Scottish Last Names

Has an old-time country feeling, perhaps due to Ma Rainey, considered the "Mother of the Blues". This is the most popular spelling of the name, given to about 50 girls last year, with half as many called Rainy and a quarter named Rainie, the spelling used by Andie MacDowell for her now-grown daughter.

Rainey

Similar in style to Ripley and Murphy, Ramsey is a Scottish and English surname, borrowed from a place name meaning "garlic island", likely due to the the growth of wild garlic in the area. Associated with chef Gordon Ramsey and actor Bella Ramsey, it was chosen for around 90 boys and 70 girls in the US in a recent year.

Ramsey

One of the many names with a strong "er" sound, like Bertram and Ernest, that was huge in the 1920s and is languishing in style limbo now. One famous bearer is the physicist Erwin Schrödinger, as in Schrödinger's cat.

Erwin

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. 

Stuart

Finlay is a Scottish royal name: it belonged to Macbeth's father, Finlay MacRory--or Findlaech mac Ruaidri--that has a bit of a split personality. It has two acceptable spellings--Finlay and Finley, the first more popular in its native Scotland, where it ranks in the Top 10, the second in the US. It is also becoming more and more unisex in the States, with the Finley spelling now split between girls and boys, while Finlay was used last year for TEN TIMES as many boys as girls, about 50 to only five.

 Increasingly popular on the celebrity circuit, the splits are evident here too. Amanda Pays and Corbin Bernsen, and Sadie Frost have boys named Finlay, Chris O'Donnell and Holly Marie Combs have sons called Finley, and Lisa Marie Presley, Daniel Baldwin, and Angie Harmon and Jason Sehorn have daughters named Finley; the latter couple were instrumental in making the gender switch in 2003.

Finlay

Bulky surname honoring Grandpa Henry or Saul Bellow's Rain King. 

Henderson

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. Currently Number 60 for baby boys born in its native Scotland; it was at its highest in the US in 1922, when it reached Number 208, but has been off the list since 1975. Could it be time for a comeback? TV Murrays have appeared on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Flight of the Conchords and Degrassi: The Next Gemeration.
 Lisa Kudrow used it as the middle name of her son Julian.

Murray

Lamont

Laurie morphed into the more streamlined Lori in the sixties but now feels dated for a girl in either spelling. Update Lauren has been renovated as Laurel or Laura itself.

If you're looking to name a baby girl after a grandma Laurie, one popular option today is Daphne, which also means laurel. The mythical Daphne was transformed into a laurel tree to escape Apollo's overly ardent attentions.

Laurie

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 sexes.
 Though the name is given much more frequently to boys than to girls, director Ron Howard did a bit of gender bending when he called his daughter Bryce Dallas—a name now featured on marquees. Painter Brice Marden represents the other spelling, while St. Brice was a fifth century Frenchman who was a disciple and successor to St. Martin as bishop of Tours.

Brice

Allister is a variant spelling of Alistair or Alastair, which derived from the Scottish Gaelic form of Alexander. The name ultimately traces back to Greek origins meaning "defender of mankind." This spelling with double 'l' emerged as an Anglicized version that maintains the name's distinguished Scottish heritage while being somewhat easier to pronounce and spell for English speakers. Allister conveys strength, nobility, and protection. The name has maintained steady but modest popularity, appealing to parents seeking a name with classic appeal that isn't overly common. Notable bearers include various politicians, athletes, and fictional characters, contributing to its image as a name with substance and character. Its sound is strong yet sophisticated.

Allister

Unless it runs in your family, or Alexander Hamilton is your particular hero, you might consider something less imposing -- and without the teasable nickname Ham. Scottish curler Hamilton McMillan Jr pulls it off though, with nickname Hammy. 

Hamilton

Macallan is a distinctive masculine name with Scottish origins, most famously associated with the renowned single malt whisky distillery in the Speyside region of Scotland. The name derives from the Gaelic 'Magh' meaning 'plain' and 'Ellan' referring to St. Fillan, literally translating to 'plain of St. Fillan.' As a given name, Macallan represents a modern trend of adopting surname or brand names for children, appealing to parents seeking names with cultural significance and strong phonetic presence. Though relatively uncommon, Macallan offers appealing nickname options like Mac or Cal. The name carries connotations of refinement and craftsmanship due to its whisky association, while its Scottish heritage provides a sense of tradition and place. Its rising usage reflects parents' interest in distinctive names with cultural cachet.

Macallan

A modern choice for girls riffing on the popular unisex name Quinn, with an extra syllable to add substance and formality. And Quinn is still available as a nickname!

Quinley

Patton is an attractive name in the fashionable Haden-Peyton mold, though there is that association with the severe wartime general. 

Patton

Darling has history as an English surname, but it would most likely be read as a quirky and loving word name, a la Sweetheart or Honey.

Darling

This unusual two-syllable K name relates to shipbuilding. 

Kelton

A family of lawyers might be interested in this surname as a tribute to famed defense attorney Clarence Darrow. 

Darrow

This Scottish place name and surname was more popular for boys in the US until the mid-1940s; in the UK, the Leslie spelling is predominantly masculine, with Lesley 
widely used as the feminine variant. Now ranking in the mid-400s for girls and not at all for boys in the US, it could be time to bring this smart, subtle nature name back, especially considering the current popularity of -ley names for both sexes. Trivia tidbit: Both President Gerald Ford and comedian Bob Hope were born Leslie, while Gone With The Wind actor Leslie Howard was actually born Laszlo, according to some sources.

Leslie

McKay is the Anglicized form of Mac Aodha, meaning "son of Aodh" in Gaelic. Aodh is the origin of names such as Aidan and Hugh, making McKay a subtle way to honor people with those names.

Mckay

Scottish last names have spread far and wide throughout the Global North, and are particularly common in the US, UK, Australia, and New Zealand.

most common Scottish last names in the US

 include surnames that are exclusively Scottish, such as Scott and Campbell, along with those that count Scottish among multiple origins, including Allen and Morris. Other Scottish last names popular among Americans include Ross, Henderson, and Patterson.

 of Scottish origin include Campbell, Stewart, Scott, and MacDonald. Many 

 come from given names, such as Duncan, Fergus, and Gavin. You may recognize some 

 on this list, including Forbes, Gladstone, Cobain, and McQueen.

 are on the rise in the US, with choices like Blair, Campbell, and Paisley rising for girls, and Graham, Lennox, and Bowie moving upwards for boys. Many of these surname names can be considered 

On Nameberry, the top Scottish surnames used as first names include Callum, Logan, and Knox.

Last names that are Scottish in origin such as MacGregor and Drummond, including common Scottish surnames and unique Scottish last names (Page 6)