Popular Scottish Boy Names

We've put together a hand-picked selection of the best Scottish boy names - both traditional and contemporary, complete with meaning & origin whenever possible.

Of course you'll find Gaelic, Celtic and Olde English choices.

But there are others which reflect the languages and cultures of the varied countries who invaded Scotland over the centuries.

Some of the ones you'll see here are also well-known clan names.

Others are used interchangeably as first, or last, names. 

This is because of the way the naming culture developed in Scotland.

If you're interested in learning more about that, CLICK HERE (page will open in a new window).

Time To Name That Baby!

Here are the cream of the crop, there's literally something for everyone on the list below :)

Continue to scroll and you'll also find a list of the Top 20 Boys Names in Scotland for 2020, 2022  and 2023 (compiled by, and courtesy of, the National Records of Scotland website).

Name	Origin & Meaning
Adair	Gaelic Meaning 'ford of the oaks' or 'oak grove'.
Ailbeart	Gaelic Scottish Gaelic form of Albert, meaning 'bright nobility'.
Alastair	Gaelic Scottish Gaelic form of Alexander, meaning 'defender' or 'defending man'.
Alban	Gaelic From 'Alba',the Gaelic name for Scotland. Meaning 'rock'.
Alexander	Greek Ancient name meaning 'defender' or 'defending man'. Made popular by Scottish kings, Alexander I, II and III.
Alpin	Gaelic Meaning 'white'.
Andrew	Greek Meaning 'a brave man'. St. Andrew is the Patron Saint of Scotland.
Angus	Gaelic Meaning 'unique choice'. Seen in Scotland as early as the 6th century.
Archibald	Old German Meaning either 'noble and bold', or 'bright gold'. Popular with Campbell clan members due to 12th century link. Also used as a surname.
Baldwin	Old German Meaning 'bold friend'.
Boyd	Gaelic Meaning 'blond' or 'yellow'. Also seen as a Scottish surname.
Bryce	Celtic Meaning 'pied' or 'speckled'.
Calum	Gaelic Meaning 'dove'. May be Gaelic derivative of Malcolm. Often spelled as 'Callum'.
Cameron	Gaelic Meaning 'crooked nose'. Dates back to at least the 15th century. Unisex name. Popular Scottish surname.
Campbell	Gaelic Meaning 'crooked mouth'. Also popular Scottish surname.
Cinead	Gaelic Meaning 'born of fire'.
Craig	Gaelic From Gaelic word 'creag' meaning' 'rock'. Recorded as early as 11th century. Also popular Scottish surname.
Diarmid	Gaelic From Irish Gaelic Diarmuid. Meaning 'without envy' or 'free man'.
Donald	Gaelic From Irish Gaelic 'Domhnall'. First seen in Scotland during 9th century. Meaning 'world mighty'.
Donnan	Gaelic Meaning 'brown'.
Douglas	Gaelic From Gaelic 'dubh' meaning 'black', and 'glas' meaning 'water'. Popular surname in Scotland. Unknown as forename before the 16th century.
Drummond	Gaelic From Gaelic 'drum' and 'onde', meaning 'high ground' or 'ridge'. Popular as surname.
Dougal	Gaelic From Gaelic 'dubh' for 'black' and 'gall' for 'stranger'. Meaning 'dark stranger'. Also seen as Dugal. Also seen as Scottish last name.
Duncan	Gaelic From Gaelic 'dun' - 'brown, and 'chadh' - 'warrior'. Meaning 'dark/brown warrior'. Seen in 11th century Kings Duncan I and Duncan II.
Eachann	Gaelic Meaning 'horse'.
Erskine	Gaelic From the Scottish Gaelic 'Ard Sescenn' meaning 'projecting height' or 'high marsh'. Popular Scottish last name.
Ethan	Hebrew Meaning 'strength' or 'long lived'
Ewan	Celtic Meaning 'born of the yew tree' or 'youth'. Also seen as Euan.
Fergus	Gaelic Ancient name, meaning 'man of strength' or 'brave chieftain'. Royal name in Pictish and Celtic society. Root of Scottish surname Ferguson.
Fingal	Gaelic Meaning 'white stranger'.
Finlay	Gaelic Meaning 'fair headed' or 'white warrior'.
Fraser	Norman/French Meaning 'strawberry bearer' or 'grower of strawberries'. Popular as surname in Scotland.
Gavin	European Meaning 'white hawk' or 'hawk man'. Popular during the middle ages.
Gordon	Gaelic From Gaelic 'gor-dun' meaning 'hill fort'.
Graham	Olde English From 'grand' - 'gravel' and 'ham' - 'home'. Meaning 'gravel home'. Popular as surname in Scotland.
Grant	French Meaning 'large or tall'. In French 'grand' means 'big'. Popular last name.
Gregor	Greek Meaning 'watchful' or 'vigilant'.
Hamilton	Olde English Meaning 'flat topped hill' or 'place of the hill'.
Hamish	Gaelic Gaelic form of James, meaning 'one of supplants'.
Hew	Old German Brought to Scotland by the Normans. Meaning 'heart, mind or spirit'. Now often seen as Hugh.
Iain	Gaelic Gaelic form of John, meaning 'God is gracious'.
Irvine	Gaelic Meaning 'green water'. Often used as surname.
James	Roman Meaning 'one who supplants'. Often seen in Scotland since 13th century. Popular with Scottish royals - there were 7 Scottish King James'. Also seen in Gaelic form as 'Hamish'.
Kennedy	Gaelic Meaning 'helmet wearer' or 'ugly headed'.
Lachlan	Gaelic Irish Gaelic originally. Meaning 'lake habitation'. Popular since 13th century, especially in the Scottish Highlands.
Leslie	Gaelic Meaning 'one who lives by the garden pool'. First seen in 11th century. Also seen as surname.
Lewis	Old German Meaning 'noted warrior'.
Malcolm	Gaelic From Gaelic 'maol calium' meaning 'follower of the dove' ie Saint Columba. Can also mean 'man of Columb'. Scottish Gaelic version is Calum.
Muir	Gaelic Meaning 'sea warrior'. Also popular last name.
Mungo	Celtic Ancient name meaning 'dear one' or 'beloved'.
Owen	Gaelic Irish Gaelic originally. Meaning 'well born' or 'born to nobility'. Goes back to the time of the Picts in Scotland.
Raibert	Old German Meaning 'bright flame'. Brought to Scotland by the Normans.
Rory	Gaelic Ancient name. From the Gaelic 'ruadh' - 'red' and 'ri'- 'king'. Meaning 'red king'. Popular with Highland clans.
Ross	Gaelic From the Gaelic 'ros' meaning 'headland'. Seen in Scotland since the 12th century.
Stuart	Gaelic From the Gaelic 'sti-weard', meaning 'a steward' or 'animal warden'. Also seen as Stewart. Very popular Scottish surname.
Tamhas	Gaelic Gaelic form of Thomas. Meaning 'twin'.
William	Old German Meaning 'strong protector'. Came to Scotland with the Normans in 11th century. Popular during the Middle Ages.

