What is the Gaelic name for Dublin?
Dublin comes from “Dubh Linn”, the Irish words for “Black Pool”. It referred to a small settlement near a pool just off the river Liffey, the river that Dublin is built on. This was about 2000 years ago. Dubh Linn became anglicised and became Dublin. The vikings referred to it as Dyflin. However, the name used in Irish for Dublin now is “Baile Átha Cliath”. “Baile” is an Irish word for town or place. “Átha Cliath” referred to a Ford of Hurdles, which was at a crossing point over the river Liffey at the same time as Dubh Linn. Over time Átha Cliath and Dubh Linn, which were close to each other, grew and became one place. Now there is Dublin, but both names are retained. So the to your question is that Baile Átha Cliath is the Gaelic name for Dublin.
