Scottish First Names

Updated May 4, 2023

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Scotland is rife with history, conflict, culture, and mythology. From the magical highlands to the moors filled with heather, Scotland is undoubtedly a land of magic. 

Growing up, Braveheart was my favorite movie, an odd movie for a teenager to love, but I have always been enchanted by all things Celtic. Both my children have Celtic names, one Scottish, of course! 

History buffs love learning about Scotland's ancient and intertwining past with England, Ireland, France, Spain, the Vikings, and the myriad of connections and betrayals amongst Scottish tribes.

Scotland is a wondrous place, and many Americans have ancestral ties to the ancient nation. So if you’re looking for the perfect Scottish name for your future lass or lad, then look no further than our list of Scottish baby names and meanings!

Scottish Girl Names and Meanings 

  1. Agnes - Greek. Pure or virginal.
  2. Alba - Latin. White. 
  3. Aileen - The Scots version of Evelyn it means light. 
  4. Ailish - A popular Scottish name that means noble. 
  5. Ann - A Hebrew name meaning graceful.
  6. Bonnie - This adorable Scottish name means pretty or beautiful. 
  7. Catriona - Pure. 
  8. Cordelia - Welsh. Pure-hearted. The favorite daughter in Shakespeare’s King Lear.
  9. Davonna - A leader. 
  10. Eileen - Angel-like, angelic. 
  11. Eilidh - A diminutive form of Alice or Elizabeth. 
  12. Elspeth - Scottish form of Elizabeth. God is my oath. 
  13. Fenella - A Celtic name that means white-shouldered one.
  14. Fiona - Feminine or fair.
  15. Finlay - Irish origins. It means fair-haired one. 
  16. Jean - A French name that was quite popular in Scotland for centuries meaning God is gracious.
  17. Kenna - Irish Gaelic. Pretty woman or fire born. 
  18. Lachina - Land of Lakes. 
  19. Lainey - Shining light. 
  20. Lilias - Latin. Lily.
  21. Lorna - Victory or honor.
  22. Iona - A Scottish baby girl place name for an island off the coast of Scotland. 
  23. Isla/Islay- This Gaelic name comes from an island off the west coast of Scotland. Isla is also the Spanish word for island. 
  24. Isobel - The Gaelic version of Isabella, which means pledged to God.
  25. Mackenzie - This adorable name has a few different interpretations. First is the son of Kenneth. The second is that it means fire-born or son of the ruler. And third, is attractive or pleasant to look at. 
  26. Mckinley - A common surname in Ireland and Scotland, it is a popular baby name that means son of Finlay. 
  27. Maisie - Pearl. A Scottish Gaelic version of Margaret.
  28. Margaret - A greek name meaning pearl. 
  29. Mirren - Beloved. 
  30. Morag - The Scottish version of Srah. It means princess. 
  31. Reyne - Latin origins, it means lady or ruler.
  32. Shona - The Scottish Gaelic form of Joan. God is gracious. 
  33. Una - Irish. Lamb. 
  34. Vaila - Foreign Isle.

Scottish Highlands. | The Highlands (Scottish Gaelic: A' Ghà… | Flickr

Scottish Highlands

Scottish Boy Names and Meanings

  1. Alasdair/Alastair/Alistair - The Scottish version of Alexander.
  2. Andrew - A name with Greek origins meaning brave man. St. Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland. 
  3. Angus - The Anglicized version of the Scottish Gaelic Aonghas. It means one strength.
  4. Aodh - Fire.
  5. Archibald - English. Truly Bold. Archibald is a bit archaic for a baby boy, but you could do what Prince Harry and the Duchess of Sussex did and use Archie. 
  6. Baird - One of the Scottish baby names making a comeback as a trendy name, it means minstrel or poet.
  7. Bernard - Strong as a bear. 
  8. Blaine/Blane - Slender. 
  9. Brodic/Brodick - Scandinavian/Scottish. Brother.
  10. Bruce - French/English. Brushwood or thicket. It was a common Scottish surname for nobles. The first Scottish King was Robert the Bruce. 
  11. Bryson - Son of a nobleman. Son of Bryce.
  12. Calum/Callum - A derivative of Malcolm, it means dove. Another version of the name is Colm.
  13. Clyde - The name of a river in Scotland. 
  14. Davis - Welsh. Son of David. 
  15. Donal - Used in Scottish and Irish, it means world mighty or world rule. 
  16. Douglas - Dark stream. 
  17. Duncan - A name with Gaelic origins, it means dark warrior. 
  18. Ewan - By the yew tree, born of the yew tree, or youth, also spelled Euan.
  19. Fraser - Strawberry. A cute baby name for a red-head!
  20. Graham - Scottish. Gravelly homestead.
  21. Hamish - A Scottish version of the name James.
  22. Ian - A Scottish name with Hebrew origins meaning God is gracious. 
  23. James - Hebrew Supplanter. The name of the Stuart King who ruled both Scotland and Ireland. Mary Queen of Scots’s son. 
  24. Knox - Rounded hilltop.
  25. Lachlan - A name that became popular during the Viking era, it means from the land of lakes.
  26. Leith - Flowing water. 
  27. Mac - A preface that used to mean son of and is now used as a first name. 
  28. Malcolm - A devotee of Saint Columba. 
  29. Ramsay - Old English. Garlic island or low-lying island. 
  30. Ross- From the peninsula.
  31. Scott - A Scotsman.
  32. Stewart - Old English. Servant or Steward. Stuart or Stweart was the surname for Scotland’s royal family in the Renaissance and Elizabethan eras. 
  33. Wallace - Old French. Meant foreigner or Welsh. William Wallace was the real-life warrior depicted by Mel Gibson in the film Braveheart.

Gender-Neutral Scottish Names

  1. Adair - English. Fortune or spear.
  2. Blair - Scottish. Field or plain. A battlefield. 
  3. Blake - Dark-haired.
  4. Cameron - Crooked nose or crooked river. 
  5. Campbell - Crooked mouth 
  6. Drew - A diminutive form of Andrew, it means manly or brave. 
  7. Greer - Scottish. Watchful or vigilant. 
  8. Jaime - Hebrew. He who supplants. 
  9. Lennox - Elm grove. 
  10. Lindsey/Lindsay - Where the linden tree grows. 
  11. Lyle - A person who resides on an island. 
  12. Payton/Peyton - Royal.
  13. Quinn - Head or wise. 
  14. Reagan - Irish. Son of the little king. One of the daughters of Shakespeare's King Lear.
  15. Rory - Irish. Red king. 
  16. Rowan - Irish. Little redhead.
  17. Skye - This unique and adorable unisex name is a place name from the famed Isle of Skye.
  18. Slaine - Despite how this name sounds, it actually means someone of good health. 
Popular Scottish Names
About the author
L. Elizabeth Forry

About L. Elizabeth Forry

L. Elizabeth Forry is an Early Childhood Educator with 15 years of classroom… Read more