International Baby Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 21 pages
of 21
English
"son of Peter"
Patterson is an upscale name worth considering if you're looking to continue a line of Peters, but soundalike Paterson is a downscale city in New Jersey.
Scot is a masculine name with clear geographic origins, directly referring to a person from Scotland. Derived from the Latin 'Scotus,' meaning 'Scottish,' this concise name carries strong cultural…
Variation of Wallace, English, Scottish, Norman
"a Welshman, Celt"
Strong but breezy with the unisex charm of Ellis and Hollis, this name was famously borne by Wallis Simpson (born Bessie), the woman for whom English king Edward VIII abdicated his throne in the 20th…
Coburn is a masculine name of English origin, derived from an Old English surname. It likely originated as a topographical surname for someone who lived near a stream or brook, combining the elements…
Scottish surname
"son of Fergus"
This would make an interesting name for a boy, if it weren't for the fact that the two most well known Fergies are female.
English and Scottish surname
"dear friend's place"
A new crop of gender-neutral English place names have suddenly become trendy — those ending in -ton. Multi-syllabic but not dramatic, these names are rising quickly for girls and boys. Think…
"son of Artan"
McCartney is a widely familiar surname that is infrequently given as a first name. It first appeared on the charts for girls in 1996 but has never been given to more than 21 baby girls in a single…
When Matthew McConaughey and wife Camila Alves chose the old English surname and place name Livingston for their third child, they elevated it from half of a Stanley & Livingston joke to a modern…
This highly recognizable surname means "son of Artan," an Irish derivative of the name Art. It's most closely tied to Beatle Paul McCartney — we'd be willing to bet that some of the parents who give…
Scottish
"mariner"
Murdoch and its more popular modern variant Murdo are traditional given names in Scotland, although they are almost exclusively encountered as surnames outside of their native country. Famous bearers…
"church, cemetery"
Taken from a Scottish town, a Scots surname, and the name of an intricately patterned fabric, Paisley means "church" or "cemetery." It ranks highly for girls and is in US Top 100. It may feel a…
Rae as a masculine name has Scottish and Hebrew origins. It derives from the Scottish surname Rae, meaning "grace" or "deer," or it may be a shortened form of Raymond, meaning "wise protector." In…
"lives by the thicket"
Shaw is a streamlined and more modern-sounding Shawn, with many notable surname namesakes.
Scottish surname and place name
This Scottish surname and Scottish and Australian place name has a pleasant airy and breezy sound to it. Camden mayor Lara Symkowiak chose the name for her daughter born in 2016.
"son of Rath; son of grace and prosperity"
Mc- names beyond McKenzie are catching on, with Mccoy and Mac now in the US Top 1000 for boys. Rugged but cool McRae might be another possibility, given to just five boys in a recent year. A name of…
"place name"
Scottish place name
A capital place-name possibility.
"son of the blond one"
For theater-loving parents — an homage to one of our premiere playwrights.
Alford is an English surname-turned-first-name with Old English origins, derived from 'ald' meaning old and 'ford' meaning river crossing, literally signifying "old river ford." As a given name, it…
"an Irishman, from the land of the Gaels"
Nice Scottish sound, but too tied to sweaters and socks.
