Scottish Names
- Innes
Origin:
ScottishMeaning:
"from the river island"Description:
Innis is the name of an island (and Gaelic word for island) which became a Scottish surname and clan name before being used as a first. It hasn't been heard much in the U.S., but could attract more attention with the growing popularity of Latin s-ending boys' names such as Atticus.
- Darragh
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"oak tree"Description:
Also Anglicized as Dara and also spelled Daire in its native form, Darragh has an undeniably rugged appeal. It's used for both girls and boys in Ireland, but it's very popular in particular for boys.
- Craig
Origin:
ScottishMeaning:
"from the rocks"Description:
Craig is a single-syllable baby-boomer name, still common in its native Scotland, but most modern Americans would prefer something like Kyle.
- Struan
Origin:
GaelicMeaning:
"stream"Description:
A strong, eminently usable which is currently highly fashionable in its native Scotland, but little known elsewhere. With its cool two-syllable, n-ending shape and attractive nature meaning, Struan is a fresh Scottish name that feels ripe for import.
- Arran
Origin:
Scottish place nameMeaning:
"ridged island"Description:
Arran Island (not to be confused with the Aran Islands in Ireland) is a large island in Scotland's Firth (or bay) of Clyde. An attractive name, long popular in Scotland, but may be confused with the Biblical Aaron elsewhere. Currently in the Scottish Top 100, it recently re-entered the charts in England and Wales too.
- Catriona
Origin:
Scottish form of Katherine, GreekMeaning:
"pure"Description:
This Katherine variation, used through Ireland and Scotland, is pronounced like Katrina. The name became popular after the Crusaders brought home stories about the colorful fourth century martyr, Catherine of Alexandria. Its later popularity increased following the success of Robert Louis Stevenson's 1893 Catriona, the sequel to Kidnapped.
- Sinclair
Origin:
ScottishMeaning:
"from the town of St. Clair"Description:
Could be a novel way for a boy's name to honor an ancestral Claire.
- Muriel
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"of the bright sea"Description:
Once a poetic Celtic name, that of the angel who governs the month of June, Muriel became the mom or grandma on TV sitcoms. She does have literary cred via Edinburgh-born author Muriel Spark, author of The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and also appears as a character in Anne of Green Gables. Muriel was a Top 200 name from 1912 to 1933.
- Gregor
Origin:
Scottish form of GregoryMeaning:
"vigilant, a watchman"Description:
Two prominent literary namesakes make Gregor a somewhat risky choice. On the highbrow side, there's Gregor Samsa, the Kafka character who woke up one day to find himself turned into a cockroach. And then there's Gregor Clegane, one of the most feared and purely evil characters in the world of Game of Thrones.
- Fenella
Origin:
CelticMeaning:
"white-shouldered one"Description:
More unusual than Fiona and more user-friendly than Fionnuala, the engaging Scottish Fenella, has been scarcely heard in this country.
- Macaulay
Origin:
ScottishMeaning:
"son of righteousness"Description:
Made famous by former child star Macaulay Culkin, one of the more popular Mac names.
- Niven
Origin:
ScottishMeaning:
"little saint"Description:
Excellent candidate for use as an undiscovered surname name. Niven is the Anglicized spelling of the Irish name Naomhan, a diminutive of the word naomh which means saint. This handsome but unusual name was given to only six boys in the US last year. Your parents may be familiar with actor David Niven.
- Ossian
Origin:
Old IrishMeaning:
"little deer"Description:
Ossian, or Osian, from the Old Irish name Oisin, was the son of Finn in Irish legend that was transformed into a Scottish hero in the Ossianic poems of James Macpherson in the eighteenth century--which also popularlized Oscar, Fingal, Selma and Malvina.
- Kenna
Origin:
Scottish, feminine form of KennethDescription:
Kenna is the Scottish version of Kendra, both of which are feminine versions of Kenneth. Used in the TV show Reign for one of the supporting characters.
- Auley
Origin:
Scottish and ManxMeaning:
"ancestor's descendant"Description:
Also spelled Aulay in Scotland, this is an attractive form of the Scandinavian name Olaf that blends several currently fashionable sounds.
- Stewart
Origin:
ScottishMeaning:
"steward"Description:
This ancient royal Scottish name and its equally-correct spelling French variation Stuart had a brief vogue in midcentury America--it was Number 286 in 1955--dropped off the list completely in the nineties.
- Ramsay
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"low-lying land"Description:
A surname occasionally used as a first, as in former attorney general Ramsey Clark. This spelling is now closely associated with the psychopathic Game of Thrones villain Ramsay Snow (later Ramsay Bolton), and so is probably best avoided as long as the show and books are popular.
- Glen
Origin:
ScottishMeaning:
"a narrow valley"Description:
Former cool-boy name now in middle-aged limbo, but with a nice naturey meaning to endear it to modern parents.
- Morven
Origin:
Scottish, poetic place-nameDescription:
In the Ossianic poems, Morven is the name of Fingal's kingdom. This name, borne by young Scottish actress Morven Christie, has a darkly intriguing quality to it.
- Iain
Origin:
Gaelic variation of JohnMeaning:
"God is gracious"Description:
Iain, this authentic Gaelic form of John, has been well used in Scotland since the early twentieth century, used concurrently with the shortened Ian spelling, but is rarely seen in the US.