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Dundee

Origin of name

The modern spelling for Dundee was fixed only in the last century. One earlier version, Dondie, has been claimed as a corruption of Donum Dei, Gift of God. (Note the popularity of this as a vessel name in the database of 16th and 17th century voyages.)

Hector Boece, the historian and first principal of Aberdeen University (1496), was born near Dundee and claimed it was once called Alectum (beautiful place) though there is no other confirmation of this.

Another suggestion is that the Gaelic name for the town, Dun Deagh, is derived from Fort of Diag, a Celtic male's name meaning fire.