Scottish Origin Names

This is a list of names in which the origin is Scottish.
gender
usage
origin
​
Ailpean m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Alpin.
Ailsa f Scottish
From Ailsa Craig, the name of an island off the west coast of Scotland, which is of uncertain derivation.
Ainslee f English (Rare)
Variant of Ainsley.
Ainsley f & m Scottish, English (Modern)
From an English surname that was from a place name: either Annesley in Nottinghamshire or Ansley in Warwickshire. The place names themselves derive from Old English anne "alone, solitary" or ansetl "hermitage" and leah "woodland, clearing".... [more]
Ainslie f English (Rare)
Variant of Ainsley.
Aithbhreac f Medieval Scottish
Older form of Oighrig. This name was borne by the 15th-century Scottish poet Aithbhreac Inghean Coirceadal.
Alpin m Scottish (Rare)
Anglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic name Ailpean, possibly derived from a Pictish word meaning "white". This was the name of two kings of Dál Riata and two kings of the Picts in the 8th and 9th centuries.
Ansley f English (Modern)
Variant of Ainsley.
Arran m Scottish
From the name of an island off the west coast of Scotland in the Firth of Clyde.
Athol m & f Scottish
From Atholl, the name of a district in Scotland, from Scottish Gaelic Athall, possibly derived from Old Irish ath Fhotla "new Ireland".
Balfour m English (Rare)
From a Scottish surname, originally from various place names, themselves derived from Gaelic baile "village" and pòr "pasture, crop, cropland".
Beathag f Scottish Gaelic
Feminine form of Beathan.
Beathan m Scottish Gaelic
Derived from a diminutive of Scottish Gaelic beatha meaning "life".
Blaine m English
From a Scottish surname that was derived from the Old Irish given name Bláán.
Blair m & f Scottish, English
From a Scottish surname that was derived from Gaelic blàr meaning "plain, field, battlefield". In Scotland this name is typically masculine.... [more]
Blaire f English (Modern)
Variant of Blair.
Bowie m & f English (Modern), Dutch (Modern)
From a Scottish surname, derived from Gaelic buidhe meaning "yellow". It has been used as a given name in honour of the British musician David Bowie (1947-2016), born David Robert Jones, who took his stage name from the American pioneer James Bowie (1796-1836), though with a different pronunciation.
Boyd m English
From a Scottish surname that was possibly derived from the name of the island of Bute (Bód in Gaelic).
Brodie m English (Modern)
Variant of Brody.
Brody m English
From a Scottish surname that was originally derived from a place in Moray, Scotland. It probably means "ditch, mire" in Gaelic.
Bruce m Scottish, English
From a Scottish surname, of Norman origin, which probably originally referred to the town of Brix in France. The surname was borne by Robert the Bruce, a Scottish hero of the 14th century who achieved independence from England and became the king of Scotland. It has been in use as a given name in the English-speaking world since the 19th century, becoming especially popular in the 1940s and 50s. Notable bearers include Chinese-American actor Bruce Lee (1940-1973), American musician Bruce Springsteen (1949-), and American actor Bruce Willis (1955-). It is also the real name of the comic book superheroes Batman (Bruce Wayne), created 1939, and the Hulk (Bruce Banner), created 1962.
Cailean m Scottish Gaelic
Means "whelp, young dog" in Scottish Gaelic. This name was borne by Cailean Mór, a 13th-century Scottish lord and ancestor of Clan Campbell.
Cam 2 m & f English
Short form of Cameron.
Cameron m & f English
From a Scottish surname meaning "crooked nose" from Gaelic cam "crooked" and sròn "nose". As a given name it is mainly used for boys. It got a little bump in popularity for girls in the second half of the 1990s, likely because of the fame of actress Cameron Diaz (1972-). In the United States, the forms Camryn and Kamryn are now more popular than Cameron for girls.
Campbell m & f English
From a Scottish surname meaning "crooked mouth" from Gaelic cam "crooked" and beul "mouth".
Camron m English (Modern)
Variant of Cameron.
Camryn f & m English (Modern)
Variant (typically feminine) of Cameron.
Carson m & f English
From a Scottish surname of uncertain meaning. A famous bearer of the surname was the American scout Kit Carson (1809-1868).
