Updated September 2026
Across 11 pages
of 11
English, Welsh, Scottish
"royal ruler, champion; home ruler"
This punchy surname has some favor in the last couple of decades—potentially due to rapper Kendrick Lamar. It was one of the quickest rising boy names in 2013 when it reached its high point at #318.…
Scottish, English, French
"from the brushwood thicket"
Bruce is a Norman place name made famous by the Scottish king Robert the Bruce, who won Scotland's independence from England in the fourteenth century. Hugely popular in the 40s and 50s, it has since…
Diminutive of James
"supplanter"
The cool form of James in the 1970s and '80s for both sexes. Still a more stylish short form than Jimmy, though many parents will want to call James by his entire, not-very-long name. In the UK, and…
Scottish
"from the fjord-land"
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…
Scottish, Norse
"ruler's counselor"
A strong, if slightly dated sounding choice, Ronald made the US Top 10 in the late 1930s through into the mid-1940s, before it became heavily associated with President Reagan, as well as with the…
Spelling variation of Lachlan
Lochlan and Lachlan are running neck and neck and both rising into the Top 1000. Which spelling you use is purely a matter of taste.
"proud chief"
Donald has been used for centuries in Scotland, where the Macdonald clan is one of the most ancient and where there have been six early Scottish kings by that name. Donald was a Top 20 name…
Scottish or Irish
"son of"
In Ireland and Scotland, Mac and Mc mean "son of"; here, Mac is a generic fella, or a short form cooler than either Matt or Max. Mac can be a nickname of any longer Mac or Mc starting name such as…
Scottish; Greek
"bow warrior; strong man"
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. Evander was prominent in Greek and Roman mythology: in…
Scottish river name
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…
"crooked mouth"
The seventh most common surname in Scotland, for a time associated only with soup company and the Andy Warhol's iconic painting, Campbell is once again being considered as an accessible but rarer…
"wood"
Strong but gentle, Keith is one of the Scottish surnames that, along with Douglas, Craig and Bruce, were considered the epitome of cool in the 1960s and early 1970s, when it was a Top 40 choice.…
"black water"
Douglas, and more particularly its nickname, Doug, had a real romantic swagger in the 1950s and 1960s dating back to swashbuckling Douglas Fairbanks, but today is more likely to conjure up your mom's…
Irish; Scottish; Hindi
"rowan tree; redhead; ascension"
Simultaneously a name of Hindi and Sanskrit origin, a spelling variation of the popular Rowan and an anglicized form of Irish Ruadhán, Rohan is a cross-cultural choice. As a Hindu name, it is…
English spelling of Alasdair, Scottish version of Alexander
"defending men"
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…
"Scot"
A sweet, slightly old-school nickname name with a cheerful image, Scottie was originally used as a petname for someone from Scotland, or who spoke Scottish Gaelic. Stylish for boys in the 70s and 80s…
"foreigner, stranger"
Wallace is so square could almost be ripe for a turnaround, especially with the hipness imparted by the British Claymation series Wallace & Gromit . And Wally makes an adorable Leave it to Beaver…
Diminutive or Scottish form of Alexander, Greek
Alec, a clipped British short form of Alexander, is less fresh than Alex, but leans more off-beat classic than Xander. Used since at least the 19th-century, Alec became particularly popular in the…
"narrow or wooded river"
A tributary of the River Clyde in Scotland, called in Scottish Gaelic Abhainn Cheilbhinn : caol ("narrow") or coille ("wooded") + abhainn ("river"). As a surname, it derives from the name of the…
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…