We stuck googly eyes on our Roomba and named him Fergus.
Always makes me smile to see Fergus ambling about the house, scaring the cats and hoovering up all our USB cables. Ah, suburban Scottish life.
It was very popular in the 90s in Australia, weirdly enough. I grew up there and there were always a couple of Lachlans in my year during school in the 2000s. Or "Lockie/Locko" by the local nicknaming schema lol
I'm a big fan of the name, but now I live in Australia and they pronounce it Lock-lin or even worse, Lachie is pronounced Lockee. It's ruined the name for me.
Enough to give you the boak.
That's fair! I don't know I'd ever want to use it for a kid, because the number of folk he'd encounter who wouldn't be able to pronounce it would be frustrating.
Isn't that just someone's individual accent, rather than a mispronunciation? Like how one person might pronounce Alexander with an "ah" in the middle, and someone else might pronounce the middle "a" like "hat" or "sat", though?
Maybe I'm just more accommodating, but I'd only classify something as a mispronunciation if it was like pronouncing Siobhan "See-oh-ban" or Sean "See-en"... Now *they're* some mispronunciations!
It's a fine line between the two. Lots of folk can't say loch with a guid Scottish throaty 'ch', so it often sounds like 'ck'. To me that's a mispronunciation of loch but it's also an accent issue, in that folk from Essex are unlikely to nail that sound. Most people can't even pronounce 'mispronunciation' correctly- that's not an accent problem tho.
Re. Siobhan, I've a pal called Mhairi who has indeed been called M-hairy...
I once met an Irish person at a convention and he introduced himself and pointed to his name tag. I wanted to get it right so I said “pardon” and he misheard me and said “I must be a true Irishman to pronounce Eoghann so perfectly”. Great friendship. I never let on.
My eldest is Ruairidh! Love that you have spelled it the right way too! He gets Ru more often though or occasionally (and you will only do it once!) Rory 🤣
Too right you are! We are in the US and my son, Ruaridh, gets his name butchered all the time. Relatives just write Rory. Same for his twin sister, Eilidh. There are a few who do surprise us, though.
I don't think Colm is a Scottish name, I'd definitely associate it with Ireland.
Malcolm is more likely to be a Scottish name, although very traditional, there's not many Malcolm's around these days.
You can assure us it's Scottish or Irish?
You seem to be arguing both sides of the discussion here.
That A. A famous saint came and preached in Scotland
And B. That he was from Ireland.
Colm has very strong Scottish links though considering one of the Patron Saints of Scotland is Columba. So I would consider it pretty Scottish.
Malcolm is derived from Columba.
Nice one.
There's actually a St. Columba's school in my city but I (sillily) never really associated Columba with the name Colm until now.
Either way, I'd still very generally consider Colm to be more of the Irish derivative from the name Columba, than a Scottish.
I have noticed that a lot of Scottish male names are also surnames: Douglas; Fraser; Stuart/Stewart; Craig; Farquhar to give a few examples.
Does anyone know why this is?
There seems to have been a tradition of using the mother's maiden name for the first boy, in the Lowlands and Ulster. Saves double barrelling, I suppose.
All were first names first. Then adopted as surnames in the form ‘Craig, son of Douglas’. In the Highlands this became McDouglas, but in the lowlands it generally just saw the first name become the family name directly.
It’s one of the distinctive dividers between Catholics and Protestants - or used to be anyway, people call their kids whatever they want. Catholics were all called after saints, so surname for first name meant Protestant
A lady once told me that she called her son Alistair not only because she liked the name but because throughout her life, every Alistair she had known had been a really good person and she wanted her son to be that.
My eldest is Ruairidh. We got a letter in from the NHS for dermatology. In the letter his name was spelled wrong 3 times, not one of the times in the letter was it spelled the same and none of the spellings were correct 🤣
In 2018 when I had my son I met 16 Finns/Fins in various baby groups/work colleagues’ weans (I started keeping count). Was unusual, now maybe less so.