Chile m English (Rare)
Variant of Kyle.
Colin 1 m Scottish, English
Anglicized form of Scottish Cailean.
Craig m Scottish, English
From a Scottish surname that was derived from Gaelic creag meaning "crag, rocks, outcrop", originally indicating a person who lived near a crag.
Dallas m & f English
From a surname that could either be of Old English origin meaning "valley house" or of Scottish Gaelic origin meaning "meadow dwelling". A city in Texas bears this name, probably in honour of American Vice President George M. Dallas (1792-1864).
Deòiridh f Scottish Gaelic
Means "pilgrim" in Scottish Gaelic.
Doug m English
Short form of Douglas.
Douglas m Scottish, English
From a Scottish surname that was from the name of a town in Lanarkshire, itself named after a tributary of the River Clyde called the Douglas Water. It means "dark river", derived from Gaelic dubh "dark" and glais "water, river" (an archaic word related to glas "grey, green"). This was a Scottish Lowland clan, the leaders of which were powerful earls in the medieval period. The Gaelic form is Dùghlas or Dùbhghlas. It has been used as a given name since the 16th century.
Douglass m English
Variant of Douglas.
Drummond m English (Rare)
From a Scottish surname that was derived from various place names, themselves derived from Gaelic druim meaning "ridge".
Dùbhghlas m Scottish Gaelic
Gaelic form of Douglas.
Duff m English (Rare)
From a Scottish or Irish surname, derived from Anglicized spellings of Gaelic dubh meaning "dark".
Effie f English, Scottish
Diminutive of Euphemia. In Scotland it has been used as an Anglicized form of Oighrig.
Fife m Scottish (Rare)
From a Scottish place name that was formerly the name of a kingdom in Scotland. It is said to be named for a Pictish kingdom called Fib.
Forbes m Scottish
From a Scottish surname that was originally taken from the name of a village in Aberdeenshire, which means "field, area of land" in Gaelic.
Fraser m Scottish, English (Rare)
From a Scottish surname, originally Norman French de Fresel, possibly from a lost place name in France.
Frazier m English
Variant of Fraser.
Fyfe m Scottish (Rare)
Variant of Fife.
Gilchrist m Scottish (Rare)
Anglicized form of the medieval Gaelic name Gille Críst, or from the surname that was derived from it.
Gilleasbaig m Scottish Gaelic
Variant of Gilleasbuig.
Gilleasbuig m Scottish Gaelic
Means "servant of the bishop", from Scottish Gaelic gille "servant" and easbuig "bishop", from Greek ἐπίσκοπος (episkopos). It was often Anglicized as Gillespie or Archibald (with which it has no obvious connection).
Gille Críst m Medieval Scottish
Medieval Scottish form of Gilla Críst.
Gillespie m Scottish (Rare)
Anglicized form of Gilleasbuig.
Glen m English
Variant of Glenn.
Glenda f English
Probably a feminine form of Glenn using the suffix da (from names such as Linda and Wanda). This name was not regularly used until the 20th century.
Glenn m English
From a Scottish surname that was derived from Gaelic gleann "valley". It was borne by the American actor Glenn Ford (1916-2006), whose birth name was Gwyllyn. A famous bearer of the surname was American astronaut John Glenn (1921-2016). The name peaked in popularity in 1962 when he became the first American to orbit the earth.... [more]
Glenna f English
Feminine form of Glenn.
Gord m English
Short form of Gordon.
Gorden m English
Variant of Gordon.
Gordie m English
Diminutive of Gordon. A famous bearer was Canadian hockey star Gordie Howe (1928-2016).
Gordon m Scottish, English
From a Scottish surname that was originally derived from a place in Berwickshire, itself derived from Brythonic elements meaning "spacious fort". It was originally used in honour of Charles George Gordon (1833-1885), a British general who died defending the city of Khartoum in Sudan.... [more]
Gordy m English
Diminutive of Gordon.
Graeme m Scottish, English
From a surname that was a variant of Graham. This particular spelling for the given name has been most common in Scotland, New Zealand and Australia.
