Aber - Not Just a Swedish Pop Group! Quiz

Answer: Aberystwyth

The term "Aber" means at the mouth of the river, or the estuary. Strictly speaking, Aberystwyth was originally founded as a small hamlet next to a Norman castle near the mouth of the River Ystwyth - which would make perfect sense.

However, a century or so later, a larger conurbation grew up a mile and a half or so to the North of the original "Aberystwyth", on the estuary of the River Rheidol - but it kept the name Aberystwyth for some reason. Technically speaking, the University town we all know and love as Aberystwyth should by all rights therefore be known as "Aberrheidol" - but maybe the double "r" was off putting!

If ever you get the chance to visit Aber, as well as enjoying the seaside and the ride on the funicular, a visit to the National Library is a must. They have some fantastic displays and exhibitions there relating to all aspects of Welsh life, past and present.

Answer: Swansea

The Welsh name for Swansea is very simple and straightforward - Abertawe means "The mouth of the River Tawe". The explanation behind the English version of the name is a lot more complicated.

Like many Welsh ports, it has a great deal of history of trade with Nordic countries. As with quite a few other ports, the Nordic influence in the naming of the settlements is strongly apparent. Some debate exists as to the exact history behind the name "Swansea" though. Some say that it comes from "Sweyn's Ey" - "Sweyn's Island" - but as no island exists anywhere near Swansea, this explanation is questionable. Far more likely is that it means "Sweyn's Inlet" - Sweyn being another spelling for the popular Norse name "Sven", and "Sey" being an old Norse word meaning "inlet". Therefore, Swansea is in reality "Sweyn's inlet". This would also explain why the word is pronounce "Swan-zee" as opposed to "Swans-see".

But as previously stated, the Welsh name is a lot simpler!

Answer: Aberdeen

Aberdeen is in Scotland. Places starting with "Aber" are fairly common on the east coast of Scotland. Sometimes the "Aber" is contracted (as in Arbroath"), at other times it appears in Scottish Gaelic as Oba(i)r as in "Obar Dheadhain" - or Anglicized into "Aberdeen". It is also seen as "Inbher" - which in turn is Anglicized to "Inver". It has the same meaning as in the Welsh version - i.e.. mouth of the river or estuary.

Abergavenny is in south east Wales, Abergwyngregyn in north west Wales, and Abertridwr is near Caerphilly, in south Wales very close to Cardiff.

Answer: Milford Haven

The two Cleddau rivers are also known as the Eastern and Western Cleddau, and the Black (Du) and White (Gwyn) rivers.

Although the Welsh name is a literal description of the two rivers coming together in the estuary, the history of the English version of the name is a little more obscure. Whilst the "Ford" in Milford suggests some Scandinavian influences (as in "fjord"), no specific evidence exists of such a settlement near the area. The first evidence of the addition of "Haven" to the name goes back to the 14th Century.

Answer: Cardiff and Caerdydd

The river Taff (or "Taf"/ "Tyf" in Welsh) flows through the middle of Cardiff.

As with the majority of place names in Wales, the Welsh name historically precedes the English name. The city took its name from the Roman fort built on the river Taff, as opposed to the estuary into the Bristol Channel - hence it was "Caer-daf" or "Caer-dyf" originally, in Welsh. "Caer" is the Welsh word for "Fort". "Daf" or "Dyf" are the mutated forms of "Taf", and are both equally acceptable spellings for the river. "Cardiff" is a natural Anglicization of the original Welsh name therefore.

The name "Taf" itself comes from a group of Celtic based river names which includes Thames, Tawe, Tame and Tamar. It is thought to mean "dark body of water". Yes, we're a pretty literal lot after all, us Celts!

Answer: Inver

"Inver" (as in Inverness, Inverclyde, Inverary, Invergordon) is an Anglicization of the Gaellic "Inbher" (seen commonly in place names in both Scotland and Ireland), which in turn is a derivation of the Celtic root word, Aber. Both Aber and Inver mean "river mouth".

"Ben" means "head" or "mount" - as in Ben Nevis; "Loch" means "Lake" and "Burgh" means "borough or settlement".

Answer: Brittany

Aber Wrac'h is a small fishing village to be found in the Department of Finistere, Brittany, northwest France.

It is where the river Wrac'h enters La Manche, or the English Channel. "Wrac'h" is the Breton/ Celtic word for "witch" - the last submerged rock in the river before it reaches the sea is known as "The Old Woman", or "The Devil's Rock" - put an old woman and a devil together, add in a bit of mystical Celtic mythology and you get a witch, I guess!

Answer: Aberporth

Aberlour is a small village in Speyside, in Scotland. It lies roughly half way between Inverness and Aberdeen in the east of central Scotland. As well as being home to the eponymous Aberlour malt whiskey distillery, it is also the home of Walker's Shortbread.

Abernethy biscuits were named after Dr John Abernethy, a native of the Perthshire village. The biscuits are no longer manufactured locally though - Simmers, the company who produced them for many years, were bought up by United Biscuits in the early 1990s, and manufacturing was moved to Edinburgh. They are a "plain" biscuit, somewhere in between a butter shortcake and a shortbread. If you are a fan of plain biscuits, you'll love them - I do!

Aberffraw is a little village on the Isle of Anglesey in North Wales - often appearing in the mythical "Tales of the Mabinogion". Aberffraw Cakes - or "Cacennau Aberffro" as they're known in Welsh, are very simple - mix together plain flour, caster sugar and butter in a simple 3:2:1 ratio, roll out and bake for 15-20 minutes. Lovely - and even lovelier if served with a dollop of fresh cream and jam!

Aberporth is a village on the coast of Cardiganshire in Wales which is best known for its military air base, and its lovely beach.

Answer: True

"Y Fenni", the Welsh name for Abergavenny, is a lovely rich cheddar infused with wholegrain mustard and ale. Named after the town in south east Wales where it was originally made, this cheese is one of my favourites. Lovely to eat by itself or with a bit of bread, or melt it down with a bit of milk and pour onto toast for the most divine Welsh rarebit!

Answer: Argentina

The bilingual (Spanish/Welsh) territory of Patagonia in Argentina surprisingly has no well known aber's (i.e..other Welsh names) - possibly because the major area of Welsh settlement is well inland.

England has Aberfal (Falmouth), Aberplymm (Plymouth) - Original Cornish names
New Zealand has Invercargill, and Inver is the Scots Gaelic expression for "Aber".
In Nova Scotia (New Scotland) in Canada, it's hardly surprising to see Scottish influence in some of the place names there - Baile Inbhir Nis (Inverness), Siorramachd Inbhir Nis (Inverness County), Inbhir-pheofharain (Dingwall)and Loch Abar (Lochaber).