Scottish names for boys: 230 old and modern baby names with meanings

We've included the most popular Scottish boy names in the UK, a glorious selection of Scottish Gaelic boy names and traditional Scottish boy names, as well as some more modern, cool and unusual, even unique Scottish boy name choices. And, to give you even more inspiration, we've also compiled some great selections of short Scottish boy names, strong Scottish boy names and nature-inspired Scottish boy names.

Here's our list of Scottish boy names to inspire you...

Most popular Scottish baby boy names

The official lists of the most popular boy names in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland feature a good number of Scottish boy names. We've combed through the top 100 most common baby boy names, as registered by the Office for National Statistics (for England and Wales), the National Records of Scotland and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency in 2021 (the 2022 list will be released towards the end of 2023) to find the most popular boy names with a Scottish origin. Top of the heap are Arthur and Archie, with Brodie, Callan and Carson coming up the ranks strongly in the past year.

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1. Arthur

Origin: Scottish/Celtic
Meaning: bear
Trend: going down

2. Archie

Origin: Scottish/Germanic
Meaning: brave
Trend: no change

3. Finley

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: blonde warrior
Trend: moving down

4. Rory

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: red-haired
Trend: moving up

5. Finlay

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: blond warrior
Trend: moving up

6. Logan

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: little hollow
Trend: moving down

7. Hunter

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: one who hunts
Trend: moving down

8. Finn

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: fair-haired or fair; short form of Finbar
Trend: moving up

9. Elliot

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: with strength and right
Trend: moving down

10. Brody

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: ditch, muddy place
Trend: moving up

11. Brodie

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: ditch, muddy place
Trend: moving up

12. Carson

Origin: Scottish/Irish
Meaning: son of the marsh-dwellers
Trend: moving up

13. Struan

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: small stream
Trend: moving up

14. Callan

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: battle, rock; descendant of Cathalán
Trend: moving up

Traditional Scottish baby boy names

Baby boy names that have long been associated with Scotland have a lovely solid, old-fashioned charm. Some of the suggestions here are classic Scottish boy names in regular use today, like Alasdair and Angus; some are less well known but have a long and rich heritage, like Bothan and Coire. If you'd like to tip your baby-name hat to Scotland's proud history and culture, you can't go wrong with one of these traditional picks...

15. Alasdair

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: defender of the people
Also: Alaster

16. Angus

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: one strength, one choice
Also: Aonghus

17. Bothan

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: from the stone house
Also: Bothain

18. Cameron

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: crooked nose
Also: Camron

19. Chalmer

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: servant of the chambers

20. Coire

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: whirlpool

21. Dallas

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: from Darras (in Morayshire)

22. Dempster

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: judge

23. Dougal

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: dark stranger
Also: Dubhghall, Dùghall

24. Douglas

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: black stream
Also: Douglass, Doug, Dougie, Duggie

25. Donald

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: proud chief

26. Domhnull

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: world ruler, king of the world
Also: Donal

27. Duncan

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: brown-haired
Also: Donncheann, Donnchadh

27. Drummond

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: ridge; from Drummond (which could be the modern Scottish village Drymen)

29. Eachann

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: keeper of horses

30. Ewart

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: wealthy guardian

31. Fletcher

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: arrowsmith

32. Forbes

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: field; after the Scottish Forbes clan

33. Gilleasbuig

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: sacred and bold, servant of the bishop

34. Gilmat

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: sword bearer

35. Gilmore

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: servant of the virgin Mary

36. Gilroy

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: red-haired boy

37. Goraidh

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: peaceful, God's peace

38. Gordon

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: spacious, fort

39. Gunn

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: battle; after the Scottish clan Gunn

40. Hamish

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: Gaelic form of James

41. Harailt

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: leader

42. Iain

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: God is gracious; Scottish version of Ian

43. Jock

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: God is gracious; Scottish form of John

44. Keir

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: ancient fort; from a place in Dunblane
Also: Kier

