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Looking for Scottish baby names? Here we have 204 names for wee laddies and bonnie lassies. See any that strike your fancy?
On the hunt for Scottish names for babies? You’ve found them.
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Names from Scotland evoke images of Highland glens, Scotch whisky, clans, and tartan.
There are lots of reasons why you may want to give your bairn a Scottish baby name.
Maybe you’re Scottish yourself – fair enough.
Maybe your family has roots in the country.
Or maybe once upon a time, you enjoyed a holiday there.
So, without further delay, here are some of the most popular, classic, and traditional Scottish names for girls and boys.
We hope you find the braw Scottish name for your wee bairn!
In this article: 📝
- What is a popular Scottish name?
- What’s a good Scottish name for a girl?
- What is a Scottish name for a boy?
- What is a traditional Scottish name?
- What is a rare Scottish name?
- What are Scottish names and meanings?
- What is the most Scottish name?
What is a popular Scottish name?
The most common Scottish name for boys is Jack. A classic.
It’s been the most popular for the last 13 years.
For girls, the most common baby name is now Isla, inspired perhaps by the Scottish island Islay.
While it might sound like a classic, 2021 is the first time Isla has ever topped the girl’s list.
But there are more.
Let’s take a look at the most popular Scottish baby names right now.
What are the most popular names for girls in Scotland?
In truth, the most popular names for girls in Scotland right now are not specifically Scottish.
Rather, the list shares many favorites with the rest of the UK (and North America, too!).
Here are the most popular according to the National Records of Scotland:
- Isla: Meaning: “island”.
- Olivia: Meaning: “olive tree” in Latin.
- Emily: Meaning: “rival” in Latin.
- Freya: Meaning: “noble woman” in Norse.
- Ava: Meaning: “voice” in Persian.
- Sophie: Meaning: “wisdom” in Greek.
- Ella: Meaning: “she” in French.
- Grace: Meaning: “graceful” in English.
- Amelia: Meaning: “industrious” in Latin.
- Lily: Meaning: “lily flower” in English.
What are the most popular Scottish boy names?
And now for popular Scottish baby boy names.
Like the girls’ list, this one has a lot in common with other English-speaking countries, but you may notice some names of a more Scottish flavor, too.
- Jack: Meaning “God is gracious” in English.
- Noah: Meaning “rest” in Hebrew.
- James: Scotland has had seven kings called James. While it is a popular name across the English-speaking world, it definitely has a particularly Scottish vibe.
- Leo: Meaning “lion” in Latin.
- Oliver: Meaning “olive tree” in English.
- Harris: Harris is an island in the northwest of Scotland, which might be one reason for its popularity in Scotland.
- Rory: Coming from an old Gaelic name, Rory is usually used for boys with red hair, as it means “red king”.
- Alexander: Meaning “defender of men” in Greek.
- Finlay: Of Gaelic origin, it means “fair-haired hero”.
- Archie: Meaning “bold” in Scottish.
What’s a good Scottish name for a girl?
Now then, with the most on-trend names out of the way, let’s take a look at some of the classics of Scottish baby names.
Let’s start with Scottish baby girl names – including some Scottish names you may not have heard of.
- Aileen: Meaning “from the green meadow”.
- Ailsa: Pronounced – and sometimes spelled – Elsa. Ailsa means “elf victory”.
- Annabel: Meaning “loving”.
- Ansley: Meaning “solitary glade”.
- Blair: Meaning “field”.
- Catriona: Meaning “pure”.
- Davina: Meaning “beloved”.
- Elsbeth (Elspeth, or Elsie): It’s the Scottish equivalent of Elizabeth, meaning “my God is an oath”.
- Fiona: Meaning “fair”.
- Iona: Meaning “dove”. Also another Scottish island.
- Kathleen: Meaning “pure”.
- Kenna: Meaning “handsome” or “born of fire”.
- Kirsty: Meaning “follower of Christ”.
- Kirsteen: Meaning “follower of Christ”.
- Lainey: Meaning “shining light”.
