Per-Allan wrote:
>Many thanks to Brian and Dagfinn for your explanations! The
>meaning "god-sea" or maybe "the good sea" makes much more sense now!
Are you familiar with the oldest records of the name? I guess the first
element could just as likely derive from the word for "gold", PGmc.
*gulthaz/*guldaz. It is not uncommon, at least not in my country (hello,
neighbour), for lakes and rivers to receive their names from their perceived
qualities - "glittering", "bright", "black", "golden" and so on.
Regards,
Dagfinn