45. Keith

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: woodland, forest

46. Laird

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: lord of the land

47. Lamond

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: from the Scottish clan Lamont
Also: Lamont

48. Lachlann

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: warrior, from the land of the lochs
Also: Lachlan

49. Mungo

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: beloved, my pet; the name of the patron saint of Glasgow

50. Murdoch

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: leader of the sea, sailor
Also: Murdock

51. Nechtan

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: pure; after a king of the Picts

52. Norval

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: from the northern town

53. Rab

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: bright, shining; Scottish Gaelic form of Robert
Also: Rabbie

54. Tearlach

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: strong

54. Teigue

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: poet, philosopher

56. Wallace

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: foreigner, from Wales

Modern Scottish baby boy names

Looking for a Scottish boy name with a bit more of a contemporary vibe? We've found you loads to choose from. Some of them, like Conall and Cory, are names that had almost fallen into disuse before they gained present-day popularity. Others, like Fraser and Campbell, have been re-purposed from traditional names Scottish surnames to give them a fresh first name appeal...

57. Alastair

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: defender of men; a modern variant of Alasdair
Also: Alistair, Alastair

58. Blair

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: meadow, field

59. Bryce

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: speckled, freckled

60. Callum

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: dove
Also: Calum, Kallum

61. Campbell

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: crooked mouth; after the Scottish clan Campbell

62. Carmichael

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: Michael’s fort

63. Caol

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: slender, narrow

64. Conall

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: strong wolf
Also: Conal

65. Corran

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: little spear, spear carrier

66. Cory

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: from the hollow

67. Craig

Origin: Scottish/Gaelic/Welsh
Meaning: rocklike, dependable

68. Fife

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: after the Scottish district of Fife
Also: Fyfe

69. Findlay

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: fair-haired warrior

70. Fraser

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: strawberry flowers; of the forest men; after the Scottish clan Fraser
Also: Frazer, Frazier, Frasier

71. Grant

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: large, tall

72. Gregor

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: vigilant

73. Kameron

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: crooked nose; variant of Cameron

74. Kennedy

Origin: Scottish/Irish
Meaning: helmeted chief

75. Kenneth

Origin: Scottish/Irish
Meaning: handsome; after the Scottish king
Also: Ken, Kenny

76. Kirk

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: of the church

77. Knox

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: round-topped hill

78. Lennox

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: with many elm trees, from the region of Glasgow

79. Lindsay

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: island of linden trees; after the Scottish clan Lindsay

80. Lomond

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: beacon mountain

81. Lorne

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: fox
Also: Lorn

82. Lyle

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: from the island, the name has been traced to Radulphus de Insula, an 11th-century Lord of Duchal Castle in Scotland

83. Macaulay

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: son of righteousness

84. Mackenzie

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: fair; variant of Mackenzie

85. Malcolm

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: disciple of saint Columba
Also: Mal, Malk, Malkie

86. Maxwell

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: Mack's stream or spring; from the place on the river Tweed

87. Monroe

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: mouth of the river
Also: Munro, Munroe

88. Murray

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: from the land by the sea; from the area of Moray
Also: Moray

89. Rowan

Origin: Scottish & Irish
Meaning: little redhead

90. Stuart

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: steward
Also: Stewart

91. Sinclair

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: renowned, illustrious

Unusual Scottish baby boy names

Maybe you're after a boy name that's not only Scottish but special: something that's so uncommon, it will mark your baby boy out as unique. We've found some brilliant unusual baby boy names with Scottish origins: some of them have always had an awesome exclusivity about them; others have had moments of popularity decades ago but are now wonderfully rare and extraordinary.