- Leana: Variations include Leanne or Leanna, meaning “beautiful”.
- Lorna: Meaning “laurel tree”.
- Maisie: Meaning “pearl”.
- Makenna: Meaning “child of Cionnath”.
- Nessa: Meaning “headlands”.
- Seema (or Sima): An unusual name, meaning “face” or “listener”.
- Senga: From the Gaelic word meaning “slender”.
- Skye: Actually the name of the beautiful and blustery Isle of Skye, it has become very popular as a girl’s name in recent years.
What is a Scottish name for a boy?
Now for the wee lads ‒ here’s a selection of bonnie Scottish names for baby boys:
- Alastair (or Alasdair, Alister): Meaning “defender of the people”.
- Anderson: Meaning “son of Andrew”.
- Andrew: Meaning “brave”.
- Armstrong: Meaning “strong arms”.
- Arthur: From the Gaelic meaning “bear”.
- Bernard: Meaning “strong as a bear”.
- Blane: Meaning “yellow”.
- Blake: Meaning “dark-haired”.
- Broderick: Meaning “brother”.
- Bruce: This is a surname that was famously held by Robert the Bruce, the Scottish national hero and King of Scots.
- Callum (or Calum): Meaning “dove”.
- Cameron: Meaning “crooked nose”.
- Clyde: The name of the river that flows through Glasgow, it has become a popular name for boys too.
- Craig: Meaning “rock”.
- Creighton: Meaning “border”.
- Douglas: Meaning “black stream”.
- Fergus: Meaning “strong”.
- Fingal: Both a county in Ireland and a character from a famous Scottish poem
- Fraser: Meaning “strawberry”.
- Gavin: Meaning “white hawk”.
- Gordon: Meaning “large fort”.
- Graham: Meaning “gray homestead”.
- Hamish: Meaning “supplanter”.
- Iain: Meaning “God is gracious”.
- Ivor: Meaning “yew” or “archer”.
- Kendrick: Meaning “bold ruler”.
- Kenneth: Meaning “handsome”.
- Keir: Meaning “dark one”.
- Keith: Meaning “wood”.
- Lachlan: Meaning “land of the lakes”.
- Lawrence: Meaning “laurel”.
- Lennox: The name of one of the Scottish clans
- Macaulay: Meaning “son of righteousness”.
- Magnus: Meaning “mighty”.
- Malcolm: Meaning “follower of Saint Columbia”.
- Maxwell: Meaning “mack’s spring”.
- Morrison: Meaning “son of Morris”.
- Neil: Meaning “cloud”.
- Niall: Meaning “cloud”.
- Ossian: Meaning “little deer”.
- Ross: Meaning “headland”.
- Seamus: Meaning “supplanter”.
- Scott: Meaning “from Scotland”. Probably the most Scottish name on this list!
- Sinclair: Meaning “renowned”.
- Stewart (or Stuart): Meaning “warden”.
- Wallace: Meaning “stranger”.
➡️ Don’t miss our full list of Scottish baby boy names
What is a traditional Scottish name?
The Scottish names we’ve listed so far should be familiar to most English speakers.
However, many names in Scotland are still in Gaelic, the ancient language of the Scottish western highlands and islands ‒ after all, the country is deeply rooted in ancient history.
The language is related to Old Irish, and it’s part of a subset of Scottish culture which might not be well known across the rest of the world.
Have a browse of these old Scottish names in their original Gaelic:
What are Scottish boy names in Gaelic?
Let’s start with Scottish Gaelic baby names for boys.
Remember, just because we call them “boy” names, it doesn’t mean that they can’t be perfect for your child whatever their gender.
- Abhainn: Pronounced like “avin,” Abhainn means “river” in Gaelic.
- Acair: Meaning “anchor”.
- Adair: Meaning “happy spear”.
- Ailean: The Scottish equivalent of “Alan”.
- Beathan: Meaning “life”.
- Bhaltair: The equivalent of Walter, it is pronounced with a “v” sound at the beginning.
