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Baby names

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

Original poster

Scottish girl's names

63 replies

caoraich · 11/06/2018 18:13

We live in Scotland, I'm Scottish and OH is Irish.

Baby will have a very obviously Irish surname and we're keen to give her something recognisably Scottish and not Irish as a first name. I'm a Gaelic speaker and hopefully baby will be too. We love Isla but it's so popular now and I already know three baby Islas!

Any thoughts?

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Catlady45 · 11/06/2018 20:18

Afton

GinasGirl · 11/06/2018 20:14

I have a cousin Eilein, also love Eilidh.

angryburd · 11/06/2018 19:53

I'm Scottish and I thought the woman in Braveheart was called Mirren. Shows what I know!

loveshinealight · 11/06/2018 19:49

I love Morven and Ailsa 🙂

Em308 · 11/06/2018 19:45

Nighean pronounced Nian

Newjobnewstart · 11/06/2018 19:44

My dd is Murron
I also like Ailsa, Skye, flora

charityhallet · 11/06/2018 19:43

I love love love

Flora

also

Eilidh

Helloflamingogo · 11/06/2018 19:42

Mairead is lovely

EmmaC78 · 11/06/2018 19:40

I also know a Mairead which I love.

Merrz · 11/06/2018 19:39

Murron as in from Braveheart

Yika · 11/06/2018 19:28

Jean

Glumglowworm · 11/06/2018 19:24

I love Eilidh

AJPTaylor · 11/06/2018 19:24

i have a Kirsty.

carringtonm · 11/06/2018 19:22

@peeseandchickle I know an Eilidh who pronounces her name eye-lee as well as one who says it like ay-lee. I like both pronunciations though. I'm not Scottish so am only going on the Eilidhs I've met in England. What is the correct way to pronounce it or can it be both ways?

TeacupDrama · 11/06/2018 19:20

Mairi is scottish gaelic but when you use certain nouns /names in the genitive case the sound changes as an "h" is inserted after letter b and m and it changes the sound from b or m to bh or mh which is an almost v sound, like the "dh" sound is pronounced like "y" in eilidh and ceilidh
the above is an oversimplification but it gives an idea

so Mairi is pronounced like marry but Mhairi is pronounced varee

Mumsnut · 11/06/2018 19:18

Salaidh

bridgetreilly · 11/06/2018 19:18

I'd have said Siobhan was an Irish name, not Scottish, which is what the OP wants to avoid.

I love Morag, Agnes, or Catriona.

fizzandchips · 11/06/2018 19:17

Flora

IAmALamp · 11/06/2018 19:17

Morven

TeacupDrama · 11/06/2018 19:15

I like Eilidh too, also Kirsty, Maighread, Marion, Fiona, Isobel ( different spellings available) Catriona Christina Kirsteen, Mairi

if choosing a Scottish gaelic name I would advise spelling it the scottish gaelic way as it's not always the same as Irish Gaelic

Isla and Skye I think are just too popular and personally I don't like Morag or Margaret much. I don't like the feminisation of boys names like Murdina, Dolina, Donalda

trueblueari · 11/06/2018 19:15

Mhairi pronounced as Varee I know four Mhairis, all pronounced "marry".
To avoid confusion if you like the varee sound, you'd be better off going with Vari (I actually once met a lovely Vari and told her how pretty her name was) or Vhairi.

alwaysreadyforablether · 11/06/2018 19:00

Kirsty (although I may be biased on that one!)
Mhairi - pronounced as Varee
Siobhan

Shosha1 · 11/06/2018 18:56

Laoghaire
Maisri
Geillis

trueblueari · 11/06/2018 18:55

Alba

peeseandchickle · 11/06/2018 18:50

Oh and pronunciation wise if you ever are down south, I worked with an Eilidh and she just simply introduced her self saying "Eilidh. To rhyme with Hayley" and I never forgot how to pronounce after that! Simple 😊