Ben Nevis is an Anglicisation of the Scottish Gaelic name Beinn Nibheis. Beinn is the most common Gaelic word for mountain, Nibheis is variously understood, though the word is commonly translated as malicious or venomous; however, the Gaelic poison, venom is not likely to be the source of Nibheis, which appears to be the genitive form of a male (God's?) name; likewise an origin from neamh heaven (which has fallen in with nèamh bright, shining in modern Gaelic) has difficulties; however, the reference could be in origin to the god Lugh, whose place of worship was often on mountain tops throughout the Celtic world. An alternative interpretation is that Beinn Nibheis derives from beinn nèamh-bhathais, from nèamh heavens, clouds and bathais top of a man's head. One translation would therefore be the mountain with its head in the clouds, though mountain of Heaven is also frequently given.