Scottish inspiration

[fairytimes]

I have been going over and over lists of Scottish names and I'm really wondering if there's any hidden gems I haven't come across. Husband is Scottish and would like to honour that but he's been absolutely useless when it comes to actually coming up with suggestions.

Could you please share some of your favourite Scottish names? For either gender as we have decided not to find out until the birth so trying to prepare names for both boys and girls.

No middle names decided so far. We really are procrastinating when it comes to this but we have a few months to go.

@naturalyoghurtmuncher proud Mummy to a Magnus.

Eilidh pronounced Aylee.
Iona
Isla
Ishbel (worked with a beautiful wee girl)

Moray (murray)
Ross
Callum
Andrew
Euan/Ewan

@MaverickDanger

How popular is Lachlan currently?

Not very - I haven't come across any and Scottish names are all the rage round here.

It's very popular in Australia I think.

I know 2 Lachlan’s, one in their 20s, another who is 3/4.

Thanks both - it’s the current front runner for due any day now DS. DH is Australian and my roots are Irish/Scottish so we like that nod!

Not wishing to hijack, but can I ask what the consensus is on using Scottish names (not names like Andrew or Isabel, I'm thinking more along Hamish or Angus lines) if you have no obvious Scottish connection? Absolutely avoid? Fine, but may illicit some eye-rolls?

@Mybobowler

Not wishing to hijack, but can I ask what the consensus is on using Scottish names (not names like Andrew or Isabel, I'm thinking more along Hamish or Angus lines) if you have no obvious Scottish connection? Absolutely avoid? Fine, but may illicit some eye-rolls?

Absolutely fine. And likewise I would feel free to pinch a name from another culture or country if I wanted. No biggie.

Innes
Gregor

Annabel
Arabella (William the lions granddaughter's name even though sounds quite exotic to be Scottish )
Catriona (cat-ree-own-a)

Shamus and merryn

I'm in Scotland and have met several Catrionas.

They all say either Ka-TREEN -ah or Ka-TRHIUN-ah. The middle syllable of the second version is all run togther, not two separate sounds.

Not Cat-ree-own-a. Not saying I'm right or wrong; just reporting my experience.

It's a very nice name.

A quick comment re Finlay.

It's Gaelic - a language spoken (in slightly different forms) in Scotland and Ireland. Modern Scottish spelling is Fionnlagh.
It means 'fair (or white) warrior'.
Finlay as a name has been recorded in Scotland since the Middle Ages. It was, for example, the name of Macbeth's father.

If i have a Ds2 he will be Magnus
Love catriona for a girl

I think Hamish is quite popular too have come across a few In London of varying ages

Morven

Cameron (my eldest son name)
Grant
Murray - never seen it spelt moray for person name just the area/firth
Murdoch
Lewis
Magnus - knew a horrible little man called this so don’t like it much

Fiona
ailish
Eilidh
Ishbel
Iona
Catriona

There’s so many, lots of lovely Gaelic names too, my brother in law family are from the western isles, I’m from up north my sister and I have Scottish names, her kids do mine are Scottish/Irish but purely what I liked over where they are from tbh

@florascotia2

I'm in Scotland and have met several Catrionas.

They all say either Ka-TREEN -ah or Ka-TRHIUN-ah. The middle syllable of the second version is all run togther, not two separate sounds.

Not Cat-ree-own-a. Not saying I'm right or wrong; just reporting my experience.

It's a very nice name.

Ah ok, I'm from Glasgow and have a few "island" friends who pronounced it Cat-ree-own-a but maybe that was just them!! Trying to be fancy haha!

Bruce2 I suspect it's one of those names with several different local pronounciations. Glad that we both think it's a good name to recommend.

@TheThingWithFeathers and @RaspberryCoulis I was totally joking about Talisker don’t worry! I mean I do love it but as an avid whisky drinker and part Scot myself I wouldn’t actually name my child it! It’s such a cool name though. Am waiting for a ginger Tom cat and I can give it to 😂

I also love the names Ophelia and Iago (yes I know not scottish) but as a theatre maker could never use them for my DC. Still like them though

Jura however is a proper name, not just for the Scottish island but it’s a bona fide Dutch name too. I mean - Rosie is in my head a name for a Labrador but I know plenty of humans called it too

Mairead is Scottish Gaelic for Margaret. Spelled the same as Irish (Ma-raid) but pronounced Ma-red. Almost.

Other Gaelic or island names are:

Ceit
Floraidh (Flora in English)
Effie
Ciorstaidh
Dolina
Marsaili
Sine
Seonag
Ealasaid
Anna
Mairi (please, not Mhairi! It doesn't mean the same thing in English!)
Sineag

naturalyoghurtmuncher 🙄

as loveable said, not Mhairi.
The actual name is Mairi (pronounced Marry). It is of course Mary, in English.

Mhairi (pronounced Varry) is the vocative case (form) of the name used when you are speaking directly to a person, as in, ' Hello Mhairi!'

It's grammatically wrong in other uses.

lockie
Nessie

Have had in classes recently-
Innes
Harris
Blair
Brodie
Cameron
Lewis

Isla
Eilidh
Iona

None of them overly popular (except perhaps Isla)

DP has best friends called Kerr and Gregor too! They're late 20s now but would certainly fit a wee boy.

Im glad some other people have commented saying not mhairi!

Its my pet hate, its not a proper name, the name is mairi.

For names i like, i like angus or calum for boys, like morag for a girl, or isla, but its overused now i think