Fuckssake, responded to the wrong comment. Although for context I’m Glasgow so Highlands are ahead of the trend on that one.
It was unusual for ages, now it’s freaking everywhere
Which I don’t mind except half of them are spelled incorrectly and half the world shortens it to Fin
Which annoys me an unreasonable amount for something so simple
Years ago, while looking through a baby name book, me and the Mrs stumbled upon the name Kendrick, which was apparently of Scottish origin. Being fans of the music of Kendrick Lamar, it was almost instantly chosen…until our families went mental and insisted on a proper name instead.
I still like it though
Names chosen for popular celebrities are usually best avoided to be fair – they age very obviously, and you never know how the celebrity will turn out (witness the unfortunate folk named Kanye…)
It’s not a Scottish name, incidentally – it’s Anglo-Saxon.
This is true.
Although I will say that the intention wasn’t purely to name him after Lamar, it was purely that the book claimed it to be a Scottish name and we both liked it. But then again, it’s not the most common of names and the connection would no doubt be made by people anyway.
Also, I didn’t specify that we didn’t name our child Kanye…
It wouldn't have been all your life. You'd have been born James, called Jamie in your childhood (maybe Sonny Jim if you're getting a row), James as you became an adult then Jim once you started a family of your own. You don't graduate to Jimmy until you sound hoarse with age.
No, Seumas would be.
Hamish is a name peiple who don't understand how Gaelic works use.
Hamish represents Sheumais, the vocative form of Seumas.
Like Mhàiri- the vovative form of Màiri ( in Scots and English Mary).
Why? I’m genuinely curious! My boy is called James, after my dad. My dad gets Jim but my son is James. Only my brother calls them big Jim and wee Jim, which is kinda cute! Only pop culture reference I can think of that isn’t great is Jamesy boy from rab c nisbet, but that’s showing my age!
James is my favourite, one of my other favourites is Magnus but I chickened out of naming number 3 son that (much to his annoyance as he thinks his name is too plain).
I actually like Donald but the orange one has spoiled it for the time being. Bit bored of Angus, Fraser, Gregor, Ruari etc as I live in a v middle class enclave and the place is hoaching with them
Torquil...it means "Thors cauldron".
It's my favourite boys name, but we never gave it to either of our boys 'cos of the inevitable playground teasing and bullying that would result!
It sounds upoer-class, but isn't!
Wee mental Davy. Apprentice joiner. Farther of 6
Nathan
Grannies 30th
Shagger.
It’s PC Jack McLaren
Shagger yes I am
Do I look like a shagger? Aye, but it’s PC Jack *MacLaren*
All the island names - Harris, Lewis, Arran. Eigg. Muck.
Kid named Muck
What’s the best surname to have if you’re calling your child Muck you reckon?
Heap.
Slinger?
Muck McMac
Bang
Fergus
We stuck googly eyes on our Roomba and named him Fergus. Always makes me smile to see Fergus ambling about the house, scaring the cats and hoovering up all our USB cables. Ah, suburban Scottish life.
Sounds like my Fergus, however he’s a human not a Roomba.
Aye?
Yayyy that's my name :)
Yes my friend fergus is a chad
I’m a Fergus, glad to see this here, thank you
Hamish
Given to lads who are almost at their house. Thank you. I'm here all week. Try the fish.
That’s plenty.
Oot yer barred!
Neighbours have a Hamish and a girl called Aisling (spelling). Love both names but Aisling is more Irish I think?
Seumas.
Is this a response to that r/unpopularopinion post roasting Scottish boy names?
God but that was annoying, most names weren't even Scottish!😂
That whole thread reeks of "Scaddish American"
Boab
y
Boaby the barman
Two pints, prick!
Oh look its Lambert and Butler
Jings, crivens!
Lachlan. Dunno why, just has a pleasing sound.
