Many locations are named after ‘Auld Reekie’ (Edinburgh in the Scots language) and as one of the world’s most unique cities with incredible heritage it is not surprising. By way of Scottish Gaelic you can find many Scottish place names in the United States which alone have multiple versions of Edinburgh.
Mispronounced place names are rife in Scotland due to our unique blend of historical languages, however even the famously mispronounced Edinburgh as “Edinboro” is apt in states like Pennsylvania where this is the authentic spelling.
The Scottish diaspora has certainly made its mark over the centuries which is why you can find many alternate versions of Edinburgh across the globe starting with these 12 examples.
1. Edinburgh (South Africa)
Edinburgh is a town in the Ehlanzeni District Municipality in South Africa’s Mpumalanga province. Mpumalanga is a village with a small population of roughly 3000 people which sits nearby the Kruger National Park nature reserve. Photo: south-african-tourism on Flickr
2. New Edinburgh (Canada)
New Edinburgh is an urban neighbourhood located in Ottawa, Ontario. Canada’s history with Gaelic runs deep as it was the country’s third most spoken language at the time of Canadian Confederation in 1867. Photo: via WikiCommons
3. Edinburg (Ohio)
Edinburg Township is one of eighteen townships in Portage County in the state of Ohio. The name of the settlement reflects another common mispronunciation of the Scottish capital which is “ED-in-bu-ruh” and not “ED-in-burg”. Photo: cak757 on Flickr
4. Edinburgh of the Seven Seas (Tristan da Cunha)
You can find Edinburgh of the Seven Seas on the north coast of Tristan da Cunha island. It is a part of the British Overseas Territory Saint Helena and one of the world’s most isolated settlements. Photo: briangratwicke on Flickr