Gaul

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1563, from French Gaule "Gaul" from Middle French Gaule "Gaul" from Old French Gaule, Waulle (used to translate Latin Gallia "Gaul"), of Patrono:Gem[[Category:Patrono:Gem derivations|Gaul]] origin, from Patrono:Frk *Walholant "Gaul, Land of the Romans/foreigners" from Patrono:Frk[[Category:Patrono:Frk derivations|Gaul]] *Walha "foreigners, Romans, Celts" from Proto-Germanic *Walχaz, Walχoz (“‘an outlander, foreigner, Celt’”), probably of Patrono:Cel[[Category:Patrono:Cel derivations|Gaul]] origin, from the same source as Latin Volcae (name of a Celtic tribe in S. Germany, which later emmigrated to Gaul). Akin to Old High German Walh, Walah "a Celt, Roman, Gaul", Old English Wealh, Walh "a non-Germanic foreigner, Celt/Briton/Welshman", Old Norse Valir "Gauls, Frenchmen". More at Wales, Cornwall, Walloon.

Despite their similar appearance, Latin Gallia is probably not the origin of French Gaul; the similarity being purely coincidental. According to regular sound changes in the development of Old French, Latin g before a becomes j (compare gamba > jambe), and the i of terminal -ia transpositions to the preceding syllable (compare gloria > gloire). Thus, the regular outcome of Latin Gallia is Jaille, a component still seen in several French placenames (eg. La Jaille-Yvon, Saint-Mars-la-Jaille, etc).