WHAT'S IN A NAME

I recently had an enquiry from a gentleman whose name is Stronach asking if he is connected with the Clan Cameron. Clan Cameron online gives Stronach as a name associated with the clan. As we know the name Cameron derives from Cam (twisted) and Sron (nose) in the same way as Campbell is Cam (twisted) and beul (mouth). It is said that this is because the Campbells talked out of the side of their mouth (ie did not always tell the truth). However all of those names or indeed nicknames were in the past and we are by descent or association lucky to have these names. Getting back to Stronach, it is almost certain that the stron- refers to the nose and just as Camranach is the collective for Camerons so Stronach is the collective for those descended from someone whose nose was a significant feature. Another explanation may be that they are associated with the place called Strone. Indeed there is a place in Lochaber called Stronaba. I have also been approached by someone of the name Stranack which could conceivably be a variation of Stronach. However, it may be that the name Cameron does not come from the Gaelic roots since there is historical record of a Sir Richard de Cambron in Perthshire who was Sherrif of Atholl in 1296. Who knows?