​
​
Advanced Search

Scottish Names for Boys

Nameberry
By Nameberry
Updated Thu Sep 14 2023

Scottish names for boys such as Alistair and Tavish strike a strong balance between familiarity and distinctiveness, which many parents are seeking in their baby name search.

Scottish boys names also often have nice cultural references, from "Macbeth" to "Outlander." Scottish names for boys shouldn't be restricted only to those with Scottish ancestry, at least not the appealing ones on our list of Scottish boys names.

Here is our full list of boy names with Scottish origins, ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.

RELATED:

Most Popular Names in Scotland

Boy Names

Search Boy Names by Origin

  1. Rowan

    • Origin:

      Scottish and Irish

    • Meaning:

      "rowan tree; little redhead"

    • Description:

      With its gentle sounds and earthy vibes, the name Rowan feels like a fusion of different styles. A word name, a surname, and a gender-neutral name, Rowan is rustic but trendy, blending the vibes of both Owen and Oakley.
  2. Cameron

    • Origin:

      Scottish

    • Meaning:

      "crooked nose"

    • Description:

      With its friendly, sensitive, and approachable feel, Cameron is a 90’s favorite that remains popular today. It has a pleasing balance of soft and strong sounds, and holds unisex appeal, thanks to Cameron Diaz. Still, eight times more boys than girls are named Cameron in the US.
  3. Callum

    • Origin:

      Scottish form of Columba, Latin

    • Meaning:

      "dove"

    • Description:

      Callum, a charming Scottish name high on the list in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, is rising through the ranks in the US now too. And it comes complete with the easy nickname Cal.
  4. Finley

    • Origin:

      Irish and Scottish

    • Meaning:

      "fair-haired hero"

    • Description:

      Finley has been used for both sexes for enough years to become one of the most popular unisex names. Given nearly equally to boys and girls, Finley appeals to contemporary parents as a truly gender neutral choice.

  5. Logan

    • Origin:

      Scottish

    • Meaning:

      "small hollow"

    • Description:

      According to exclusive Nameberry data, Logan is officially the Number 1 gender-neutral name in the US, but that statistic is somewhat misleading given that nearly 90 percent of the baby Logans born in 2023 were boys.
  6. Graham

    • Origin:

      Scottish

    • Meaning:

      "gravelly homestead"

    • Description:

      Well used in England and Scotland since the fifties, the smooth and sophisticated Graham is catching on here.
  7. Lachlan

    • Origin:

      Scottish

    • Meaning:

      "from the fjord-land"

    • Description:

      Lachlan is as Scottish as haggis and tartan plaid kilts—a favorite used throughout England, Scotland, Australia, and New Zealand—and just beginning to be noticed in the US: it reached the Top 1000 for the first time in 2013. An ancient name, Lachlan was originally used to describe the Viking invaders of Scotland, those from the land of the lochs.
  8. Evander

    • Origin:

      Scottish; Greek

    • Meaning:

      "bow warrior; strong man"

    • Description:

      Evander is a name that could build on the popularity of shorter form Evan, and could work and play well with schoolmates like Zander and Xander.
  9. Ian

    • Origin:

      Scottish version of John

    • Meaning:

      "God is gracious"

    • Description:

      Ian is Scottish form of John, derived from the Hebrew name Yohanan. It is an Anglicization of the Scottish Gaelic Iain, which is also a viable spelling. Ian was introduced to Americans by Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond.
  10. Alistair

    • Origin:

      English spelling of Alasdair, Scottish version of Alexander

    • Meaning:

      "defending men"

    • Description:

      With many British names invading the Yankee name pool, the sophisticated Alistair could and should be part of the next wave. It debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2016. You have a triple choice with this name--the British spell it Alistair or Alastair, while the Scots prefer Alasdair--but they're all suave Gaelic versions of Alexander. Adopted by the lowland Scots by the seventeenth century, the name didn't become popular outside Scotland and Ireland until the twentieth century.
  11. Maxwell

    • Origin:

      Scottish

    • Meaning:

      "great stream"

    • Description:

      A happy medium between the weighty Maximilian and the laid-back Max, Maxwell is one of the most classic and attractive Scottish names. Early influences on the name's revival include Maxwell Smart of the television show, and then movie, Get Smart, and the Beatles song about Maxwell's Silver Hammer.
  12. Knox

    • Origin:

      Scottish

    • Meaning:

      "round hill"

    • Description:

      Knox is an old Scottish surname that Brad Pitt (whose great-great-grandfather was named Hal Knox Hillhouse) and Angelina Jolie took out of the back cupboard, dusted off, and elevated to coolness--to the point where it entered the popular baby names list in 2009. Knox now ranks among the most influential celebrity baby names.
  13. Lennox

    • Origin:

      Scottish

    • Meaning:

      "elm grove"

    • Description:

      Lennox is an aristocratic and powerful Scottish surname name made truly special by that final x. The worldwide fame of British boxer--World and Olympic champion--Lennox Claudius Lewis brought the name into the spotlight as a first name, while as a last it's tied to Eurythmics singer Annie L.
  14. Colin

    • Origin:

      English diminutive of Nicholas or Irish and Scottish

    • Meaning:

      "people of victory; pup"

    • Description:

      Thanks to its dashing Anglo-Irish image — due partly to Colins Firth and Farrell — and its C-initialed two-syllable sound, Colin and its cousin Collin have enjoyed a long run of popularity, reaching as high as Number 84 in 2004.
  15. Malcolm

    • Origin:

      Scottish

    • Meaning:

      "devotee of St. Colomba"

    • Description:

      Malcolm is a warm and welcoming Scottish appellation (originally Mael-Colium) that fits into that golden circle of names that are distinctive but not at all odd. A royal name in Scotland, Malcolm is also a hero name for many via radical civil rights activist Malcolm X.
  16. Grant

    • Origin:

      Scottish from French

    • Meaning:

      "large"

    • Description:

      One-time beach-boy compadre of Glenn, Greg, and Gary that originated as a nickname for a tall person, Grant has become a no-nonsense, career-oriented grown-up and one that is seeing new appreciation. It was chosen for his son by actor Morris Chestnut. It has cultural cred via artist Grant Wood, whose best known painting is 'American Gothic.'
  17. Ewan

    • Origin:

      Scottish form of Gaelic Eoghan

    • Meaning:

      "born of the yew tree"

    • Description:

      This appealing name has a good chance of catching on due to the popularity of Ewan McGregor, and the trend towards Gaelic names in general. Pronunciation is YOO-un.
  18. Dashiell

    • Origin:

      Anglicization of French surname de Chiel, meaning unknown

    • Description:

      Dashiell, though missing from many other name sources, is among the hottest new names, chosen by such celebs as Cate Blanchett and author Helen (Bridget Jones) Fielding. With its great dash and panache, Dashiell is associated with detective writer Dashiell Hammett (born Samuel, as in Sam Spade, Dashiell being his mother's maiden name). Alice Cooper was ahead of the game: He named his son Dashiell in 1985.
  19. Camden

    • Origin:

      American and British place-name, Scottish

    • Meaning:

      "winding valley"

    • Description:

      Camden is a surprise hit, probably as a result of some star baby cred: it has been chosen by no less than four celebrity parents since 2012. Gentle but not flimsy, Camden could be an updated spin on Cameron, Callum, or Caden.
  20. Clyde

    • Origin:

      Scottish river name

    • Description:

      Even though in the past Clyde may have been identified as half of the infamous outlaw duo with partner Bonnie Parker—especially after the 1967 movie in which he was played by Warren Beatty—Clyde has always had an element of jazzy cool that could overcome all the rest.