By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 6 pages
of 6
Diminutive of Cameron or Camilla
A Pam for the modern age, improved by a harder edge and a tad less prissiness.
Scottish
"from the land by the sea"
An old-man name that sounds cute when used for a little girl, and is starting to seem cool again for boys too. For girls, it might be associated with Mina Murray (later, Mina Harker) from Bram…
Irish
"band of warriors"
Fianna, a virtually unknown Irish name in the US, combines the best elements of Fiona and Brianna. In Irish and Scottish mythology, the Fianna were independent bands of warriors. It has ranked in…
Gaelic variation of Catherine
"pure"
Both Caitriona and Catriona are commonly heard in Scotland and Ireland. The name was brought to Ireland by the Anglo-Normans, and is the source of nicknames Cait, Caitin, Caitlin and Triona. Actress…
Latin
"lily"
An unusual flower name deriving from the Latin word for lily (lilium), this variant has always been popular in Scotland.
Scottish and English from French
"someone who lives on an island"
Though it's used far more often for boys, Lyle has a lot in common with today's trending girl names that share the double L sound: Lila, Layla, and Lola. With its cool island related meaning, derived…
Scottish variation of Mary
"bitter"
Why does Mairi (rhymes with Harry) seem so much cooler than Mary? This Irish form of Mary was not used before the seventeenth century, as it was considered too sacred. The vocative case of the name,…
Irish and Scottish, meaning unknown
The 6th century Irish saint Mirin emigrated to Scotland and now is the patron saint of both the Glasgow suburb of Paisley and the game of football. Mirren is one modern spelling; the Cornish Merryn,…
Aifric is a traditional Irish feminine name with ancient Gaelic roots. The name means 'pleasant' or 'agreeable' and is derived from the elements 'aoibh' (beauty, pleasantness) and 'ric' (ruler). In…
"slender"
This anagram of Agnes is not related to that name; rather it comes from the Gaelic word seang meaning "slender".
Scottish from Norse
"elf victory"
Ailsa is a traditional Scottish name for girls related to a rocky island in the Firth of Clyde called Ailsa Craig. It might make an interesting alternative to the outdated Ashley or overly popular…
Alwyne is a feminine name of Old English origin, derived from the elements "alf" (elf) and "wine" (friend), thus meaning "elf friend" or "friend of elves." Initially a masculine name in medieval…
Celtic
"bear"
Unusual multicultural choice that may appeal to the artistically inclined. The bear meaning gives it a new trendy edge as an animal name.
Scottish surname
"speckled, freckled"
Among the more masculine of the short unisex B names, Brice is less popular than Bryce for both sexes. There were 240 boys named Brice in the US in one recent year, versus only five girls -- and more…
Sìleas is a feminine Scottish Gaelic name, pronounced approximately as 'SHEE-liss' or 'SHEE-lash.' It's the Gaelic equivalent of Julia or Juliana, ultimately derived from Latin roots meaning…
Spelling variation of word name Dune or Scottish surname
"brown or dark"
Photographer Diane Arbus named her daughter Doon, inspired by the sand dunes she walked among when pregnant. Used this way, Doon might be considered a nature name, a refashioning of the word dune.…
"hill, mountain"
Evocative of the sand dunes at the beach, Doone is a relatively rare surname found in Scotland, Ireland and England. It was recently used with this spelling by Olympic medalist Amanda Beard;…
Scottish and English variation of Alisa and Elisa
Ilisa is a spelling variant that's less appealing than the original.
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…
Scottish variation of Jeanine
Somewhat flat-footed spelling variation.
