Scottish Last Names

Stronger and more contemporary twist on Carla or Carly, Carlin was used just about equally for girls and boys in the US last year.

Most parents would prefer to leave the car part parked in the garage.

Nice Scottish sound, but too tied to sweaters and socks.

Though Davy Crockett is a childhood hero, a frontiersman, soldier, politician, congressman and prolific storyteller. But be aware that "crock" is American slang for a lot of nonsense or something broken.

Hundreds of families have adopted this Scottish name, attracted by its trendy Ty beginning and upbeat second syllable. (Tyrell and Tyrese are also increasing in popularity. ) Tyree Glenn was a great jazz trombonist.

Famously borne by the woman (born Bessie) for whom an English king sacrificed his throne, Wallis has the force of a masculine name with a distinctive spelling to set it apart from the boys. Anthony Edwards revived it for his daughter, and we're hearing some buzz about it on Nameberry.

Outmoded comic book choice.

Darling has history as an English surname, but it would most likely be read as a quirky and loving word name, a la Sweetheart or Honey.

A common family name in Scotland, occasionally used as a first.

Highly unusual water name -- and actor Colin surname -- with a Scottish burr. Firth derives from the Old Norse word fjord.

Chisholm is a habitational surname — if it's on your family tree, you have ancestors from Chisholme, Scotland, although they were originally of Norman and Saxon descent.

Last name occasionally used as a first, can be seen as a Lance Armstrong athlete-hero name.

Carrington is much more popular as a last name than a first, but it's one of those surnames we could see making the leap into first name territory. A few minor historical figures have carried the name, including Carrington T. Marshall, a judge at the Nuremberg Trials, and Carrington "C.B." Williams, an ecologist known for his studies on insect migration.

While actress Glenn Close didn't inspire many parents to give their daughters her name in particular, she did help launch a general trend toward boy names for girls.

When Matthew McConaughey and wife Camila Alves chose the old English surname and place name Livingston for their third child, they elevated it from half of a Stanley & Livingston joke to a modern possibility. Kind of. The only other well-known bearer of the name in the contemporary world is singer Livingston Taylor, brother of James, who is called Liv. Given that little Livingston McConaughey's older brother is named Levi, that uplifting nickname may be too close, though his parents apparently like its sound. An original choice.

Evocative of the sand dunes at the beach, Doone is a relatively rare surname found in Scotland, Ireland and England. It was recently used with this spelling by Olympic medalist Amanda Beard; photographer Diane Arbus named her daughter Doon, inspired, yes, by walks along the sand dunes during her pregnancy.

Stylish way to name your son after basketball great Walt -- though Walt is sounding fresh again too.

This somewhat boisterous Celtic name would be at home in a noisy pub or out walking on the moors. In Scotland, it was originally a nickname for someone with dark hair or a swarthy complexion.

Stuffy presidential choice: consider Hayes instead.