Kincardine occurs frequently as a place name along the east of Scotland from Ross-shire to Fife; and, with the exception of Kincardine-on-Forth, it regularly designates a place at the end or the side of hills. The county is often spoken of as The Mearns, although this is not strictly accurate. The Mearns constitutes the district of the county south of the Grampians. The Howe of the Mearns is really a continuation of the great valley of Strathmore. Like The Merse and " The Lothians," we say " The Mearns," not "Mearns" alone. The etymology of Mearns is disputed. A tradition is that Kenneth II ., in the ninth century, divided this region into two, bestowing them on his brothers JEneas and Mernas, whence they were called respectively Angus and Mearns
