Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Waslebie 1086 DB

• Walesbech 1265 Misc 1285,1387 CplM

• Walesbergh 1296,1332 SR

• Whalesbergh 1327 SR

• Whalesborough

• Whalesborrow 1611 DuLa

• Walesbreghe 1546 FM

Etymology

The first element here, as in Whalesbome supra 290, must be a pers. name Hwæl , presumably derived from the animal-name hwæl 'whale,' and corresponding to the weak form Hwala in Widsith and the West Saxon genealogy; the second is probably OE  bece , 'stream' used apparently also in ME in the sense of 'valley,' v. Beach infra 427. Hence 'hwæl 's valley.' Close by must have been his beorg or hill.