- Cailean: Pronounced like “ka-lin,” it is the Gaelic version of Calum.
- Caomhainn: The Gaelic spelling of Kevin.
- Ciaran: Meaning “little dark one”.
- Cormac: Meaning “raven”.
- Diarmaid (Diarmuid): Often written in English as Dermot or Dermod.
- Domhnall: Pronounced “do-null,” it means “world ruler”.
- Fionn: Meaning “fair-haired”.
- Gregor: Meaning “watchman”.
- Mungo: An ancient Scottish saint and founder of Glasgow.
- Padraig: The Gaelic spelling of Patrick.
- Ruairidh: The original form of Rory, meaning “red king”.
- Tearlach: A Gaelic form of Charles, it is pronounced “cher-lock.”
What are Gaelic Scottish names for girls?
Now for some traditional Scottish names for girls in Scottish Gaelic:
- Aoife: Meaning “beautiful”.
- Beitidh: Pronounced like Betty. Meaning “my God is plentiful”.
- Caitir: Meaning “pure”.
- Caitlin: Meaning “pure”.
- Deirdre: Meaning “raging”.
- Eibhlin: The Gaelic equivalent of Evelyn. Meaning “shining”.
- Eilidh: It means “radiant one.”
- Fionnuala: Meaning “white shoulders”.
- Iseabail: The Gaelic version of Isabel, meaning “pledged to God”.
- Lili: Meaning “lily”.
- Mairi: The Gaelic equivalent of Mary, meaning “beloved”.
- Malamhin: An uncommon name nowadays, it is pronounced “mala-vin.” It means “smooth brow”.
- Oighrig: Pronounced “oy-rick,” it means “well-spoken”.
- Sileas: Meaning “heaven”.
- Teasag: Pronounced “chet-sa”. Meaning “God is gracious”.
- Una: Meaning “truth, beauty, and unity”.
What is a rare Scottish name?
Some Scottish names have fallen out of fashion in more recent times.
But we think they’re due a comeback!
Here are some of the rarest Scottish names for your wee yin:
- Adaira: Meaning “by the oak tree river”.
- Adhamh: Meaning “of the earth”.
- Ailbert: Meaning “noble”.
- Aileana: Meaning “from the lush meadow”.
- Alpin: Meaning “blond”.
- Bhaltair: Meaning “strong fighter”.
- Boyd: Meaning “yellow”.
- Brochan: Meaning “porridge”.
- Camdan: Meaning “from the valley”.
- Coira: Meaning “pool of envy”.
- Dallis: Meaning “from the valley”.
- Dalzell: Meaning “bright”.
- Dod: Meaning “farmer”, the Scottish version of George.
- Dolina: Meaning “proud chief”, a feminine version of Donald.
- Dugald: Meaning “dark stranger”.
- Ellair: Meaning steward”.
- Eunan: Meaning “youthful one”.
- Farquhar: Meaning “dear one”.
- Iagan: Meaning “little fire”.
- Innes: Meaning “islander”.
- Lachie: A nickname for Lachlan, meaning “from the lochs”.
- Leathan: Meaning “river”.
- Lileas: Meaning “lily”.
- Logan: Meaning “little hollow”.
- Lyall: Meaning “wolf”.
- Machara: Meaning “plains”.
- Morven: Meaning “lives by the sea” or “big peak”.
- Mysie: Meaning “pearl”.
- Naughton: Meaning “pure”.
- Neilan: Meaning “champion”.
- Nighean: Meaning “young woman”.
- Rosston: Meaning “red”.
- Saundra: Meaning “defender of men”, a traditional Scottish name for Alexandra.
- Sawney: Meaning “defender of men”.
- Seona: Meaning “God is gracious”. Pronounced shaw-nee.
- Shaw: Meaning “wood”.
- Shug: Meaning “clever one”, the old Scottish name for Hugh.
- Struan: Meaning “stream”.
- Teigue: Meaning “poet”.
- Torion: Meaning “from the hills”.
- Torquill: Meaning “cauldron of Thor” ‒ after all, there’s a great deal of Viking history in Scotland!