Graham m Scottish, English
From a Scottish surname, originally derived from the English place name Grantham, which probably meant "gravelly homestead" in Old English. The surname was first taken to Scotland in the 12th century by the Norman baron William de Graham. A famous bearer of the surname was Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922), the Scottish-Canadian-American inventor who devised the telephone. A famous bearer of the given name was the British author Graham Greene (1904-1991).... [more]
Grahame m Scottish, English
From a surname that was a variant of Graham.
Grant m English, Scottish
From an English and Scottish surname that was derived from Norman French grand meaning "great, large". A famous bearer of the surname was Ulysses Grant (1822-1885), the commander of the Union forces during the American Civil War who later served as president. In America the name has often been given in his honour.
Greer f & m English (Rare)
From a Scottish surname that was derived from the given name Gregor.
Grier f & m English (Rare)
From a Scottish surname that was derived from the given name Gregor.
Houston m English
From a Scottish surname meaning "Hugh's town". The original Houston is in Scotland near Glasgow, but this is also the name of a city in Texas, named after the Texas president Sam Houston (1793-1863).
Iona 1 f English, Scottish
From the name of the island off Scotland where Saint Columba founded a monastery. The name of the island is Old Norse in origin, and apparently derives simply from ey meaning "island".
Irvin m English
From a surname that was a variant of either Irving or Irwin.
Irvine m English, Scottish
From a surname that was a variant of Irving.
Irving m English, Jewish
From a Scottish surname that was derived from the town of Irvine in North Ayrshire, itself named for the River Irvine, which is derived from Brythonic elements meaning "green water". Historically this name has been relatively common among Jews, who have used it as an American-sounding form of Hebrew names beginning with I such as Isaac, Israel and Isaiah. A famous bearer was the Russian-American songwriter and lyricist Irving Berlin (1888-1989), whose birth name was Israel Beilin.
Isla f Scottish, English
Variant of Islay, typically used as a feminine name. It also coincides with the Spanish word isla meaning "island".
Islay f & m Scottish
From the name of the island of Islay, which lies off of the west coast of Scotland.
Kam m & f English (Modern)
Short form of Kameron.
Kameron m & f English (Modern)
Variant of Cameron.
Kamryn f & m English (Modern)
Variant (typically feminine) of Cameron.
Karson m English (Modern)
Variant of Carson.
Karsyn f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Carson.
Keir m Scottish
From a surname that was a variant of Kerr.
Keith m English, Scottish
From a Scottish surname that was originally derived from the name of a place in East Lothian, itself possibly derived from the Celtic root *kayto- meaning "wood". This was the surname of a long line of Scottish nobles. It has been used as a given name since the 19th century, becoming fairly common throughout the English-speaking world in the 20th century.
Keitha f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Keith.
Kendra f English
Feminine form of Ken 1 or Kendrick.
Kendrick m English
From a surname that has several different origins. It could be from the Old English given names Cyneric "royal power" or Cenric "bold power", or from the Welsh name Cynwrig "chief hero". It can also be an Anglicized form of the Gaelic surname Mac Eanraig meaning "son of Henry".... [more]
Kenrick m English (Rare)
Variant of Kendrick.
Kenzie m & f English
Short form of Mackenzie.
Kerr m Scottish
From a Scots surname that was derived from a word meaning "thicket, marsh", ultimately from Old Norse kjarr.
Kiley f English
Variant of Kylie.
Kilie f English (Rare)
Variant of Kylie.
Kinley f English (Modern)
From a Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of Mac Fhionnlaigh, itself derived from the given name Fionnlagh.
Knox m English
From a Scots surname that was derived from various places named Knock, from Gaelic cnoc "round hill". It jumped in popularity after the actors Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt had a baby by this name in 2008.
Kyla f English
Feminine form of Kyle, or a combination of the popular phonetic elements ky and la.
Kyle m English
From a Scottish surname that was derived from various place names, themselves from Gaelic caol meaning "narrows, channel, strait". As a given name it was rare in the first half of the 20th century. It rose steadily in popularity throughout the English-speaking world, entering the top 50 in most places by the 1990s. It has since declined in all regions.
Kylee f English
Variant of Kylie.
Kyleigh f English (Modern)
Variant of Kylie.
