Scottish Names

Scotland names from three directions at once — Gaelic in the west and north, Norse in the isles, and Scots and Norman French in the lowlands. A Scottish name therefore tells you roughly where in the country it comes from, which is not true of English names.

Languages behind these names Gaelic Scottish Gaelic Irish uncertain Hebrew French

Rankings for

10 names, rare — 25 to 99 a year, in United States

Very Rare Rare Uncommon

Girls Boys Unisex

Malcom Peaked in 1992 · 7,725 births since 1880
Scottish 91 in 2025
Irving Irving names a Scottish river valley, and it reached American use largely through one writer — Washington Irving, who gave English both Rip Van Winkle and the nickname Gotham for New York.
Scottish 90 in 2025
Don Don is a boy's name shortened from Donald, meaning world ruler.
Scottish 89 in 2025
Irvin Irvin names a Scottish river valley, and the green water reading describes the water rather than the banks — Brittonic river names usually record color or behavior, not the land beside them.
Scottish 80 in 2025
Glen Glen means a narrow valley, and it is one of very few Gaelic words that English borrowed wholesale rather than adapting to its own sounds.
Scottish 74 in 2025
Angus Angus is a boy's name of Scottish Gaelic origin meaning "one choice" or "one strength," from Aonghas.
Scottish 58 in 2025
Stuart Stuart means steward, and the office was literally the sty warden — keeper of the pigs — which rose to run the royal household and then supplied the name of a dynasty.
Scottish 53 in 2025
Kirk Kirk means church, and it is Norse rather than English — the Vikings brought the word to northern England and Scotland, which is why Scots say kirk where English says church.
Scottish 52 in 2025
Murray Murray is a boy's name of Scottish origin from Moray, the northern province, whose name means "sea settlement."
Scottish 58 in 2025
Finlay Finlay is a boy's name of Scottish Gaelic origin meaning "fair-haired warrior."
Scottish 58 in 2025

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Scottish Names

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