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Baby names

Find baby name inspiration and advice on the Mumsnet Baby Names forum.

Original poster

Scottish boy's name suggestions please

67 replies

ItsMeYourCathy · 23/02/2011 14:30

My granny was from Shetland and has passed away now. She was very proud of her Shetland heritage and so is my mum. I'd like to give my eagerly anticipated son a Scottish middle name to honour his (rather diluted now!)background.

The first name we've chosen is Nathaniel and our last name starts with P. I asked my mum for family names and none of them were suitable.

I quite like Hamish.

Suggestions please, especially from Scottish ladies who know that the names are Scotch and not just 'Celtic'

Thanks a lot xx

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Hi - this thread is a little old. If you’re looking for a Scottish baby name, find the most popular here. MNHQ

OP posts:
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Asinine · 09/03/2011 09:16

I was going to say Douglas or Cameron, I see they have already come up. A lovely man I knew who was a Shetlander died last year was a douglas.

jellybeans · 09/03/2011 09:10

Ross, Lachlan

BackwardsInHighHeels · 09/03/2011 08:54

Don't know if you've found this by yourself already, but there's a list of Shetland names here:

www.ellipsis.cx/~liana/names/shetland/index.html

Which includes some funny spellings of names we're more used to, including some which I don't think have been suggested yet, like Gregor and Malcolm (though Malcolm can be shortened to Malky, which is Glaswegian for headbutt - as in, giving someone "the Malky", but if you're not in the West of Scotland, you're probably okay :)).

dancemum · 08/03/2011 22:48

names I like are

Cameron, Campbell, Alasdair, Blane, Finlan, Finlay, Stirling, Lachlan, Melrose, Conneach (Con-Nick), Connall, Finnean, Oisian (Osh-An), Taran or Torin

The Zetland names are cool! Smith is a great first name, I think, esp. with a family connection. Smith Lachlan or Smith Finnean sound great.

From that list, Sinclair and Tait are good names.

PricklyThistle · 08/03/2011 21:51

To reflect Shetland roots, you shouldn't really be looking at a Gaelic name Smile. Shetland was Scandinavian then Scottish - with no Gaelic influence.
The names in the Northern Isles (Orkney and Shetland) were pretty 'normal' old fashioned names -William, James, John etc. Norse names are now used - I know some of Orcadians with the name Thorfinn, Sigurd, Erland, Erik.

daimbardiva · 08/03/2011 11:15

I love Torin - would be very fitting for you I think. I really want to use Hamish - but dh is having none of it.

Original poster
ItsMeYourCathy · 24/02/2011 11:39

Thanks for all the suggestions and links!
Have come across the fact that the most popular surname on Shetland during my Gran's lifetime there was Smith! Brilliant! Her name was Hutchinson.
Was discussing this with DH last night- definately given us lots of food for thought. Thank you all very much xx
It made me think though, if my Gran was stil here and I asked her for a suggestion then she'd probably pick Elvis!! Grin

OP posts:
FalachFead · 24/02/2011 08:48

Magnus and Torquil are the 2 Scottish/Norse names that Iove..

AlpinePony · 24/02/2011 06:59

(not in 1881 I might add Blush)

AlpinePony · 24/02/2011 06:57

I lived in Shetland for a while - what about using a traditionally "Zetland" surname? Particularly if you know which island or area she was from? Interesting link here: www.britishsurnames.co.uk/1881census/Zetland+(Shetland) - I knew an awful lot of Andersons and Campbells back then.

Newgolddream · 23/02/2011 22:54

Im Scottish and have 3 boys although not sure theyre Scottish names lol Grin 2 are I think - Connor and Finlay.

weegiemum · 23/02/2011 21:01

With a Shetland heritage I don't know if you would want to go Gaelic but some ideas for Gaelic names:

Aonghas (Angus)
Tormond (Norman)
Domhnall (Donald)
Uisdean (Hugh)
Uilleam (William)

KateF · 23/02/2011 20:55

Friend of mine has Scottish heritage and her boys are Callum and Eachan (Gaelic form of Hector I think).

TorianaTollywobbles · 23/02/2011 20:53

How about Logan?

Think it is Scottish Confused

eatyourveg · 23/02/2011 20:51

Hamish is fab - stick with that

ellangirl · 23/02/2011 20:50

Well, it's a Norse name, and those vikings did get all over the place!

MavisEnderby · 23/02/2011 20:36

Ross
Finlay
Rowan
Donald
Struan
(just seen last post and am really liking Torin but I thought it was irish)

ellangirl · 23/02/2011 20:34

Torin? It's an anglicised version of Thorfinn, which is the Norse name of several rulers of orkney/shetland. In my Scottish family there have been Angus, Donald, Andrew, Alistair and Fraser.

Bideyin · 23/02/2011 20:03

I have a Hamish :) And I like Lachlan and Duncan.

Not sure that Shetlanders really consider themselves to be Scottish tho'?

ratspeaker · 23/02/2011 19:07

Magnus?

pointydog · 23/02/2011 19:06

Murdo is usually a name in its own right.

fridayschild · 23/02/2011 19:00

We have a Scottish someone at work who is actually called Murdo, short for, erm, nothing at all. Murdo is his given name.

fifi25 · 23/02/2011 18:53

murdos probably short for murdoch i think. Kids grandads from Ayrshire and thats what hes called. Everyone calls him Doc.

irishqueen · 23/02/2011 18:16

Campbell ... love it

thereisalightanditnevergoesout · 23/02/2011 18:01

My Uncle is Scottish - and was given his mother's maiden name as his first name.

I love Hamish - it's DS's mn and we also have an Angus.

When I was looking for names on here I had some great suggestions - trying to remember them.

There was definitely Lachlan, Lorcan, Innes, Fraser.

Someone even suggested Murdo - but DH didn't like it.

I don't know if they are very Shetland though.