Much like the eclectic array of dialects, Scottish names are as magical as the dreamscapes they stem from. Some classic, others wildly unique, swoon over the most striking names from Scotland and the meaning behind them.
Ailsa
Female | Pronounced the same way as Elsa, Ailsa is a tried and true Scots name with Viking origins. It refers to the volcanic island and gannet colony, Ailsa Craig, that emerges out of the Firth of Clyde and means ‘supernatural victory’.
Beathan
Male | While whisky or ‘the water of life’ in Scots Gaelic is uisge-beatha, the name Beathan simply means life. Pronounced BAEy-un, it is definitely one of the more unusual names.
Skye
Female | Skye is a stand-out name taken from the Isle of Skye, Scotland’s most magical island and a place of uninterrupted paradise. Suited to adventurers and strong characters, if the person in question is anything like the island, they’re one in a million.
Elgol Village | Isle of Skye, Scotland
Coinneach
Male | Although anglicised as Kenneth, Coinneach translates as ‘handsome’, stemming from the Gaelic word caoin. Pronounced CON-ak, it is also an Irish boys name.
Morven
Female | The name Morven is evident across many cultures and yet it is quintessentially Scottish. Morven is linked to James Macpherson’s Ossianic poems and is also a Scottish place name rooted in the Gaelic A’Mhorbhairne, meaning the sea gap or big gap.
Lachlan
Male | An ode to Scotland’s potion of mystical lochs and lochans, Lachlan is a boys name meaning ‘land of the lochs’. Pronounced LACK-lan, it also has roots as a Scots nickname for one who hails from Norway. The female version is Lachina.
Glen Coe | Scotland
Marcail
Female | A stunning name for a soul as precious as the stone she’s named after, Marcail is the Scots version of Margaret and means ‘pearl’. Pronounced MAR-kale.
Paden
Male | The name Paden originated in Scotland and translates as ‘royal’. A cool boys name, this one is the perfect pick for parents wanting an original name with Scottish ties. Paden could also be gender neutral.
Senga
Female | The backwards spelling of Agnes, Senga is a traditional Scottish name that means pure and chaste. Making it all the more unique, it has faded in popularity over the years.
Glen Coe Snow | © Paul Morris/Unsplash
Sorcha
Female | Meaning light, bright and radiant, the name Sorcha can be found across both Scotland and Ireland. It stems from the Gaelic word for ‘brightness’ and also has ties with the name Clara. Pronunciation SOR-ka.
Baird
Male | Baird is a fairly common surname across Scotland and yet it makes for a cool forename. Rooted in the meaning of bard, this trendy boys name is suited to literature lovers. Pronounced BEAR-d.
Bonnie
Female | A quintessential Scottish name that will never go out of fashion, Bonnie is the Scots word for beautiful, pretty, stunning and attractive. Bonnies tend to have an inimitable personality.
Trossachs Reflections | Scotland
Ùisdean
Male | Pronounced OOSH-jun, this Scottish Gaelic name is rooted in the Old Norse name Eysteinn, which roughly translates to eternal island stone.
Isla
Female | Pronounced EYE-la, Isla comes from the Isle of Islay, an enchanting island that basks off Scotland’s west coast and the name of two Scottish rivers.
Moray
Like the Moray Firth, this Scots surname name is also a masculine given name which means sea. A Scots version of Murray, this one captures the adventurous nature of Scotland.
Scottish Sea | Scottish Sea
Liùsaidh
Female | An enchanting name, Liùsaidh is the Scots Gaelic alternative for Lucia, the lyrical Italian name which means elegant, graceful, shining light. Pronounced LOO-sai.
Hamish
Male | You can’t get more Scottish than Hamish — well, except for the name Jock (Scots for John)! A tried and true option still going strong today, this charming pick is the Scots version of James. Hamish means supplanter and Highlander.
Mòrag
Female | A traditional name, the Gaelic meaning of Mòrag is great and sun. However, it is also a Scottish version of Sarah, which means princess.
Scottish Highlands | Scottish Highlands
