Scottish Names

Appearing on a character in Shakespeare's semi-historical play, Macbeth and in an earlier work called Holinshed's Chronicles from which Shakespeare took inspiration, the name Banquo has yet to appear in the US Stats. Possibly derived from the elements bàn</em< meaning "white" and cù meaning "hound", the exact meaning is of the name is unknown. 
 
While Banquo is unlikely to catch on in the same way that Ophelia, Imogen, Juliet, Romeo, and more recently Lysander have, it nevertheless has the cool -O ending of Milo and Arlo along with the potential to be a totally unexpected full name for nicknames Bo and Banks.

Banquo

Vintage short form of Bridget, very rarely still heard in Irish Catholic communities.

Biddie

Guthrie, folk singer Woody's last name, makes a perfectly fine first choice for a girl. Names such as Guthrie that have no gendered history can make true nonbinary names.

Guthrie

While actress Glenn Close didn't inspire many parents to give their daughters her name in particular, she did help launch a general trend toward <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/79/boy-names-for-girls">boy names for girls</a>.

Glenn

Ultimately from the Old Irish Bláán, this surname (notably borne by a 6th-century Scottish saint) may  appeal to fans of Blair. Colorful in meaning, it is more popularly spelled as Blaine. A recent year saw Blane out of the ranks for girls, while Blaine was chosen for around 30. 

Blane

While Blaney might sound like a nickname for the Scottish Blaine (and Blane) — and this is one possible origin for it — it may also be an Irish surname and place name. As such, it refers to either the point or tip of a river (borrowed from the Welsh blaenau) or to a village in Northern Ireland, whose name comes from Bléinigh meaning "creeks".
 
More traditionally used in the last name spot (as in racing driver, Ryan Blaney), it has occasionally be used as a given name too.

Blaney

Predominantly used for girls and associated with "Bonnie Scotland", Bonnie was used quietly for boys in the US throughout the first half of the 20th century, peaking in the 1934 when it was given to around 94 boys (compared to 3753 girls, that is), though its usage for boys diminished greatly after it was famously used as a feminine choice in Gone with the Wind (1939).
 
 It most recently featured in the charts in 2023 when 5 boys were given the name, perhaps owing to its similarity to other unisex nickname names like Bernie, Bennie, Billy/ie, and Ronnie.

Bonnie

A mix of modernity and vintage charm, Bonnie-Blu first appeared in the England and Wales stats in 2014 and has since risen to be given to around 10 girls a year. That may not sound like all that many, but in context, it ranks similarly to Blythe, Briar, Elly, Jordan, Maci, Sofie, and Susannah. More popular than Bonnie-Blue, it is a bubbly sounding name that joins Top 1000 choices Bonnie-Mae and Bonnie-Rae.

Bonnie-blu

A zippier spelling of Fraser, a Scottish surname borrowed from either the Old French word for "strawberry plant" (fraise), a now lost French place name (from the surname "de Fresel"), or from the Gaelic frasach meaning "curly-haired". English actor Frazer Hines is a notable bearer.

Frazer

Prettier: the growing-in-popularity Paisley, a suburb of Glasgow, or even Scotland itself, used as a middle name by Kourtney Kardashian. 

Glasgow

Somewhat flat-footed spelling variation. 

Geneen

Scottish curler Hammy McMillan Jr pulls off this unlikely nickname and might make it feel like a cool alternative to Harry. For some, however, it may ever be associated with hamsters and ham. 

Hammy

Two popular choices in one, this hyphenated name has made several appearances in the England and Wales Top 1000. It may be interpreted to mean "island of grace", "graceful island" or "island's grace". 

Isla-grace

Appearing in the England and Wales Top 1000 since 2013, Isla-Mae is a popular contemporary name with a nice mix of sounds. Its meaning could be poetically interpreted as "beloved island" or "island of pearls".


Isla-mae

Sweet and sparky, Isla-Rae has been appearing in the latter end of the England and Wales Top 1000 since the mid-2010s. Combining stylish Isla with mid-century favorite Rae, it could be interpreted to mean "island of ewes", "wise protector of the island" or "island of light rays", depending on which origin you follow for Rae. 

Isla-rae

Bright Isla meets elegant Rose in this popular hyphenated name. Recently appearing in the England and Wales Top 500, it could be poetically interpreted as meaning "island rose", "rose of the island", or "island of roses".

Isla-rose

Like a blend of vintage-style Edie and popular Katie, Keedie is either an invented name, a variant of the Scottish surname Keddy, or possibly a short form of Katherine. 
 
In the case of Soprano singer Keedie Babb, her name was a creation of her father's, inspired by his love of pop star, Kiki Dee. As a variation of the Scottish surname, Keedie would ultimately derive from the Gaelic Mac Adaidh, meaning "the son of Adam" or "son of the red earth". As a diminutive of Katherine, Keedie likely draws inspiration from Kitty, Katie, Kadie, or Kiki.
 
The name has been used by writer Elle McNicoll in her novel A Kind of Spark and the character Keedie features in both the television adaptation, and in the follow up novel, Keedie.

Keedie

While Keir is typically used for boys, a small number of girls were given the name in the late 1960s and 70s, perhaps owing to the actor Keir Dullea starring in the 1968 2001: A Space Odyssey. Derived from the Irish Ciar or the Scottish Kerr, the name is more likely heard as a nickname for girls called Keira than as a stand alone name.

Keir

Aimil is a feminine name with multiple possible origins. It may be a variant of Amelia, which derives from Germanic roots meaning 'work' or 'industrious.' Alternatively, it could be related to the Gaelic name Eimile or serve as a feminine form of Emil, which comes from the Roman family name Aemilius, meaning 'rival' or 'emulating.' This distinctive spelling gives the name a delicate, ethereal quality while maintaining familiar sounds. Aimil remains quite uncommon, making it appealing to parents seeking a rare name with historical connections. Its brief, melodic sound fits contemporary naming trends that favor short, vowel-rich names while still carrying historical depth and cross-cultural resonance.

Aimil

Like Maisie, Archie, and Jamie, Kirsty is a Scottish diminutive that is equally established as a name in its own right. Derived from Kirstin or Kirsteen — Scottish forms of Christine or Christina — Kirsty was popular from the 70s through until the 2010s in UK, and also ranked in Australia and New Zealand around the same period.
 
Some of Kirsty's rise to popularity may have been down to its appearance in a 1960s British soap opera, called The Newcomers. The character, played by Jenny Agutter, made her debut in 1965. There's also the singer Kirsty MacColl (daughter to Ewan MacColl) who began her career in the 70s.
 
While alternative spelling Kirstie has ranked in the US charts, this form never has.

Kirsty

 may be familiar outside their native land, but many retain their distinctly Scottish style. While Scottish names may relate to both Ireland via their individual versions of the Gaelic language and to England via their shared heritage in the United Kingdom.

 today evidence that blend, with English names such as Emily and Jack sharing the stage with distinctly Scottish baby names such as Isla and Finlay. If you have Scottish heritage or simply love that beautiful land, you may be interested in finding a Scottish name for your baby.


Here, our full list of Scottish boys' names and Scottish girls' names, ranked by their current popularity on Nameberry.

Scottish Names with origin and popularity, including Scottish names for boys and names from Scotland for baby girls. (Page 16)