92. Athol

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: from Atholl, a district in Scotland
Also: Atholl

93. Aulay

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: ancestor's descendant
Also: Auley

94. Bac

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: sand bank

95. Baird

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: poet, singer of ballads

96. Balloch

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: village on the loch

97. Boyd

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: yellow, blonde

98. Calder

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: rough waters or streams

99. Dalziel

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: bright meadow or valley

100. Dinsmore

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: fortified hill

101. Eachan

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: brown horse
Also: Eachaun and Eacheann

102. Errol

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: nobleman, wanderer

103. Erskine

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: high cliff

104. Farlan

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: son of the furrows

105. Farquhar

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: very dear one

106. Fingal

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: blonde stranger

107. Gilchrist

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: Christ’s servant
Also: Gil

108. Kelso

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: chalk ridge

109. Kerr

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: marsh dweller

110. Mingus

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: tenants of a manor

111. Lochlin

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: from the land of lakes

112. Lockie

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: warlike, from the land of the lochs; short form of Lachlan

113. Nairn

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: river with alder trees

114. Ogilvy

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: high place
Also: Olgilvie

115. Oisein

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: little deer
Also: Ossian

116. Paton

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: royal
Also: Payton

117. Quany

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: proud

118. Quarrie

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: proud
Also: Quare, Quarry

119. Roban

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: bright fame, a person from Peeblesshire

120. Robertson

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: son of Robert

121. Rosston

Origin: Scottish/Gaelic
Meaning: headland, cape

123. Ruairidh

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: red king
Also: Ruaridh, Ruairi, Ruaraidh, Rhuairidh, Ruairi, Ruari

124. Ruskin

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: from a family of tanners

125. Seumas

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: the Gaelic form of James

126. Sholto

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: sower

127. Tavish

Origin: Scottish/Gaelic
Meaning: a Gaelic form of Thomas

128. Torquil

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: Thor’s helmet

129. Tor

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: from the craggy hill

130. Urquhart

Origin: Scottish/Gaelic
Meaning: thicket, by a rowan wood
Also: Urchardan

131. Wiley

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: resolute protection

What are the most popular baby boy names in Scotland?

Here are the 20 most popular boy names in Scotland, according to the official list from the National Records of Scotland.

As you'll see, they're not all Scottish in origin, with Scottish parents drawing inspiration from Greek or Latin-origin names, as well as traditionally English ones:

Jack. Origin: English; Meaning: God is gracious

Noah. Origin: Hebrew; Meaning: rest or repose

Leo. Origin: Latin; Meaning: lion

Oliver. Origin: Latin, French; Meaning: olive tree planter

Harris. Origin: Greek, Meaning: son of Harry

Finlay. Origin: Scottish; Meaning: blonde warrior

Lewis. Origin: English; Meaning: renowned warrior

James. Origin: Hebrew; Meaning: supplanter

Rory. Origin: Scottish; Meaning: red-haired

Alexander. Origin: Latin; Meaning: man's defender, warrior

Brodie. Origin: Scottish; Meaning: ditch, muddy place

Alfie. Origin: English; Meaning: elf, counsel, wise

Charlie. Origin: English; Meaning: free man

Theo. Origin: Greek; Meaning: God's gift

Archie. Origin: Scottish/German; Meaning: brave

Lucas. Origin: Latin; Meaning: bringer of light

Mason. Origin: English; Meaning: stone worker

Finn. Origin: Scottish; Meaning: fair-haired

Thomas. Origin: Hebrew; Meaning: twin

Freddie. Origin: German; Meaning: peaceful ruler

Scottish Gaelic baby boy names

Scottish or Scots Gaelic is a language that developed out of Old Irish and has been spoken and written in Scotland since the 13th century, and until at least the 17th century, was the common language of most Scots. There are many fewer native speakers these days but Scottish Gaelic baby boy names remain popular choices both inside and outside Scotland for their tough, rugged sound and the proud centuries of history they evoke.