Kylie f English
This name arose in Australia, where it is said to mean "boomerang" in the Australian Aboriginal language Nyungar. An early bearer was the author Kylie Tennant (1912-1988). It was among the most popular names in Australia in the 1970s and early 80s. It can also be considered a feminine form of Kyle, or a combination of the popular sounds ky and lee, and it is likely in those capacities that it began to be used in America in the late 1970s. A famous bearer is the Australian pop singer Kylie Minogue (1968-).
Laird m English (Rare)
From a Scottish surname meaning "landowner" in Scots.
Lakendra f African American (Modern)
Combination of the popular prefix la with the name Kendra. It can be spelled LaKendra or Lakendra.
Lamont m English, African American
From a Scottish surname that was derived from the medieval Gaelic given name Lagmann, itself from Old Norse lǫgmaðr meaning "law man". This name reached a peak in its American popularity in 1972, the same year that the sitcom Sanford and Son debuted, featuring the character Lamont Sanford (the titular son).
Lennox m & f English (Modern)
From a Scottish surname that was derived from the name of a district in Scotland. The district, called Leamhnachd in Gaelic, possibly means "place of elms". This name steadily rose in popularity in the 2000s, at the same time as the similar-sounding (but unrelated) names Lennon and Knox.
Lenox m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Lennox.
Les m English
Short form of Leslie or Lester.
Lesleigh f English (Rare)
Variant of Leslie.
Lesley f & m English
Variant of Leslie.
Leslie f & m English
From a Scottish surname that was derived from a place in Aberdeenshire, probably from Gaelic leas celyn meaning "garden of holly". It has been used as a given name since the 19th century. In America it was more common as a feminine name after the 1940s.
Lesly f English (Modern)
Variant of Leslie.
Lessie f English
Diminutive of names containing the sound les, such as Leslie.
Logan m & f English
From a Scottish surname that was originally derived from a place in Ayrshire meaning "little hollow" (from Gaelic lag "hollow, pit" combined with a diminutive suffix). This name started slowly rising on the American popularity charts in the mid-1970s, perhaps partly inspired by the movie Logan's Run (1976). The comic book character Wolverine, alias Logan, was also introduced around the same time.... [more]
Lorn m English (Rare)
Variant of Lorne.
Lorna f English
Created by the author R. D. Blackmore for the title character in his novel Lorna Doone (1869), set in southern England, which describes the dangerous love between John Ridd and Lorna Doone. Blackmore may have based the name on the Scottish place name Lorne or on the title Marquis of Lorne (see Lorne).
Lorne m English
From the title Marquis of Lorne, which was based on the Scottish place name Lorne, itself possibly derived from the name of the legendary king of Dál Riata, Loarn mac Eirc. This was the title of the first Governor General of Canada, where it has since been most frequently used as a given name. A famous bearer was the Canadian actor Lorne Greene (1915-1987).
Lyall m English (Rare)
From a Scottish surname that was derived from the Old Norse given name Liulfr (which was derived in part from úlfr "wolf").
Macaulay m English (British)
From a Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Amhalghaidh, itself derived from Amhalghadh, a given name of unknown meaning. A famous bearer of the surname was Thomas Babington Macaulay (1800-1861), a British Whig politician and noted historian. The given name is borne by the American former child actor Macaulay Culkin (1980-), who was named after the British politician.
Macauley m English (British)
Variant of Macaulay.
Mac Beatha m Medieval Scottish
Scottish Gaelic form of Macbeth.
Macbeth m History
Anglicized form of the Scottish Gaelic given name Mac Beatha meaning "son of life", implying holiness. This was the name of an 11th-century Scottish king who came to power after defeating and killing King Duncan in battle. Years later he was himself slain in battle with Duncan's son Malcolm. Shakespeare based his play Macbeth (1606) loosely on this king's life, drawing from the tales related in Holinshed's Chronicles (1587).
Mackenzie f & m English
From a Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Coinnich, itself derived from the given name Coinneach. As a feminine given name it was popularized by the American actress Mackenzie Phillips (1959-), especially after she began appearing on the television comedy One Day at a Time in 1975. In the United Kingdom it is more common as a masculine name.
