 Stroma , from the Norse <unk> means " current island " or " island in the tidal stream " , a reference to the strong currents in the Pentland Firth . The Norse often gave animal names to islands and these have been transferred into English in for example , the Calf of Flotta and Horse of <unk> . Brother Isle is an anglicisation of the Norse <unk> meaning " broad beach island " . The Norse <unk> , meaning " a small islet " has become " Holm " in English and there are numerous examples of this use including Corn Holm , Thieves Holm and Little Holm . " Muckle " meaning large or big is one of few Scots words in the island names of the <unk> and appears in Muckle Roe and Muckle <unk> in Shetland and Muckle Green Holm and Muckle Skerry in Orkney . Many small islets and skerries have Scots or Insular Scots names such as Da Skerries o da <unk> and Da <unk> Stane in Shetland , and Kirk Rocks in Orkney . 
