Gigia.

Of disputed origin. Numerous competing explanations have been proposed: * According to Sánchez, from Latin sessio (“station, encampment”), as in sessio legionis (“station of a legion”) or in sessione legionum (“at the station of the legions”), in reference to an early Roman military settlement. Under this interpretation, the arae Sestianae, also written arae Sessianae, have been understood as “altars of the military station”. This would require a development from sessio to a form resembling *Xixón, but García Arias rejects it because Latin -ss- does not account for the voiced sibilant shown by medieval Gegione and Gigione. * According to Miguel de Unamuno, from Latin saxum (“rock, crag”), referring to the rocky promontory of the Cerro de Santa Catalina on which the original settlement developed. This would require a development through an Asturian form comparable to xeixu (“stone, rock”), followed by further derivation or reshaping to Xixón. García Arias rejects the proposal because the medieval forms consistently indicate a voiced sibilant, whereas a descendant of saxum would be expected to have a voiceless one. * According to Bullet, from supposed Celtic elements *gy (“water”) + *om (“surrounded”), interpreted as “surrounded by water”. These, however, lack any Celtic cognates, the closest match being the Welsh river Gwy. * According to Becerro de Bengoa, from supposed Basque elements *egi + *gon, interpreted as “a narrow, sheltered, elevated and favourable site”. * From a Latin personal name, with proposed bases including *Gegiōnus, *Gegiō, or *Segius according to Manzanares; *Sassonius according to Schulze; and *Iaiōnus or *Ieiōnius according to García Arias. The place-name would therefore originally have meant “the estate or settlement of [the named person]”. * Traditionally identified with ancient Gigia, mentioned by Ptolemy. García Arias rejects this identification, placing Gigia near the river Cea in the modern province of León, rather than at Gijón in Asturias. * Sometimes connected with Latin legiō VII Gemina (“the Seventh Twin Legion”), on the assumption that the settlement was founded or occupied by that legion. This would require an unexplained shortening and fusion of legiō and Gemina into a form resembling Gigione, and the proposal is poorly substantiated. The medieval forms include Gegione, Gigione, and Gigión, whence Asturian Xixón and Spanish Gijón.