By Eleanor Rye, and Aindí Mac Giolla Chomhghaill
Published in Studia Hibernica, January 2026.
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Abstract

The town of Leixlip takes its name from a salmon leap on the River Liffey. For over 170 years the place name has been assumed to be of Scandinavian origin, an interpretation that has had considerable influence on historical and archaeo-logical studies. The Old Norse (ON) precursor was initially reconstructed as *\*lax-hlaup* ‘salmon leap’, then refined to *\*lax-hleypa* ‘salmon’s leaping-place’. Although the latter form has been widely accepted since 1976, it presents unresolved phonological difficulties, while derivation from Middle English has been dismissed without detailed analysis. A full reassessment of the evidence, including an examination of the relevant English toponymy, suggests that *Leixlip* is better understood as a Middle English (ME) compound. If correct, this etymology would significantly enhance our understanding of the history of settlement in the area. It would also suggest that Ireland’s attested non-urban Scandinavian place names are confined entirely to the coast, allowing a more coherent explanation for their survival in the English-language stratum of toponymy.