Scottish Names for Boys

Tyree

Scottish

"from Tyrie"

Hundreds of families have adopted this Scottish name, attracted by its trendy Ty beginning and upbeat second syllable. (Tyrell and Tyrese are also increasing in popularity. ) Tyree Glenn was a great…

Irvin

Scottish

"handsome, fair of face"

Irvin is an Old Man name that has an uncertain future. Losing the final g in Irving makes the name slightly less dated -- but just slightly. There's something about the 'erv' sound that makes Irvin…

Boyd

Scottish

"blond"

Has a bit of a hayseed image, and that oy sound is tough to work with.

Ramsey

English, Scottish

"garlic island"

Tough, cool, and rugged, Ramsey is a Scottish and English surname that has plenty of potential as a given name. Similar in style to Murray, Murphy, and Rafferty, it was chosen for around 90 boys and…

Glen

Scottish

"a narrow valley"

Former cool-boy name now in middle-aged limbo, but with a nice naturey meaning to endear it to modern parents.

Blair

Scottish

"dweller on the plain"

One of the first generation of cool surname names, now largely used for girls in the US, but still popular for boys in its native Scotland. A prominent association for Brits is former prime minister…

Knoxx

Scottish

"round hill"

A updated spelling of stylish boy name Knox, which could be considered superfluous and totally cool, depending on your perspective. More than 60 boys were given this name in a recent year in the US:…

Adair

Scottish and Irish, Brazilian

"oak tree ford; wealthy spearman; wealth and fame"

Adair has flair, the grace of a Fred Astaire, and a daring, spirited vibe. It's usually considered a Scottish surname, derived from the name Edgar, though other possibilities are that it derives from…

Alastair

Scottish

"defender of men"

To Americans, a quintessential British name, introduced to the U.S. public by suave journalist/PBS Masterpiece Theater host Alastair Cook. Sometimes used in the U.S. by parents with Scottish heritage.

Dashiell

Anglicization of French surname de Chiel, meaning unknown

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…

Skye

Scottish place-name

Referring to the Scottish Isle of Skye, this spelling brings Sky down to earth. Skye is used ten times more often for girls than boys, while the gender split on the Sky spelling is more like three to…

Angus

Anglicized form of Aonghus, Aonghas, Gaelic

"one strength"

Angus is a traditional yet stylish choice in the UK, especially in Scotland. And it's a cool choice for US parents too, particularly those whose roots go back to Glasgow. The ancient Celtic form…

Stuart

Scottish

"steward"

This ancient royal Scottish name had a brief vogue in midcentury America, but it would be far from a fresh choice for a baby boy now.

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.…

Collins

Surname derived from Nicholas or Colin, Greek or Irish and Scottish

"people of victory or pup"

Though Collins makes the Top 300 for girls, it sounds strong and handsome for boys too, kind of like the newly-stylish Brooks. The final s updates it from the 80s-ish Colin or the Twilightish Cullen.…

Caelan

Irish

"little slender one"

One of several Anglicized forms of Caolán, this spelling is borrowed from the Old Irish root, cáel . With its stylish -an ending and its cool 'KAY' sound, Caelan entered the Top 500 in England and…

Brice

Scottish surname

"speckled, freckled"

Brice, much more often spelled Bryce, is an old saint's name that now has a sleek and sophisticated image—it feels elegant and efficient. Of the two spellings, Bryce is much more popular for both…

Breck

Scottish

"speckled"

Sudsy name that could be a new character on "Days of Our Lives."

Dixon

Scottish

"son of Dick"

A relatively common surname, Dixon would be an inventive way to honor an ancestral Richard or Dick, the X form a lot livelier than the Dickson spelling, just as Dix is a more modern short form than…

Thane

Scottish

"clan chieftain"

This early Scottish title -- known to us via Shakespeare's Macbeth -- has recently surfaced as a baby name possibility, familiar sounding through its similarity to names like Zane and Wayne.