When Rashi uses what we might loosely call the hononym method he shows the underlying unity in disparate meanings of the same root. Very often this unity clarifies further known meanings.

The Hebrew root Yud-Ayin-Hey means to sweep or swept. It can also refer to sweeping a land (destroying it), as in Is28-17, Judgment also will I lay by a line, and righteousness by a plummet; and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. Note that similar idioms exist in English.

Hence I would simply translate the Hebrew phrase Ayin-Yud-Yud Hey-Ayin-Beth-Resh-Yud-Mem to mean the swept pass. This is a simple translation and would indicate a very barren land.

Advanced Rashi: Rashi states I don't know why it is called Ayin-Yud-Yud. But we have given a very simple natural example which is in fact based on Rashi. It appears to me that Rashi was perhaps ignorant on the significance of the place being called the Swept pass; in other words Rashi was aware of the translation but did not know why we were being informed of it nor what incident led up to it. This seems the proper explanation.