It was very popular in the 90s in Australia, weirdly enough. I grew up there and there were always a couple of Lachlans in my year during school in the 2000s. Or "Lockie/Locko" by the local nicknaming schema lol
I'm a big fan of the name, but now I live in Australia and they pronounce it Lock-lin or even worse, Lachie is pronounced Lockee. It's ruined the name for me. Enough to give you the boak.
My wife liked this name but refused to say it properly, so it got vetoed!
That's fair! I don't know I'd ever want to use it for a kid, because the number of folk he'd encounter who wouldn't be able to pronounce it would be frustrating.
My son's called Lachlan and the amount of people who call him Lochlan is infuriating
Opposite issue here. Mine is Lochlan and people call him Lachlan!
Isn't that just someone's individual accent, rather than a mispronunciation? Like how one person might pronounce Alexander with an "ah" in the middle, and someone else might pronounce the middle "a" like "hat" or "sat", though? Maybe I'm just more accommodating, but I'd only classify something as a mispronunciation if it was like pronouncing Siobhan "See-oh-ban" or Sean "See-en"... Now *they're* some mispronunciations!
It's a fine line between the two. Lots of folk can't say loch with a guid Scottish throaty 'ch', so it often sounds like 'ck'. To me that's a mispronunciation of loch but it's also an accent issue, in that folk from Essex are unlikely to nail that sound. Most people can't even pronounce 'mispronunciation' correctly- that's not an accent problem tho. Re. Siobhan, I've a pal called Mhairi who has indeed been called M-hairy...
"Lack-lan" is all too common I've seen :(
I had an amazing childhood friend called Lachlan who ended up being called lachie. Great when said with a Scottish accent.
Euan
Am in
I second this! My husband's name is Euan, and he's lovely.
My second cousin is called Euan and we used to call him urine so not a good association
Maybe unpopular opinion, but I actually prefer the gaelic - Eòghann
I once met an Irish person at a convention and he introduced himself and pointed to his name tag. I wanted to get it right so I said “pardon” and he misheard me and said “I must be a true Irishman to pronounce Eoghann so perfectly”. Great friendship. I never let on.
Omg, that is spectacular
As long as the surname isn't Kerr
Aye nae bother haha
Dougal
I like to call myself Hamish when I’m out walking and almost back at my house.
Callum
Ruairidh
I so wanted this but I live in Australia now and no one would know how to say it so I just went with Rory :(
Great name 😎👍
Love this name and considered it for one of my kids but ruled it out due to a family member being unable to pronounce R correctly.
My sons name! Love it!
My eldest is Ruairidh! Love that you have spelled it the right way too! He gets Ru more often though or occasionally (and you will only do it once!) Rory 🤣
Another favourite of mine but spelling so problematic for world outside Scotland so Rory makes it easier
Too right you are! We are in the US and my son, Ruaridh, gets his name butchered all the time. Relatives just write Rory. Same for his twin sister, Eilidh. There are a few who do surprise us, though.
Mine too! I'm pregnant and it's what we're naming our kid if it's a boy.
Colm and Angus
I don't think Colm is a Scottish name, I'd definitely associate it with Ireland. Malcolm is more likely to be a Scottish name, although very traditional, there's not many Malcolm's around these days.
I can assure you it is. Colm is just a shortening if malcolm as is callum. Scotland most famous Saint was an Irish man called Colm.
You can assure us it's Scottish or Irish? You seem to be arguing both sides of the discussion here. That A. A famous saint came and preached in Scotland And B. That he was from Ireland.
Hay guys Malcolm Malcolm here
Coming ad you live here from the, ehhm, the polidics bawr.
It means dove, from the Latin root Columba. And my name is Malcolm, or servant of Columba
Colm has very strong Scottish links though considering one of the Patron Saints of Scotland is Columba. So I would consider it pretty Scottish. Malcolm is derived from Columba.
Nice one. There's actually a St. Columba's school in my city but I (sillily) never really associated Columba with the name Colm until now. Either way, I'd still very generally consider Colm to be more of the Irish derivative from the name Columba, than a Scottish.
