 It is part of a group of mountains commonly called the Mamores which lie between Loch Leven and Glen Nevis and consist of 10 Munros and two Corbetts.The translation of the mountains name from Gaelic is uncertain with some publications giving it as "short ridge" from Gearr Aonach while others give a translated name of "the complainer" or "the sad place".The upper slopes of An Gearanach are basically a north-south summit ridge just over a kilometre in length with steep flanks which drop into the valleys of the Allt Coire a' Mhail to the west and the Allt Coire na Gabhalach to the east.