Updated October 2026
Across 65 pages
of 65
Scottish
"an Irishman, from the land of the Gaels"
Nice Scottish sound, but too tied to sweaters and socks.
Scottish occupational name
"minstrel, poet"
Meaning bard, this is an original choice with poetic and melodic undertones. Bard itself has also come into consideration, both names bringing to mind Shakespeare and other literary lights. The…
"the village by the pasture"
Historically interesting via the 1917 Balfour Declaration, which supported the creation of a Jewish state in Palestine.
French
"fortification"
An old French surname derived from baille , meaning "fortification" – the same root as the English word bailey. The surname was borne by an aristocratic English family descended from French nobility.…
English and Scottish occupational name
"ringer of the bell"
Simplicity and pleasant associations give the word Bell real possibility as a first name -- but somehow it seems better for a girl, a la Belle.
Scottish and English
"from the burnt house"
The final s turns this name into a manservant.
"mound of rocks"
In Scotland, a cairn is a heap of stones placed as a memorial or to support a beacon. This gives the name a rugged, timeless quality that is very appealing at present.
"the small field"
If you want a truly unusual name with authentic roots, this one certainly fits on both counts. Pronunciation may prove a stumbling block, however.
Dàibhidh is the Scottish Gaelic form of David, a masculine name with ancient Hebrew origins meaning 'beloved' or 'friend.' The name features traditional Gaelic spelling and pronunciation, with the…
"son of Dick"
Dickson's nickname problem keeps it from having the upside possibility of similar names like Jackson and Harrison. If you're looking for fresh baby names to honor an ancestral Richard or Dick,…
"dark stranger"
Heard in the Scottish highlands, and much more in tune with the present times than the dated Douglas — for which it could make a perfect tribute name. Dougal was the Scottish nickname for…
"ridge"
At one time associated with the fictional detective Bulldog Drummond, this formal surname name does boast the cute nickname Drum.
Scottish place-name
A city and river in Scotland; this is upbeat and cheery, but doesn't seem that appropriate as a name.
"brown hill homestead"
Attractive placename/surname with a somewhat aristocratic feel.
"brown"
Efficient feel.
Irish
"keeper of horses; brown horse"
Authentic Gaelic name with pronunciation problems in the US. In Scotland Eachann has been anglicized as Hector, not because of its sound, but because the Trojan hero Hector had the reputation as a…
Spelling variation of Irvin
Earvin gained NBA fame as the birth name of Magic Johnson. If your name was Earvin, you'd probably change it to Magic too.
"from the high cliffs"
Rarely used un-Gaelic-sounding Scottish name with literary associations to Erskine Caldwell, author of Tobacco Road and God's Little Acre .
"fair-haired child"
For towheads with ties to Scotland -- in theory, anyway.
"friendly man"
Farquhar has a great meaning, but unfortunate potential for mispronunciation. It was originally a given name in the Scottish highlands, but is more commonly known today as a surname. It's…