At , Fan y Bîg lies at the western tip of the Gwaun Cerrig Llwydion plateau. Its name translates as 'point of the peak' - perhaps in allusion to its striking pointed shape, as seen from some directions. The circumflex accent ('tô bach' in Welsh) over the 'i' lengthens the sound so that it is pronounced 'van-euh-beeg' rather than 'van-euh-big'. The summit is smooth and grassy, but marked by a cairn, which stands on the edge of its precipitous western face. The view of this face from Cribyn is regarded as very striking. Fan y Bîg has since lost its status as a Hewitt.