- Torra: Meaning “from the castle”.
- Vanora: Meaning “white wave”.
- Wylie: Meaning “protector”.
What are Scottish names and meanings?
If you’re after some Scottish names with specific meanings, we’ve got you covered:
What is the Scottish name for beautiful?
You probably already know this one ‒ it’s one of the most renowned Scottish baby names around!
- Bonnie: Not a popular name in Scotland, but definitely inspired by the Scottish word for “beautiful”.
What is Bonnie short for?
There are a few names that Bonnie can be a nickname for ‒ some of them Scottish, some of them from far-flung countries:
- Bernadette: A French name meaning “brave bear”.
- Bonaventure: Another French name meaning “good journey”.
- Bonita: A Spanish and Portuguese name meaning “pretty”.
- Bonnifer: An unusual Latin name that means “truth-bearer”.
- Bronwen: A Welsh name meaning “fair chest”.
- Briony: A Greek name meaning “growing luxuriantly”.
- Bronte: A Scottish Gaelic name meaning “thunder”.
- Bronya: A Russian name meaning “armor”.
- Ebony: A Latin name meaning “black wood”.
- Elizabeth: A Hebrew Biblical name meaning “my God is bountiful”.
What is heart in Scottish?
While this isn’t a traditional Scottish name, we think it’s short and sweet for the little one who’s in your heart:
- Cridhe: Meaning “heart” in Scottish, pronounced cree or cree-ya.
What is the Scottish princess name?
There are a few Scottish names that mean “princess” or are the names of princesses, so take your pick:
- Ada: After Princess Ada of Scotland, meaning “noble”.
- Annabella: A French name meaning “favored grace”.
- Bethóc: Daughter of the King of Scots, Bethóc means “life”.
- Eleanor: A Greek and French name meaning “shining light”.
- Henrietta: A German name meaning “home ruler”.
- Isabella: A Hebrew name meaning “God is my oath”.
- Isobel: A Hebrew name meaning “pledged to God”.
- Louisa: A German name meaning “famous warrior”.
- Margaret: A French, Persian, and Latin name meaning “pearl”.
- Marjorie: A French version of Margaret.
- Mary: A Hebrew name meaning “beloved”.
- Matilda: A German name meaning “mighty in battle”.
- Merida: The Scottish Disney princess! Merida means “one who has achieved high honor”.
- Morag: Meaning “great” or “princess”, also the Scottish name for Sarah.
- Oda: A Japanese name meaning “great field”, or a Norse name meaning “point”.
What is the Scottish word for joy?
If you’re after Scottish baby names meaning “joy”, you’ll be jumping for these:
- Aine: Meaning “joy” or “praise”, Aine is pronounced awn-yuh.
- Gàirdeachas: Meaning “joy” in Scottish Gaelic.
- Yaldi: Actually Scottish slang for “excitement” or “joy”.
What is lucky in Scottish?
How about bringing a little luck into your wee bairn’s life, from the start?
- Fortanach: Meaning “lucky” in Scottish Gaelic.
What Scottish name means warrior?
There are a few Scottish names meaning “warrior”, to inspire strength and resilience:
- Duncan: Meaning “dark-skinned warrior”.
- Ewan: Meaning “warrior of the mountain”.
- Luthais: Pronounced like Louis, the Scottish name means “famous warrior”.
- Murdoch: Meaning “sea warrior”.
What do the Scottish call a baby?
You might have heard of the common Scottish word bairn for a baby, but did you know that’s just popular in mainly the East of Scotland?
In the West of Scotland, they use the word wean for a baby ‒ as in wee ‘un or wee one.
What is the most Scottish name?
There are lots of Scottish names to choose from, but if you want to truly honor your Scottish heritage, how about these most Scottish names for your wee bairn?
- Alba: Meaning “Scotland”.
- Alban: Meaning “from Scotland (Alba)”.
There you have it.
We hope this list has helped you find a few Scottish names that are perfect for your wean.
Bye the nou, mama!