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Scottish Girl Names

Pamela Redmond
By Pamela Redmond
Updated Tue Jan 30 2024
Scottish Girl Names

Scottish girl names are a lovely bunch, including choices that a very familiar to American ears, such as Isla and Fiona, as well as names that have yet to cross over, like Elspeth and Eilidh.

Along with Fiona and Isla, other Scottish girl names in the US Top 1000 include Annabel and Maisie. Baby girl names popular in Scotland include Isla—one of the top names of Scottish origins on their popularity charts—Olivia, Sophie, and Emily.

Shown here are names of Scottish derivation as well as the girls' names traditionally popular in Scotland, though there is some overlap. Whether you want to honor your Scottish heritage or simply love the culture, consider these lovely Scottish names for girls, ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.

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Scottish Names

Girl Names

  1. Isla

    • Origin:

      Scottish place-name or Spanish

    • Meaning:

      "island"

    • Description:

      Isla is a hit name throughout the English-speaking world but hasn't found the same popularity in other western countries, perhaps because its spelling and pronunciation don't make sense for those whose native language is not English. Think island without the final two letters.
  2. Esme

    • Origin:

      French

    • Meaning:

      "beloved"

    • Description:

      Esmé comes from the past participle of the Old French verb esmer, meaing "to esteem" or "to love." It can also be considered a derivative of the Spanish name Esmeralda, which means "emerald".
  3. Elsie

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Elizabeth via its Scottish variation, Elspeth

    • Meaning:

      "pledged to God"

    • Description:

      Elsie is a sweet vintage nickname-name turned modern star. After a 30-year hiatus, Elsie started climbing the US popularity list 20 years ago and is still headed for the top.
  4. Maisie

    • Origin:

      Scottish diminutive of Margaret or Mary

    • Meaning:

      "pearl or bitter"

    • Description:

      Maisie, a charming name long popular as a nickname for Margaret or Mary, entered the Top 1000 as itself ten years ago and continues to rise. Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams helped propel the name back into the limelight, along with the that of her character, Arya.
  5. Flora

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "flower"

    • Description:

      Flora, the name of the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, who enjoyed eternal youth, is one of the gently old-fashioned girls' flower names we think is due for a comeback— alongside cousins Cora and Dora. Florence, Fiorella, Fleur, and Flower are translations, but we like Flora best of all.
  6. Flora

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "flower"

    • Description:

      Flora, the name of the Roman goddess of flowers and spring, who enjoyed eternal youth, is one of the gently old-fashioned girls' flower names we think is due for a comeback— alongside cousins Cora and Dora. Florence, Fiorella, Fleur, and Flower are translations, but we like Flora best of all.
  7. Bonnie

    • Origin:

      Scottish

    • Meaning:

      "beautiful, cheerful"

    • Description:

      Bonnie is an adorable nickname name, heading back up the popularity list after a 50-year nap. A Top 100 girls' name throughout the rest of the English-speaking world, Americans are later to jump on the Bonnie bandwagon but now it's trending here too.
  8. Fiona

    • Origin:

      Scottish

    • Meaning:

      "white, fair"

    • Description:

      Fiona entered the American consciousness with the opening of the 1954 Broadway musical Brigadoon, but didn't come onto the U.S. popularity list until 1990.
  9. Arabella

    • Origin:

      Latin, Scottish

    • Meaning:

      "yielding to prayer; lovable"

    • Description:

      Arabella, lovely and elegant, has long been well used in Britain and finally made it onto the American list in 2005. A Top 50 choice in the UK, in the US in remains in the Top 300, given to around 1300 babies each year.
  10. Blair

    • Origin:

      Scottish

    • Meaning:

      "dweller on the plain"

    • Description:

      In the USA, Blair is gaining momentum, rising quickly for the last 10 years and likely to continue to climb. In England and Wales, where Blair has political connotations – calling to mind former prime minister Tony Blair – it is much less common, although it is in use for boys in its native Scotland.
  11. Orla

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "golden princess"

    • Description:

      Orla is an Irish name closely associated with the high king Brian Boru, as it was the name of his sister, daughter and niece. It was very popular in the Middle Ages – the fourth most popular name in twelfth century Ireland – and has become popular again in Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales today. In Irish, the name is commonly spelled Orlaith or Orlagh.
  12. Alba

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "white"

    • Description:

      Alba is quietly making a behind-the-scenes comeback, perhaps thanks to actress turned baby-product mogul Jessica Alba. Last on the Top 1000 a century ago, the name was given to nearly 200 baby girls in the US last year. Alba might be tomorrow's successor to Ava and Ella. In Spain, Alba ranks among the Top 20 girls' names. Alba is the name of a character in The Time Traveler's Wife.
  13. Rowan

    • Origin:

      Scottish and Irish

    • Meaning:

      "rowan tree; little redhead"

    • Description:

      Stylish, gentle, and rustic at the same time, Rowan is a name that falls into various categories. Unisex and cool, mystical and woodsy, with the feel of both Rose and Riley, Rowan is a fresh but familiar choice.
  14. Katie

    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of Katherine

    • Meaning:

      "pure"

    • Description:

      Friendly mega-popular short form of Katherine that has definitively replaced Kathy, Katie is often given on its own. Going forward, though, Katie is more stylishly clipped itself to the grownup Kate.
  15. Greer

    • Origin:

      Scottish, contraction of surname Gregor; Latin

    • Meaning:

      "alert, watchful"

    • Description:

      This attractive Scottish surname choice, has a certain amount of glamour thanks to feisty British-born red-haired forties Academy Award winner Greer Garson, who was born Eileen Evelyn Greer Garson--Greer was her Irish mother's maiden name). Greer was chosen much more recently by Kelsey Grammer for his daughter and by Brooke Shields in the Grier form. As a surname, it's associated with feminist writer/activist Germaine Greer.
  16. Eilidh

    • Origin:

      Gaelic form of Eleanor

    • Description:

      Long popular in Scotland, this attractive name is strictly-speaking the Gaelic version of Eleanor, but is also often considered part of the Helen family of names. After the Normans introduced it into the British Isles, it was transformed into Aileen or Evelyn. It has rarely been heard in the US, but it is slowly starting to be used here too.
  17. Eilidh

    • Origin:

      Gaelic form of Eleanor

    • Description:

      Long popular in Scotland, this attractive name is strictly-speaking the Gaelic version of Eleanor, but is also often considered part of the Helen family of names. After the Normans introduced it into the British Isles, it was transformed into Aileen or Evelyn. It has rarely been heard in the US, but it is slowly starting to be used here too.
  18. Yvaine

    • Origin:

      Female variation of Yvain or Scottish

    • Meaning:

      "evening star"

    • Description:

      A mix of Yvonne and Elaine, Yvaine was first noticed in the Neil Gaiman fantasy novel and then movie Stardust, in which Claire Danes played the 'fallen star' Yvaine. This In all its forms, one of the most classic Scottish names for girls is now attracting namer attention--just as that other Gaiman-inspired name, Coraline, did. Yvaine has a definite romantic, medieval charm. A small segment of namers are definitely taking notice.
  19. Skye

    • Origin:

      Scottish place-name

    • Description:

      The e-addition takes the name from slightly hippie-ish nature name to the place name of a picturesque island off the coast of Scotland, and for baby namers it's by far the more popular spelling.
  20. Iona

    • Origin:

      Scottish place-name

    • Description:

      This name of a small island off the coast of Scotland is trending upwards along with other I names.