyre Mountains
- Garvie Mountains
- The Grampians
- Kirkliston Range
- Lammerlaw Range
- Lammermoor Range
- Lake Aviemore
- Lake Benmore
- Lake Dunstan
- Lake Roxburgh
- Nevis Bluff
- Nevis River
Dunedin and its Suburbs
Dunedin itself is a Scottish name! It comes from Dun Eideann, which is Scottish Gaelic for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Many of Dunedin's streets are named after streets in Edinburgh, like Princes Street. Some of Dunedin's suburbs with Scottish names include:
- Abbotsford
- Balmacewen
- Belleknowes
- Burnside
- Calton Hill
- Corstorphine
- Dalkeith
- Glenleith
- Grants Braes
- Helensburgh
- Maryhill
- Musselburgh
- Port Chalmers
- Portobello
- Roslyn
- Saint Clair
- Saint Kilda
- Shiel Hill
- Waverley
- The Water of Leith is a river in Dunedin, named after a river in Edinburgh.
Other South Island Features
- Inch Clutha means 'Clyde Island'.
- Kyeburn means 'river of the cows'.
- Mackenzie Basin is named after a famous Scottish outlaw, James Mckenzie.
- Macraes Flat
- Sutherland Falls is a very tall waterfall.
Stewart Island (Rakiura)
Stewart Island itself has a Scottish name. The largest town on the island is Oban, named after a town in Scotland. Other Scottish names here include:
Auckland Islands
These remote islands also have some Scottish names:
Images for kids
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Sutherland Falls
