Wey

Wey is a geographic name most commonly associated with the River Wey, a river in the south of England that is a tributary of the River Thames. The Wey flows through parts of Surrey and Hampshire and passes towns such as Guildford, Godalming, and Weybridge. Historically, the river and its valley supported agriculture and industry, and the waterway became an important conduit for inland transport.

The river's name is of Germanic origin and is typically linked to the Old English word weg, meaning way or road. As a place-name element, Wey often reflects a route or pathway in the landscape, and it appears in several English settlements, including Weybridge, which takes its name from a crossing over the Wey.

In addition to its geographic use, Wey has a presence in the history of English language and toponymy. The form has appeared as an archaic or dialectal variant of the word way in older texts and survives today in the names of rivers and towns that reference the Wey. The term is not widely used as a common noun outside of these placenames, but it remains a recognizable component of English toponymy.

See also: Weybridge, a town located at a crossing over the River Wey; River Wey, the river itself and its associated navigation.