_Etymology of London._--I believe the word London has never yet received
a satisfactory explanation, and it is, perhaps, too late in the day to
try to explain it entirely. It has always, however, been supposed that
it was significant in the old British language. It has been explained as
"the town of ships," the final syllable _don_, formerly _dun_, meaning a
town. Several other explanations have been given also on the same
principle, namely, that the final syllable meant a town or fortified
place, and the first was the characteristic distinguishing it from other
towns or _duns_ in the neighbourhood.
This mode of explanation is repugnant to the general principles of
British topographical nomenclature: for they generally put the general
name first, and the characteristic last. Might the first syllable "Lon"
not be a corruption of the British "Llan," so common yet in names of
places, and so universally retained in Wales to this day? Llan means a
level place generally, as most of your readers who are versant in those
subjects know. The _don_ is not so easily explained, but perhaps some of
your readers may be able to assist in finding a meaning.
"Don" might indeed still mean an enclosed strong place, and the meaning
of the whole word "London" would then be _Llandun_, or "the level ground
near the fort or strong camp." Perhaps some of your correspondents may
be able to offer something confirmatory or adverse to this explanation,
and in either case I should join with the rest of your readers in
thanking them.