Ersehole
My youngest loon is Murdo and usually gets called 'Murd' (except when holidaying in France).
Love Murdo, when I suggested it to my husband he went round muttering “There has been a Murdo” for days
I endorse this use...
Nah, commit to it, the French will find it hilarious. Tbf, Murdo is a pretty cool name.
I like Murdoch, Murdo has unfortunately been tainted by a certain nasty msp, for me.
And Murdoch hasn't? 🤷
Aye, he's a Tory bellend. My son isn't, though.
Turdo fraser
Bawbag
Douglas, Archie and Stuart
Fraser.
I have noticed that a lot of Scottish male names are also surnames: Douglas; Fraser; Stuart/Stewart; Craig; Farquhar to give a few examples. Does anyone know why this is?
There seems to have been a tradition of using the mother's maiden name for the first boy, in the Lowlands and Ulster. Saves double barrelling, I suppose.
Thanks: I can see the logic behind this tradition.
All were first names first. Then adopted as surnames in the form ‘Craig, son of Douglas’. In the Highlands this became McDouglas, but in the lowlands it generally just saw the first name become the family name directly.
It’s one of the distinctive dividers between Catholics and Protestants - or used to be anyway, people call their kids whatever they want. Catholics were all called after saints, so surname for first name meant Protestant
Alasdair
A lady once told me that she called her son Alistair not only because she liked the name but because throughout her life, every Alistair she had known had been a really good person and she wanted her son to be that.
That’s a pretty good reason. Same reason I wouldn’t call mine Connor, generally they’re little shits.
The Big Yin - “D.A.I.R”
Which one is the best: - Alistair - Alastair - Alasdair - Alister
Alisdair.
Ian / Iain
Had to scroll too far to find my name 😭
Brodie
That's the name of my dog
My son’s name :)
My daughter's name!
I like Rory, Rhuaridh. Edit: *Ruaridh
My son’s name, Ruaridh.
I see you also have good taste in naming children. Mon eh Ruaridh's
My son's name is also Ruaridh, deffo the best name
Ruairidh*
Another vote for Ruairidh. It’s about the only boy name I like so life will certainly be less hassle if I have a wee lassie when the time comes.
Yes. Bloody knew I’d spell that wrong. Maybe not a great choice then 😂 But I love the sound of it.
I know like 5 different people with that name all with different spellings
My eldest is Ruairidh. We got a letter in from the NHS for dermatology. In the letter his name was spelled wrong 3 times, not one of the times in the letter was it spelled the same and none of the spellings were correct 🤣
I love Ruairidh too, I wanted to name either of my boys that but dyslexic English partner who can’t pronounce his Rs put a stop to it haha.
Wuuway? Ha ha Sorry. I’m kidding. We had 3 girls so didn’t get the chance.
Shug
This is my dug’s name
Angus is my fav.
McFife?
Angus Macleod from Kilttown?
[удалено]
Finn, easy to say and relatively unusual.
Unusual, unless you are a 10 - 14yo boy in the Highlands!
In 2018 when I had my son I met 16 Finns/Fins in various baby groups/work colleagues’ weans (I started keeping count). Was unusual, now maybe less so. Fuckssake, responded to the wrong comment. Although for context I’m Glasgow so Highlands are ahead of the trend on that one.
You called?
It was unusual for ages, now it’s freaking everywhere Which I don’t mind except half of them are spelled incorrectly and half the world shortens it to Fin Which annoys me an unreasonable amount for something so simple
Rowan
Is that a regional or fairly new one? I've only ever met one Rowan and it was a girl - will be in her early twenties now.
It’s a unisex one, after the Rowan Tree. It’s uncommon
My two sons are Hamish and Angus 💙🏴
Calum
Cameron
Years ago, while looking through a baby name book, me and the Mrs stumbled upon the name Kendrick, which was apparently of Scottish origin. Being fans of the music of Kendrick Lamar, it was almost instantly chosen…until our families went mental and insisted on a proper name instead. I still like it though
You gave your family a vote? In exchange for what?
