Across the regions of Scotland are many place names beginning with 'Ard' a Celtic prefix meaning 'high' and 'elevated' and 'lofty' and one seen in names such as 'Ardbroath' 'Ardgay' 'Ardeer' 'Ardchattan' 'Ardwell' 'Ardmaddy' and more.

 

Original meaning of 'Ard' is seen in the Iranian 'Ard' meaning 'righteous' which the Celtic 'high' and 'lofty' is an extension and this 'Ard' is from Avesta 'Arta' meaning 'righteous' whose source is the Sanskrit 'Rta' meaning 'righteous'.

 

'Ard' meaning 'elevated' is in many Scottish place names such as 'Ardmore' 'Ardbroath' 'Ardwell' in the same way the Iranian prefix 'Ard' meaning 'righteous' is seen in Iranian place names 'Ardakan' 'Ardahal' 'Ardalan' 'Ardabil'  'Ardastan'.

 

 

Celts may have came from the Middle East into Europe hence the Sanskrit 'Rta' meaning 'righteous' becomes the Iranian 'Arta' and 'Ard' meaning 'righteous' and this may be the same Celtic 'Ard' meaning 'high' and 'lofty' and 'elevated'.

 

As evidence we have the Irish 'Ard' which also means 'noble' and of course its a common occurrence for a word to have a primary and secondary meaning hence 'Ard' may have been 'noble' as well as 'lofty' and 'elevated' and 'high'.

 

'Ard' becomes 'Ardmore' as seen within the counties of 'Argyle' and 'Dumbarton' and 'Ross' and 'Aberdeen' and 'Inverness' and also the 'Isles of Bute' and 'Arran' and 'Skye' its name meaning great ( mor ) height ( ard ).

 

 

'Ard' becomes 'Ardvolich' a region whose name means 'the great ( mor ) height ( ard ) of the loch' a name possessing the Sanskrit 'Mira' meaning 'ocean' which becomes 'Mor' meaning 'ocean' and by extension 'great'.

 

'Ard' becomes 'Airdrie' a region found in 'Fife' and 'Strathclyde' and 'Lanark' although disputed its name means the kings ( righ ) height ( ard ) a name possessing 'Raja' a word within Sanskrit meaning 'King'.

 

'Ard' becomes 'Ardnamurchan' of 'Argyle' as in the height ( ard ) of great ( mor ) headland ( chinn ) a name possessing the Sanskrit 'Mira' meaning 'ocean'  which becomes 'Mor' meaning 'ocean' and by extension 'great'.

 

 

Ard becomes 'Ardmanach' which is found in Argyle, Inverness, Ross and also the Isle of Mull, its name meaning the middle ( meath ) height ( ard ) and a name which possesses the Sanskrit 'Madhya' whose meaning is 'middle'.

 

'Ard' becomes 'Ardentinny' as seen in the county of Argyle and its name means the height ( ard ) of fire ( teine ) a name describing the fires once lit by the Druids in honour of 'Bel' the god of fire and the god of the Sun.

 

'Ard' becomes 'Aberarder' seen in the Highlands where its name means the confluence ( aber ) of high ( ard ) waters, a name which also possesses the Sanskrit 'Ap' and 'Bhara' meaning to pour into ( ber ) the waters ( abh ).