Máel Coluim m Medieval Scottish
Medieval Scottish Gaelic form of Malcolm.
Máel Ísu m Medieval Scottish
Medieval Scottish Gaelic form of Maoilios.
Makenna f English (Modern)
Variant of McKenna.
Makenzie f English (Modern)
Variant of Mackenzie.
Malcolm m Scottish, English
Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Máel Coluim, which means "disciple of Saint Columba". This was the name of four kings of Scotland starting in the 10th century, including Malcolm III, who became king after killing Macbeth, the usurper who had defeated his father Duncan. The character Malcolm in Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth (1606) is loosely based on him. Another famous bearer was Malcolm X (1925-1965), an American civil rights leader.
Malcom m English
Variant of Malcolm.
Malina 1 f Scottish
Feminine form of Malcolm.
Maoilios m Scottish Gaelic
Means "servant of Jesus" in Scottish Gaelic.
Maol Chaluim m Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Malcolm.
Max m German, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Dutch, Czech, Russian, French, Catalan
Short form of Maximilian or Maxim. In English it can also be short for Maxwell, and it coincides with the informal word max, short for maximum.... [more]
Maxene f English (Rare)
Variant of Maxine.
Maxie m & f English
Diminutive of Maximilian, Maxwell, Maxine and other names beginning with Max.
Maxine f English
Feminine form of Max. It has been commonly used only since the beginning of the 20th century.
Maxton m English (Modern)
Elaboration of Max using the popular name suffix ton.
Maxwell m English
From a Scottish surname meaning "Mack's stream", from the name Mack, a short form of the Scandinavian name Magnus, combined with Old English wille "well, stream". A famous bearer of the surname was James Maxwell (1831-1879), a Scottish physicist who studied gases and electromagnetism.... [more]
McKenna f English (Modern)
From an Irish and Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of Mac Cionaodha, itself derived from the given name Cionaodh. As a given name, it was very rare before 1980. It rapidly increased in popularity during the 1990s, likely because it was viewed as an even more feminine alternative to Mackenzie.
McKenzie f & m English (Modern)
Variant of Mackenzie.
McKinley f & m English
From a Scottish surname, an Anglicized form of Mac Fhionnlaigh, from the given name Fionnlagh. A famous bearer of the surname was the American president William McKinley (1843-1901).... [more]
Mel m & f English
Short form of Melvin, Melanie, Melissa and other names beginning with Mel.
Melva f English
Perhaps a feminine form of Melvin.
Melville m English
From a Scots surname that was originally from a Norman French place name Malleville meaning "bad town". A famous bearer of the surname was the American author Herman Melville (1819-1891), who wrote several novels including Moby-Dick.
Melvin m English, Swedish
From a Scots surname that was a variant of Melville. This name has been used in America since the 19th century. It became popular in the early 20th century and reached a peak in the late 1920s, but has steadily declined since then (closely mirroring the similar-sounding but unrelated names Marvin and Alvin).
Melvyn m English
Variant of Melvin.
Monroe m & f English
From a Scottish surname meaning "from the mouth of the Roe". The Roe is a river in Northern Ireland. Two famous bearers of the surname were American president James Monroe (1758-1831) and American actress Marilyn Monroe (1926-1962).... [more]
Mòr f Scottish Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic form of Mór 1. It is sometimes translated into English as Sarah or Marion.
Mòrag f Scottish Gaelic
Diminutive of Mòr.
Moray m Scottish
From the name of the area of Moray in Scotland or the surname derived from it (see Moray).
Morven f Scottish
From the name of a region in western Scotland, also called Morvern or in Gaelic A' Mhorbhairne, meaning "the big gap". This is the location of Fingal's kingdom in James Macpherson's 18th-century poems.
Muir m Scottish
From a Scottish surname, derived from Scots muir meaning "moor, fen". This name could also be inspired by Scottish Gaelic muir meaning "sea".
Mungo m Scottish
Meaning uncertain, possibly from a Brythonic phrase meaning "my dear". This was a nickname of the 6th-century Saint Kentigern.
Munro m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Monroe.
Munroe m & f English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Monroe.
Murray m Scottish, English
From a surname, which is either Scottish or Irish in origin (see Murray 1 and Murray 2).
