An interesting trail of possible etymological corruption was noted by the Lamorna resident and surrealist painter Ithell Colqhuhoun in her “Living Stones of Cornwall” (1952)...
“Searching the Boskednan region for another circle called the ‘Nine Maidens’ as they all are, irrespective of the number of stones composing them, I asked some road-menders where it was.
“Ah, the Ni-Maen, ” answered one, and I wondered if these Cornish words had been corrupted...”