According to the registration information for babies born in Scotland during 2020, the most popular Scottish boys names list saw some changes.

Here are the top twenty boys names in Scotland in 2020 (see the full National Records of Scotland PDF report HERE)

Baby naming trends in Scotland

According to the National Records of Scotland, their data shows that the number and variety of names given to both girls and boys in Scotland is increasing every year, and there are consistently more choices for girls than for boys.

Younger moms ((25 and under) favor the more contemporary names such as Aria (and Luca or Arlo for a boy), while moms who are 35 and older choose more traditional Scottish baby names such as Emily (or  Jack for a boy). 

There are also more unique names being chosen, sometimes with only a handful of babies per year being given them.

Celebrities, television, movies and entertainers seem to have a big impact on baby names (and I'm sure this isn't only in Scotland!). 

Popular names such as Luca could be reflecting the Disney movie, or a Love Island resident. Other names not in the top 20 but likely made noticeable by popular culture include Mabel (Only Murders in the Building), Mollie (reality show), Oakley (BBC's Strictly come Dancing) and much more.

Suffice it to say, whatever your taste in Scottish baby names, be it Celtic, traditional or contemporary, there are plenty of choices to be had!

If you're interested in finding out more about any particular name and how popular it is, or has been historically, in Scotland you can check out this app courtesy of the National Register of Scotland.

you might also like:

• Scottish Girl Names
• Scottish Surnames
• Scottish Traditions
• Scottish Names
• Culture of Scotland