Naomhán m Irish
Means "little saint", derived from Irish naomh "saint" combined with a diminutive suffix.
Neely m & f English (Rare)
From a Scottish surname, an Anglicized and reduced form of Gaelic Mac an Fhilidh (or McNeilly) meaning "son of the poet".
Niven m Scottish
Anglicized form of Naomhán.
Oighrig f Scottish Gaelic
From the older Gaelic name Aithbhreac, derived from the intensive prefix ath- and breac "speckled". It has been Anglicized as Effie, Euphemia and Affrica.
Paislee f English (Modern)
Variant of Paisley.
Paisley f English (Modern)
From a Scots surname, originally from the name of a town near Glasgow, maybe ultimately derived from Latin basilica "church". This is also a word (derived from the name of that same town) for a type of pattern commonly found on fabrics.
Ramsay m Scottish
From a surname that was a variant of Ramsey.
Reid m English
From a surname, a Scots variant of Reed.
Rhona f Scottish
Possibly derived from the name of either of the two Hebridean islands called Rona, which means "rough island" in Old Norse.
Rona 1 f English
Variant of Rhona.
Ross m Scottish, English
From a Scottish and English surname that originally indicated a person from a place called Ross (such as the region of Ross in northern Scotland), derived from Gaelic ros meaning "promontory, headland". A famous bearer of the surname was James Clark Ross (1800-1862), an Antarctic explorer.
Roy m Scottish, English, Dutch
Anglicized form of Ruadh. A notable bearer was the Scottish outlaw and folk hero Rob Roy (1671-1734). It is often associated with French roi "king".
Ruadh m Medieval Irish, Medieval Scottish
Irish and Scottish Gaelic byname meaning "red", often a nickname for one with red hair. This was the nickname of the Scottish outlaw Raibeart Ruadh MacGregor (1671-1734), known as Rob Roy in English.
Scot m English, Scottish
Variant form of Scott.
Scott m English, Scottish
From an English and Scottish surname that referred to a person from Scotland or a person who spoke Scottish Gaelic. It is derived from Latin Scoti meaning "Gael, Gaelic speaker", with the ultimate origin uncertain.
Shaw m English (Rare)
From a surname. As an English surname it is derived from Old English sceaga meaning "thicket". As a Scottish surname it is derived from the Gaelic byname Sitheach meaning "wolf".
Sholto m Scottish
Probably an Anglicized form of Gaelic sìoltaich meaning "sower, propagator". It has occasionally been used in the Douglas family since the 17th century, after David Hume of Godscroft claimed it was the name of the 7th-century founder of the clan.
Skye f English (Modern)
From the name of the Isle of Skye off the west coast of Scotland. It is sometimes considered a variant of Sky.
Sterling m English
From a Scots surname that was derived from city of Stirling, which is itself of unknown meaning. The name can also be given in reference to the English word sterling meaning "excellent". In this case, the word derives from sterling silver, which was so named because of the emblem that some Norman coins bore, from Old English meaning "little star".
Stew m English
Short form of Stewart.
Stewart m English, Scottish
From a surname that was a variant Stuart.
Stirling m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant Sterling. This is the name of a city in Scotland.
Stu m English
Short form of Stuart.
Stuart m English, Scottish
From a Scottish occupational surname originally belonging to a person who was a steward. It is ultimately derived from Old English stig "house" and weard "guard". As a given name, it arose in 19th-century Scotland in honour of the Stuart royal family, which produced several kings and queens of Scotland and Britain between the 14th and 18th centuries.
Tavish m Scottish
Anglicized form of a Thàmhais, vocative case of Tàmhas. Alternatively it could be taken from the Scottish surname McTavish, Anglicized form of Mac Tàmhais, meaning "son of Tàmhas".
Tyree m African American
From a Scottish surname, a variant of McIntyre. It has been well-used as an African-American name, especially since the 1970s, probably inspired by other similar-sounding names such as Tyrone.
Wallace m English, Scottish
From a Scottish and English surname that was derived from Norman French waleis meaning "foreigner, Celt, Welshman" (of Germanic origin). It was first used as a given name in honour of William Wallace, a Scottish hero who led the fight against the English in the 13th century.