132. Aibne

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: river

133. Ailbeart

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: noble, bright, shiny; Scottish Gaelic name for Albert

134. Aillig

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: from a rocky location

135. Aindrea

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: man of warrior; Scottish Gaelic name for Andrew

136. Aonghas

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: one choice; Scottish Gaelic name for Angus
Also: Aenghus, Aonghus

137. Balgair

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: fox

138. Bothain

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: person who lives in a stone house

139. Cailean

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: pup, young dog; Scottish Gaelic name for Colin
Also: Cailin

140. Coinneach

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: handsome

141. Daibhidh

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: beloved; Scottish Gaelic name for David

142. Deorsa

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: farmer

143. Donal

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: brown-haired fighter; Scottish Gaelic name for George

144. Ewan

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: born of youth, God is gracious
Also: Ewen, Euan, Euoghan

145. Fearghas

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: the strong one
Also: Fergus

145. Griorgair

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: vigilant; the Scottish Gaelic name for Gregor

146. Nathair

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: a snake

147. Raghnall

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: ruler’s adviser; the Scottish Gaelic name for Ronald
Also: Ranald

148. Raibeart

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: bright fame; Scottish Gaelic name for Robert

149. Somhairle

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: summer wanderer
Also: Sorley

150. Ualan

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: strength, health; the Scottish Gaelic name for Valentine

151. Uarraig

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: fierce pride

152. Uisdean

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: forever stone, intelligent

Cool Scottish baby boy names

If you like the Scottish burr but you're wanting boy names with more style than tradition, this next group of super-cool names is for you. All of them have their origins firmly in Scotland but they are names that slide off the tongue in smooth, chilled style.

153. Adie

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: noble; a variant of Adam

154. Alick

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: defender of men; Scottish version of Alec
Also: Ainsley, Annesly

155. Ansley

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: one's own meadow
Also: Ainsley, Annesly

156. Blaine

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: yellow

157. Braden

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: salmon

158. Brice

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: speckled or freckled

159. Bryson

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: son of Brice

160. Camden

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: meander valley

161. Chatton

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: after the Scottish clan Chatton

162. Clyde

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: after the Scottish river Clyde

163. Darach

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: oak

164. Drew

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: manly; short form of Andrew

165. Ellar

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: a butler

166. Evander

Origin: Scottish/Greek
Meaning: good man, strong man

167. Innes

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: one strength; variant of Angus

168. Kai

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: fire, keeper of keys

168. Kester

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: carrier of Christ; short form of Christopher

169. Ludo

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: famous warrior; short form of Ludovic

17o. Lyall

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: loyal

171. Niven

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: little saint

172. Quinn

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: descendant of the chief

173. Ramsay

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: wild island
Also: Ramsey

174. Ross

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: headland

175. Scotty

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: from Scotland; after the Celtic name Scott

Strong Scottish baby boy names

These Scottish boy names are all bold choices, with a ring of power and authority. Some, like Bhaltair and Caiden, have meanings that describe courage and vigour in battle, while others, like Acair and Tremaine have meanings that speak of inner firmness and fortitude.

176. Acair

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: anchor

177. Arran

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: ridged island; after the Scottish isle

178. Bhaltair

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: strong warrior

179. Caelen

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: victorious people

180. Caiden

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: battle, fighter, fiery

181. Carrick

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: a rock; from the district Carrick

182. Dand

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: warrior

183. Iver

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: archer, bow warrior

184. Laith

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: lion

185. Magnus

Origin: Scottish/Scandinavian
Meaning: great, mighty, important

186. Manas

Origin: Scottish/Scandinavian
Meaning: great, mighty, important; a shortened form of Magnus

187. Marcus

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: hammer

188. Murdo

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: son of the sea warrior

189. Niall

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: a champion

190. Neilan

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: champion; a variant of Niall

191. Ritchie

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: brave, strong; a shortened version of Richard

192. Rodric

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: rule; after the last king of the Goths
Also: Rodrick

193. Ronald

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: ruler’s adviser
Also: Ron, Ronnie

194. Shaw

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: wolf

195. Sloan

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: military leader

196. Taggart

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: son of the priest
Also: Teggart, Tegart, Tagart

197. Tasgal

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: god, cauldron

198. Torran

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: chief
Also: Torin

199. Tremaine

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: settlement stone

When do I have to choose my baby boy's name by?

