60 Popular Scottish Baby Boy Names
Giving your baby a name is a milestone, and when it’s a Scottish name, you add class. Scottish names make you think of adventure, free-spiritedness, and a love for exploration. Scots are proud of their culture and heritage and have brought many gems to this world. From Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s masterpieces to the ancestral history of the Edinburgh and Glasgow cities, if you’re giving your newborn a Scottish name, it will surely make heads turn with wonder.
Now that we’ve got that out of the way, you may be asking yourself: “What are some Scottish boy names that are good for my newborn?”
List of Scottish Baby Boy Names With Meanings
Before you refer to this table, start by thinking of the traits you want your young one to exhibit. Picking a name will be far easier when you have an idea of what you want it to represent or the qualities you want it to have. From subtle names to sharp, sophisticated, and trendy ones, we’ve made a list of the top 60 popular Scottish baby boy names for you so you can focus on naming and forget about the legwork of searching. Here you go.
Name | Meaning |
Adam | Adam’s Hebrew meaning is ‘man’ and its other meaning is ‘to be red’ which is also an indication of the colour of the human skin. |
Adie | Adie is a name being used by baby boys these days, although it’s popular for naming girls. It means ‘noble’ and is also of English origin. |
Adair | Adair was the name of the 10th-century King Edgar of England. It means ‘fortunate and powerful.’ |
Archie | A shortened form of Archibald, Archie stands for ‘genuine,’ ‘bold’ and ‘brave.’ |
Artair | Also, a Celtic baby boy name, the meaning of Artair is ‘bear or rock.’ |
Alexander | He came. He saw. He conquered. Alexander means ‘protector of men’ or ‘defender of the people’ and was used by Alexander the Great. |
Blair | Blair literally translates to ‘dweller on the plain.’ It’s one of the first generation of cool surname names! |
Bean | Bean was a saint’s name in the Breviary of Aberdeen. But we know Mr Bean too and the name’s meaning is ‘fair-skinned.’ |
Bruce | Who wouldn’t want to name their son after Bruce Lee? This one has been used since medieval times and means ‘from the brushwood thicket’ in English and ‘the Willowlands’ in French. |
Carter | Carter is also of Irish and English origin. It means ‘transporter of goods by cart’ in English. |
Cole | The name Cole means ‘swarthy.’ It also has a Middle English origin and is commonly used in surnames. |
Charlie | Charlie Brown is a popular character in the graphic novel Peanuts and the meaning of Charlie is ‘a free man.’ |
David | Used mostly as a first name, David means ‘beloved.’ |
Dylan | Dylan means ‘son of the sea’ and comes from Wales. The poet Dylan Thomas is known for this name. |
Effie | Effie means ‘pleasant speech’ and is taken from Greek. Although a girl’s name, it is also used by boys since 1880. |
Elliot | Elliot means ‘Jehovah is God’ and is unique among Scottish boy names. |
Fergus | Fergus is a strong name given to those of Scottish origin. It stands for ‘man of force’ and is also commonly used in Ayrshire and Perthshire. |
Fingal | Fingal is a name that stands for ‘fair stranger’ and has its roots n Gaelic legends. It also means ‘foreign tribe’ in English. |
Gavin | Gavin is one of the best cute names given to baby boys. It is a variant of the medieval name Gawain which means ‘little white falcon; Godsend.’ |
Gordon | Gordon is a name of Scottish origin and means ‘great hill.’ Gordon Ramsey is a popular figure in modern times too. |
Gregor | Gregor is a shortened version of Gregory. It is also of Norwegian origin and means ‘alert; watchful.’ |
Hay | Hay is a topographic Scottish name which means ‘a person who lived by an enclosure.’ |
Hugh | Hugh means ‘fire’ in Irish and Scottish Gaelic terms. Its other meanings are ‘mind’ and ‘intellect.’ |
Jaimi | The meaning of Jaimi is ‘supplanter’ and many parents use this since it is a popular unisex Scottish name. |
Jock | Jock translates to ‘God is gracious’ and children with good athletic abilities or heavily involved in sports have this name. |
Kadon | Kadon means ‘from the wetlands; companion’ in Scottish. It is also an alternative form of the Arabic word ‘Kaden.’ |
Keith | Keith is a masculine name with Germanic and Celtic origins. It means ‘wood, forest, from the battleground’ and was used popularly during the 19th century. |
Llyod | Llyod means ‘grey’ and describes a person of that colour. It is used as both a first name and surname by boys. |
Ludovic | Ludovic translates to ‘famous warrior’ and it is of French origin as well. |
Malcolm | Malcolm is a charming name for baby boys. It means ‘disciple of Columba’ and referred to those who were followers of God or specific saints. |
