A
The boars head is inspired by the possible origins of the name Banff and Banffshire deriving from Gaelic for pig, and also serves as a reference to the famous Deskford carnyx discovered in the county. A boar's head also features in the arms of the former county council, which is where its blue colouration here is derived. The checked background serves as a reference to and completes the colours of the Shades of Banffshire tartan, where the black was used to symbolise the Aberdeen Angus which was first bred and registered in Banff and gold representing agriculture and whisky industry.

B
The deep golden colour denotes the whisky industry of the in-land county, whilst the blue recalls the maritime industries of Banffshire's coast. The diagonal division between the two recalls the shape and orientations of Banffshire. Over the top is a barrel, an item that was key to both industries across the county from maturing whiskies to storing fish landed from the sea.

C
The two diagonal blue lines represent the two mayor waterways that help to define Banffshire's boundaries; the Spey and the Deveron. This leaves a single diagonal stripe inbetween them to reflect the unique orientation and narrowness of the county's outline. On this is placed the county flower of Banffshire; the Dark Red Helleborine. The Dark Red Helleborine was chosen as the county flag of Banffshire in a national competition organised to mark the Golden Jubilee of HM The Queen in 2002.

D
The white horizontal band recalls the bridges that are emblematic of this narrow county with rivers running through it and along its borders; from ancient in-land river crossings to the mighty industrial viaducts along the coast. As such the blue colour can represent both the rivers and the sea, whilst the golden-orange below the bridge represents the whisky made from the county's waters and above the bridge the sun symbolises the natural sunsets and agriculture.