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland new parents have 42 days to register their baby’s name once they are born. In Scotland, you will be expected to register your baby’s birth (and name) within 3 weeks of their birth.

Once you've picked your newborn's name, contact your local register office for an appointment to go in and register their birth.

You will need to take some identification with you on the day to prove who you are and some registrars may ask to see your baby’s red book, which is their personal health record. When you register the birth, you will be asked your baby’s full name as well as details about when and where they were born.

The birth must be registered by the baby’s mother or father. If you are unmarried and go to the register office alone, you will need to bring a declaration of parentage form signed by the other parent with you.

Short Scottish baby boy names

If you're looking for a Scottish name that's short and punchy – maybe because your child will have a long, multi-syllabic surname– this next group is for you. All of the Scottish baby boy names in this next group are no more than 5 letters long, and have been selected for their strong but simple style. Some of them are diminutive versions of other Scottish names – like Gil, which comes from Gilchrist – but others are short but perfectly formed baby boy names in their own right.

200. Alan

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: Little Rock

201. Bean

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: life

202. Coll

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: chief

203. Doug

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: black river, dark stream

204. Dow

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: black-haired

205. Duff

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: dark-haired man

206. Evin

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: swift

207. Fyn

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: blonde warrior

208. Gil

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: Christ's servant; short form of Gilchrist

209. Gus

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: one strength; short form of Angus

210. Hay

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: lives by an enclosure; after the Scottish clan Hay

211. Jim

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: heel, supplanter; short form of James

212. Kyle

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: a narrow piece of land

213. Mac

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: son

214. Mathe

Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: bear

215. Ness

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: from the headland

216. Rae

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: grace, shy

217. Ray

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: lives by the brook

218. Todd

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: fox

219. Willy

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: resolute protector; shortened form of William

Nature-inspired Scottish baby boy names

Scotland is a land of wide, open highlands, lowlands and islands, all brimming with natural beauty – so it's no surprise that there are some lovely Scottish boy names that have meanings that reflect the natural world. We've gathered together a group of brilliant boy names that pay homage to the glorious Scottish landscape – plus one name, Gavan, that's named after a white hawk.

220. Annan

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: water

221. Balfour

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: farmhouse with grass, village by the pasture

222. Barclay

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: birch tree meadow

223. Bruce

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: willow lands

224. Cullen

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: beyond the river

225. Culley

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: woodland

226. Irving

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: fresh water

227. Glen

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: valley
Also: Glenn

228. Gavan

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: white hawk
Also: Gavin

229. Kelvin

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: narrow water

230. Muir

Origin: Scottish
Meaning: moorland

How to choose the right Scottish name for your baby boy
So you've gone through our list and picked out all the baby boy names you like – but how do you narrow these picks down to the one that's right for your baby?
To help you out, here are some tips to bear in mind when discussing your short (or long!) list with your partner:
Think about the impression it makes. Do you want the name to reflect tradition and honour your family history or be trendy, quirky or unusual?
Practise saying it out loud. See if you can imagine using it on a daily basis. Test it out with your surname and any middle name choices too. Don't forget to check what your child’s initials would be.
Think about nicknames. Would you mind people changing it or shortening it into a nickname or pet name? Or is it important to choose a name which cannot be shortened?
Consider the meaning. Is it important that the meaning has real significance to you and your partner?
Think about how other people will see it. Does it matter to you that it's easy to spell and pronounce? Will your or your child constantly be correcting people?
Check whether your favourite names appear on the most popular lists in the UK. If they do, this means you’re not alone in loving it, but it also means when you call your son's name in the playground, several other children might turn round too.
Don’t rush the decision. It’s fine to wait until you meet your baby to see whether your favourite name actually suits him. You could even test it out for a few hours before announcing it to the world and making it official.

Pic: Getty Images

Helen BrownHead of Content Delivery

Helen is author of the classic advice book Parenting for Dummies and a mum of 3. Before joining MadeForMums, she was Head of Community at Mumsnet and also the Consumer Editor of Mother & Baby.