where does the place gets its name from?
The final 'ay' is from the Old Norse for "island", but the first two syllables are more difficult to interpret.
Shapinsay
Unlike most of the larger Orkney islands, the derivation of the name 'Shapinsay' is not obvious. The final 'ay' is from the Old Norse for "island", but the first two syllables are more difficult to interpret.
what is shapinsay? One of the Orkney Islands off the north coast of mainland Scotland.
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Shapinsay [SEP] Etymology
Unlike most of the larger Orkney islands, the derivation of the name 'Shapinsay' is not obvious. The final 'ay' is from the Old Norse for "island", but the first two syllables are more difficult to interpret. Haswell-Smith (2004) suggests the root may be "hjalpandis-øy" ("helpful island") owing to the presence of a good harbour, although anchorages are plentiful in the archipelago. The first written record dates from 1375 in a reference to "Scalpandisay", which may suggest a derivation from "Judge's island". Another suggestion is "Hyalpandi's island", although no one of that name is known to be associated with Shapinsay.