Beith's name is thought to emanate from Ogham, which is sometimes referred to as the ""Celtic Tree Alphabet"", ascribing names of trees to individual letters. "Beithe" in Old Irish means "Birch-tree" (cognate to Latin "betula"). There is reason to believe that the whole of the district was covered with woods. The town of Beith itself was once known as 'Hill of Beith' as this was the name of the feudal barony and was itself derived from the Court Hill near Hill of Beith Castle.