Murdock | Murdock is a name popularly used in the regions of England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. It means the ‘protector of the sea’ and is originally of Celtic origin, most commonly used as a baptismal name. |
Norval | Norval means ‘from the North valley’ and the Norval family was known for this name before their emigration to Britain. |
Oidche | Oidche means ‘night’ and many parents consider it to be one of the best traditional Scottish boys names. |
Ray | Ray comes from the old English word ray, which means ‘roe or female deer’. Used mostly by boys, the name refers to someone shy. |
Richie | Richie is a name of English origin too and means ‘brave ruler.’ |
Ronnie | The meaning of Ronnie is ‘mighty counsellor/ruler.’ |
Rory | Rory stands for ‘red-haired king,’ and he is also a popular character from DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. |
Roy | Roy comes from the Old French ‘rey’ and translates to ‘king’ from the Latin word ‘rex.’ |
Ruairi | Ruairi is a name that stands for ‘crimson-haired king’. It is old Goidelic origin which is a blend of Irish and Scottish Gaelic. |
Sachairi | Sachairi translates to ‘the Lord remembers’ and is used in many Gaelic dialect regions. Parents love this name a lot since it sounds unique. |
Scott | Scott is a classic and is used as both a surname and first name. Its origin remains a mystery, and it means ‘Gaelic speaker’ according to its Latin Scoti derivation. |
Seoras | Seoras stands for ‘farmer,’ according to its Celtic and Gaelic origins. |
Shaw | Shaw is commonly used as a surname, and it means ‘thicket, clearing in the trees, and small wood’ according to its Middle English roots. |
Sholto | Sholto stands for ‘fruitfulness,’ and the name was made famous by Basil William Sholto Mackenzie who was a leading advocate of geriatric medicine in the UK during the 1900s. |
Steaphan | A name that became popular because of the Normans in England, Steaphan is a rare name used by baby boys. It means ‘crown’ and also means ‘dwells at the farm.’ |
Stew | The meaning of Stew is ‘steward,’ and it is a popular ancient Scottish name that was also famous in Ireland. Its ancestry is tied to both England and France. |
Tavey | The meaning of Tavey is ‘twin,’ and many parents pick this as a popular choice for their baby boy since it sounds cute. |
Tearlach | Tearlach is a Gaelic baby name besides being Scottish. It means ‘strong’ and is also known to be the Scottish form of Charles. |
Tevis | Tevis means ‘twin’ in Scottish, and it is a variant of the name Tavish. |
Thistle | A member of the sunflower family, Thistle is a plant and a name that stands for bravery, strength, and resolve. Its meaning is ‘to prick.’ |
Thomeson | Thomeson is a name that refers to ‘Son of Thom’. It has been popularly documented in the Cheshire records prior and even after the 1066 Norman Conquest. |
Thorburn | If you travel back in time, you will find this name to be of Danish origin. It means ‘son Thor’ according to Scandinavian mythology and is used as a surname as well. |
Torquil | Torquil literally translates to ‘Thor’s cauldron’ and is a name of both Scottish and Gaelic origins. |
Tyree | Tyree means ‘from Tyrie’ and is originally of Scottish origin. It was also the name of a carpenter and was first used many centuries ago in the Scottish Kingdom of Dairiada. |
Ualan | Ualan means ‘strength’ and ‘health’. It is of Latin origin and is a masculine name that is very popular among parents these days. |
Uarraig | Although the historic meaning of this name remains unknown, its elements bring the two meanings of ‘pride’ and ‘fierce’ together. Children with this name often have a strong drive for travelling and adventuring. Its English version is Warwick which means ‘settlement by the weir.’ |
Wal | The meaning of Wal is ‘stranger,’ and it became popular because of Sir William Wallace, a famous Scottish hero who was executed in 1305. |
Wallace | Wallace means ‘foreigner’ or ‘Welshman’. It comes from the Anglo-Norman French word waleis. |
Walter | Walter is a name with a hint of sophistication and class. It means ‘ruler of the army’ and Sir Walter Raleigh was a popular poet and explorer with this name. |
Wynda | Wynda is a popular name given to baby boys these days. It means ‘from the narrow passage’ and is famous among parents. |
Talk to your friends and family and revisit this list when you need to. Remember – take your time since the name becomes final once you pick it.
Scottish names’ meanings run deep along with their roots. It is interesting to explore the history of these names and many of the world’s popular playwrights, artists, philosophers, and even notable figures from the Renaissance period have used some of these names.
At the end of the day, if your baby is given any of these names, not only will he sound unique but will also stand out in a good way. And finally, congratulations on your newborn!