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Baby names

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

Glaswegian names

108 replies

GuatemalanRum · 03/05/2015 17:37

If you are Glaswegian & born in the 70s or 80s, what names did you hear growing up and what would you/have you named your dcs now?

Dp is Glaswegian which I had hoped would give me free rein to use lovely names such as Fergus, Euan, Douglas, Ishbel, Elspeth.. Sadly when I suggest these he looks at me like I've lost the plot (he claimed Ishbel is what a drunk Scot would say for Isobel Confused) and wants to call our dc John Hmm

I would be grateful for some cultural guidance!

OP posts:
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McFox · 03/05/2015 21:52

I know 2 Glasweigan Ishbels Smile

AgentCooper · 03/05/2015 21:51

I was born in 85 and went to school with a million Clares, Seans, Liams, Pauls, Anthonys, Kevins and Patricks. Guess which side of the curtain I was on! Smile I barely knew anyone with a 'proper' Scottish name.

I actually love John for a baby. DH is a Glaswegian John and I find the idea of a wee baby John very cute, for some reason. Tbh, if you want a really Glaswegian name, you need Jimmy. Everybody gets called Jimmy (if their real name is unknown).

MumsyPumsy · 03/05/2015 21:51

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Pasithea · 03/05/2015 21:51

Ruiraigh.
Alisdair

Sheena
Ally
Mairhi

StrawberryTartYum · 03/05/2015 21:44

Just had to pipe up here - I'm an Ishbel!
But I do need to say 'ISHbel not Isabel' regularly

CalamitouslyWrong · 03/05/2015 21:40

Yes. It is having with Graham/Graemes.

There was one in my class. And Stewarts.

Ubik1 · 03/05/2015 21:32

Kirsty
Jacqui
Lorna
Paula
Christine
Catherine
Stuart
Craig
Douglas
Grant
Gordon
Logan
Brodie
Andrew
Lachlan

florascotia · 03/05/2015 21:32

angels Am sure you are absolutely right about Jamie now, but I think I was really considering chaps aged over around 30. Back then, I think, Jamie was 'bosses' son' material .... But I should have written more clearly.

squoosh · 03/05/2015 21:27

Graham.

Glasgow is HEAVING with Grahams!

TheTroubleWithAngels · 03/05/2015 21:23

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florascotia · 03/05/2015 21:13

I've met an Ishbel ... though I prefer Elspeth. Known some good people with that name.

In Glasgow, have met several older ladies named May, Betty, Anne/Annie, Katie/Catriona, Marion, Fiona, Alison (rather pretty, I think), Janet/Jennet rather than Jeanie, Helena, Margaret/Maggie, gazillions of Isobel....

Men and boys - Andrew/Andra, William/Billy/Wullie, Michael (popular in Catholic circles), Walter (am not sure why), Jim/Jimmy (Jamie is Edinburgh, nuff said), Ian, Allan, Alasdair, Archie, Malcolm, Lachie and, as previous poster said, Scott, Ross, Craig etc plus a middle class Maxwell and Hector. Modern popular names include Lewis, Harris, Fraser, Cameron, Innes, Finlay...

MrsTuppence · 03/05/2015 21:07

I don't mean to be annoying, but Ishbel absolutely is 'a name' - e.g. Ishbel Macdonald here

CalamitouslyWrong · 03/05/2015 20:57

My cousin's MIL is an actual Senga. I thought they were an urban myth before that.

Agnes always makes me think of teeny tiny, very elderly women. In fact, I can't imagine it without Auntie in front.

CalamitouslyWrong · 03/05/2015 20:55

I knew a BJ growing up too. His parents inflicted it upon him.

My primary school class had loads of Alan/Allans in it. At least 3 (and there were only 25 of us). Tbh, mostly my class had a spread of names that absolutely represented the times, with perhaps a little bit of Scottish flavour.

In girls we had a couple of Lindsay/Lynseys and a couple of Gillians, alongside the usual Amy, Louise, Heather, Claire, Susan, etc.
As well as all the Allans, we had Alisdair, Euan, Barry, Mark, John, Scott, etc.

Romantic ideas of lovely Scottish names didn't really reflect the names around me growing up.

KissMyFatArse · 03/05/2015 20:47

Why do u want a 'weegie' name??? It's seems you are just being pretty stereotypical and don't think it's justified?

Don't narrow it down so much especially when there's no meaning behind it, just comes across as pointless.

TheTroubleWithAngels · 03/05/2015 20:44

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Innermagic · 03/05/2015 20:41

Sorry but when I think of weegie names I can only think Rab Tam wullie john and wee Eck fir boys and Jeanie and Isa for girls Smile

Lucked · 03/05/2015 20:37

All the names you like are popular in Glasgow now, it's only your DP who is stuck in a time warp, the rest of us have moved on.

I knew Aiden, Kieran, Liam, Gerald's, marks, Frasers, Jason's, Colin's and boys with two names known by their initials PJ,JJ and even a BJ. A lot of the names aren't back in fashion yet.

Annunziata · 03/05/2015 20:33

Clyde was the dancing thistle last summer too.

I like the sound of Isla. Millions of them about though.

I actually like John, not many little boys called that.

squoosh · 03/05/2015 20:27

If you're going for rivers I think I prefer Kelvin to Clyde. Clyde reminds me of Clint Eastwood's orangutan friend.

OllyBJolly · 03/05/2015 20:23

John's a family name, along with Fraser - we have several Johns and Frasers in every generation.

How about Clyde for a boy? Unusual (although I know 2) but can hardly get more weegie than that!

I like island names too - Isla, Shona, Iona, Vaila, Lewis, Coll, Arran. (I also know of a Barra but he always reminds me of Stanley Baxter's "a para marra' fur the barra'"!)

mewkins · 03/05/2015 20:11

Mhairi, Eilidh or Sheona/Shona or Iona are all nice imo. I am not scottish but lived there for a bit. Lots of Louises and Fionas about (born in mid to late 70s).

florascotia · 03/05/2015 20:00

Thank you! OP, as you know, Alba is a Gaelic word - pron. All-ha-ba; for live examples, for anyone not familiar, listen to links at www.forvo.com/search/Alba/gd/ or en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_Alba

There are lots and lots of people with Gaelic-speaking ancestors in Glasgow, and the language is being revived there right now, by Gaelic-medium schools etc.

LineRunner · 03/05/2015 19:54

Lindsay / Lindsey

LittleBairn · 03/05/2015 19:51

My neighbour is a Senga too, she's the first I've ever met in real life.