Scottish Names
Across 16 pages
of 16
Lyle
Scottish and English from French
"someone who lives on an island"
Straightforward single-syllable name, though children named Lyle may get tired of hearing "Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile". Lyle was at the height of fashion in the 1920s, which makes him due for a comeback…
Macaulay
Scottish
"son of righteousness"
Made famous by former child star Macaulay Culkin, one of the more popular Mac names.
Macdonald
Scottish
"son of Donald"
Between "Old MacDonald" and Big Mac allusions, this would be a risky choice.
Macgregor
Scottish
"son of Gregor"
Interesting possibility for the son or grandson of a Gregory.
Mackenzie
Scottish
"son of Kenneth"
This lively Scottish surname is an anglicized form of the Gaelic Mac Coinnich , Coinnich being one of the original Gaelic forms of Kenneth. As a given name, it caught on for girls in a big way…
Maclean
Scottish
"servant of Saint John"
Whether you pronounce it Mac-cleen or Mac-clayn, this is one of the crispest and most appealing of the Mac names. The Scottish clan Maclean is one of the oldest of the Highland Scottish clans. Trivia…
Mcewan
Scottish
"son of Ewan"
Shows some promise via its connection to the growing interest in Ewan.
Melville
Scottish
"settlement on infertile land"
All names ending in ville are in nowheresville.
Mingus
Scottish, variation of Menzies
"tenants of a manor"
Supermodel Helena Christensen named her son in honor of jazz great Charles Mingus, opening up a whole category of jazzy possibilities: Kenton, Calloway, Ellington, Gillespie, Mulligan, Tatum, and…
Menzies
Scottish surname of Norman origin
"to reside, abide"
Traditionally pronounced "ming-iz" and thus the relationship to the jazzy Mingus, Menzies is an old Scottish surname related to the more common Manners.
Monroe
Scottish
"mouth of the Roe river"
Monroe is a presidential surname which feels fresher than Jackson, Lincoln and Taylor. Marilyn Monroe is a famous female namesake, but her smart Scottish surname feels equally usable for either sex.…
Munro
Scottish
"mouth of the river Ro"
Takes Monroe out of the Dead Presidents category and gives it new life.
Muir
Scottish
"dweller near the moor"
A common family name in Scotland, occasionally used as a first.
Mungo
Scottish nickname
"my pet"
Mungo is one of the most classic Scottish names but perhaps also among the most difficult names to carry. There is a St. Mungo whose proper name was Kentigern; he is the patron saint of Glasgow. It…
Murray
Scottish
"settlement by the sea"
Murray, you may be surprised to discover, is a Scottish surname name --that of an ancient noble clan--with a sea-swept meaning, and just could be in the next wave of reevaluated grandpa names.…
Naim
Scottish; Arabic
"river with alder trees; happy"
Naim, also sometimes spelled Naime, is a pleasant choice that may have some confusing pronunciation issues in English-speaking countries (where may will say this name as "name"). But don't let that…
Nairn
Scottish
"river with alder trees"
Scottish nature name that could prove a tongue- twister for the younger set.
Napier
Scottish occupational name
"producer or seller of table linens"
The surname of the influential early Scottish inventor of logarithms could make an inspiring middle name choice for a mathematically inclined family.
Niven
Scottish
"little saint"
Excellent candidate for use as an undiscovered surname name. Niven is the Anglicized spelling of the Irish name Naomhan, a diminutive of the word naomh which means saint. This handsome but unusual…
Nicol
Scottish and English, medieval variation of Nicholas
Often used in England, but here likely to be confused with the feminine Nicole. Nicol Williamson was a Scottish-born actor once described by playwright John Osborne as "the greatest actor since…