Uninhabited islands Hebrides

dhu heartach lighthouse, during construction sam bough (1822–1878)

the names of uninhabited islands follow same general patterns inhabited islands. following ten largest in hebrides , outliers.

the etymology of st kilda, small archipelago west of outer hebrides, , main island hirta complex. no saint known name of kilda , various theories have been proposed word s origin, dates late 16th century. haswell-smith (2004) notes full name st kilda first appears on dutch map dated 1666, , may have been derived norse sunt kelda ( sweet wellwater ) or mistaken dutch assumption spring tobar childa dedicated saint. (tobar childa tautological placename, consisting of gaelic , norse words well, i.e. well ). origin of gaelic hirta —hiort, hirt, or irt—which long pre-dates use of st kilda , open interpretation. watson (1926) offers old irish hirt, word meaning death , possibly relating dangerous seas. maclean (1977), drawing on icelandic saga describing 13th-century voyage ireland mentions visit islands of hirtir, speculates shape of hirta resembles stag, hirtir being stags in norse.

the etymology of small islands may no less complex. in relation dubh artach, r. l. stevenson believed black , dismal translation of name, noting usual, in gaelic, not one.