From which language does the name Beltane originate?

The name Beltane comes from Old Irish, where it was commonly written Beltaine or Belltaine. The term belongs to the historical Gaelic language tradition associated with Ireland and later developed into forms used in Scottish Gaelic, Manx, and English.

In modern Irish, the festival is usually called Lá Bealtaine, meaning “day of Beltane,” while the month of May is Mí Bhealtaine. Scottish Gaelic uses Là Bealltainn, and Manx has forms such as Boaldyn. English Beltane is an anglicised spelling rather than the original form.

The deeper etymology of the Old Irish name is disputed. Medieval Irish texts explained it as “Bel’s fire,” linking the first element to a supposed deity and the second to tene, meaning “fire.” Modern scholars have proposed several alternatives, including connections with words for brightness, fire, death, or henbane. None is universally accepted.

Thus, Old Irish is the safest answer to the language question, while claims about the name’s precise word-by-word origin should be treated more cautiously. The festival itself is first attested in Old Irish literature from Gaelic Ireland.