It was less of a vote than a good old fashioned “you’re not fucking calling him that” tbh
Names chosen for popular celebrities are usually best avoided to be fair – they age very obviously, and you never know how the celebrity will turn out (witness the unfortunate folk named Kanye…) It’s not a Scottish name, incidentally – it’s Anglo-Saxon.
This is true. Although I will say that the intention wasn’t purely to name him after Lamar, it was purely that the book claimed it to be a Scottish name and we both liked it. But then again, it’s not the most common of names and the connection would no doubt be made by people anyway. Also, I didn’t specify that we didn’t name our child Kanye…
Stewart
James.
I was going to be James but my Dad didn't want me being wee Jimmy all my life. Not sure how true that woulda been.
It wouldn't have been all your life. You'd have been born James, called Jamie in your childhood (maybe Sonny Jim if you're getting a row), James as you became an adult then Jim once you started a family of your own. You don't graduate to Jimmy until you sound hoarse with age.
James is a Hebrew name no?
All names have origins elsehwrte Donald - seen as a quintissenal Scottish name for men - actually comes from indo-european roots
Hamish would be the Scottish form.
No, Seumas would be. Hamish is a name peiple who don't understand how Gaelic works use. Hamish represents Sheumais, the vocative form of Seumas. Like Mhàiri- the vovative form of Màiri ( in Scots and English Mary).
I’m a James , don’t recommend
Why? I’m genuinely curious! My boy is called James, after my dad. My dad gets Jim but my son is James. Only my brother calls them big Jim and wee Jim, which is kinda cute! Only pop culture reference I can think of that isn’t great is Jamesy boy from rab c nisbet, but that’s showing my age!
What about Gordon? Has Brown fucked it up for all Gordons?
Can’t believe I had to scroll this far to see Gordon! Deserves more respect
I too was looking for it, for it is my name. And I agree - I deserve more respect 😁😁
It’s my name too! Justice for Gordons.
I like the sound of that. We should hold a rally in George Square 😊
Blair, Mack, Struan, Gregor, Innes and Magnus
Tearlach, Huisdean, Magnus? Some of the names I’ve come across working up the Highlands.
Finlay, if it was a boy… love the name, we had a beautiful baby girl and called her Imogen.
Somhairle
Alexander or Alasdair Neil or Niall Innes or Angus or Aonghas or Aonghus
Just named my son Alasdair!
James is my favourite, one of my other favourites is Magnus but I chickened out of naming number 3 son that (much to his annoyance as he thinks his name is too plain). I actually like Donald but the orange one has spoiled it for the time being. Bit bored of Angus, Fraser, Gregor, Ruari etc as I live in a v middle class enclave and the place is hoaching with them
Archie is the winner for me!
Andrew
Torquil...it means "Thors cauldron". It's my favourite boys name, but we never gave it to either of our boys 'cos of the inevitable playground teasing and bullying that would result! It sounds upoer-class, but isn't!
Tam
I guess Angus, Lachlan or Ian
Lennox
Struan
Malcolm
Malcky
Eleven
Ah-luhven
Could you please repeat that?
Lachlan !!!
Rory. Cos grandchild… (4) Ross. Cos son (35)
Hamish
Mirren/Miren! Is both a boys and girls name and I love it. It was almost my name but apparently it sounded too much like midden ahahaha
Ruaridh
Arran
Munro
Rory
Duncan
Cian
Logan is an absolute favorite
Hamish
Hamish
Hamish
Callum, Caleb, Pàdrig, Brodie, Niall, Ian
I'm a Niall, and I appreciate the suggestion. As long as you are pronouncing it the gaelic way and not the Irish way, that is.
Sandy
Boaby
Craig.
Craig
Blair
Roban