Category Archives: Names

Bothan

Bothan-Origin and Meaning

The name Bothan or Bothain is derived from the Scottish Gaelic term for stone shelter or hut. The first known reference for Bothan was used in 1750 to describe rent-free stone dwellings in the Scottish Highlands.

These wilderness structures were temporarily utilised as farm outbuildings for laborers as they worked. The work was typically harsh and they developed a reputation for singing in the evenings. These songs, or Bothy Ballads, are rooted in the meaning of Bothan, which translates to “from the stone house.”

Popularity of the Name

Bothan or Bothain is a unique name that isn’t normally found outside of the UK, except in literature. It is commonly known as a boy’s name, as there haven’t been any reported variations of a feminine form.

The popularity of Bothan hasn’t reached the top 100 list of Scottish names since 1900, but it remains as a strong cultural name that is embedded in Scottish culture.

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Lennox

Origin of the Name Lennox


The name Lennox originates from Scotland. Lennox can be used as a boy’s name or a surname. Lennox, came from a place near Dumbarton. Although it’s rare, sometimes a girl can be named Lennox.

Meaning of Lennox

Lennox means with many elm trees. The meaning of Lennox is also from Levenach.

Popularity of Lennox

In 2018, Lennox ranked 371. In 2016, Lennox reached about 350 and dropped to 281 in 2017.

Famous People/Places Called Lennox

Earl of Lennox

The Earldom of Lennox was created in the 12th century beginning with Ailin. The Earldom of Lennox Lewis was established in the year 1154 by King Malcom IV.

Lennox Lewis

Lennox Lewis a British Heavy Weight Boxing Champion
Lennox Lewis a British Heavy Weight Boxing Champion

Lennox Lewis is a professional boxer, born in London in 1965. Lewis has been a boxer in the heavyweight division since 1989.

He won the world heavyweight championship three times.

The Lennox

The Lennox is a region in Scotland located at the center of the Vale of Leven. The Lennox is one of the seven ancient provinces that was formed in the middle ages in Scotland.

Lennox Cato

Lennox Cato’s an antique dealer born in 1961 in London, England to parents from West India. Cato specializes in 17th and 18th century furniture.

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Discover the meaning and popularity of other Scottish boys’ names.

Nicol

The name Nicol can be used as a first or last name. Nicol is a Scottish name and the form of the name Nicol, although it is normally given to Italian girls. Nicol as a given name is feminine or masculine .

Meaning of Nicol

Nicol means victoriuous.

Popularity of Nicol

In 1997, Nicol reached 1450 in popularity. The popularity of Nicol dipped and picked up in 2002 at 2868, continuing to rise a little until it dropped to 3197 in 2004. There was another rise to 2007 at 1126. Very steadily, Nicol slowly dropped; the latest report is 2015 at 2195.

Famous People with the Name Nicol

Nicol Williamson

Nicol Williamson was a British actor and singer born in 1936. He appeared in British and American dramatic films from 1956 1977 before retiring. John Osbourne considers Williamson as the greatest actor since Marlon Brando.

Andy Nicol

Andrew Douglas Nicol was born on March 12, 1971, in Dundee, Scotland. Nicol is known as a Scottish rugby player who won 23 cups. After his retirement from rugby playing, Nicol became manager of a seven base Scottish rugby team called Bone Steelers at Dubai for three consecutive and one consecutive season.

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Monroe

Meaning and Origin of the Name Monreo

The name “Monroe” is one that has a rich and historical meaning. The name Monroe is of Scottish/Gaelic origin. What is the meaning of Monroe? “From the river’s mouth.” the Latin meaning is “From the red marsh.” Today, it is considered to be primarily an American name.

Popularity

It has commonly been a boy’s name, but in some rare instances some girls have been named Monroe as a first name. Monroe is a surname, which means it can be used both as a first and last name. It still has a widespread currency to this day, which is a testimony of the popularity of Monroe.

In 2017, there were 2 babies given the name Monreo in Scotland.

Famous People with the Name Monreo

As was previously mentioned, the name Monroe has a name that has rich, historical meaning. Historical persons, places and articles have been connected to the Monroe name. Here are the following:

US President James Monroe
US President James Monroe
  • James Monroe-5th President of the United States
  • Monroe Doctrine- The Monroe Doctrine is a principle of US policy,devised by President James Monroe in 1823 that any nation outside of the United States meddling in its politics is an infringement on the domestic affairs of the nation is to be viewed as a threat to its policies.
  • Monroe Louisiana. The mayor of Monroe Louisiana is Jamie Mayo.
  • Monroe Morton-Famous African American builder or developer. Monroe Morton built the Monroe Building and Morton Theater, both located in Athens, Georgia.

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Discover the meaning and popularity of other Scottish boys’ names.

Ramsay

Meaning and Origin of the Name Ramsay

The name Ramsay comes from the ancient Scottish city “Hramsa,” which translates from Old English to “wild garlic.” Ramsay, as well as a first or given name name, is also a surname found in Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom, as well as other countries.

Popularity of Ramsay

Ramsay was not in the 100 most popular baby boys’ names in Scotland in 2017 (latest stats from the government).

Famous People Named Ramsay

When considering naming your baby Ramsay, you may want to think about some famous people named Ramsay.

Ramsay MacDonald – a British Prime Minister
  • Ramsay Bolton is a character from George R.R. Martin’s novel series A Song of Ice and Fire. He is also featured in the TV adaptation, “Game of Thrones.”
  • There is also Ramsay MacDonald, previous Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and one of the founders of the Labour Party.
  • Horror writer Ramsey Campbell, who has an alternative spelling of the name, is also notable.
  • One of the most popular people alive today with the name actually has it as a last name. Scottish-born Chef Gordon Ramsay is a famous restaurateur, food critic, and television personality. The name Ramsay certainly holds a lot of power.

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Discover the meaning and popularity of other Scottish boys’ names.

Jim

Meaning and Origin of the Name Jim

For anyone looking for an easy going name for their baby boy, the name Jim is a great choice and is a common name for those to remember.

Jim actually comes from a a Hebrew and Latin origin (Iacomus), and for those who are curious as to the meaning of Jim, it actually stands for “supplanter”.

Jim is often used as a pet form of the name James.

Popularity of the Name

There was only 1 baby with the first name Jim in Scotland in 2017. However, there were 6 babies with the name Jimmy and 368 babies called James.

So you would certainly expect many babies in Scotland to be called Jim although they are likely to be officially named James or Jimmy.

Famous People with the Name

The popularity of Jim has skyrocketed, and there are several of famous actors worldwide who have this name like comedian and actor Jim Carrey, singer and songwriter Jim Morrison, and English actor and stand-up comedian Jim Bowen.

Why choose the name Jim?

A lot of people who carry this name have a fond color towards blue, and when it comes to numerology and personality reasons, these type of people are very independent and have no problem living alone in their futures. A lot of these types of people tend to turn out very successful in their lives, and have a way of bringing forth a lot of admirers. Anyone born with the name Jim also tend to be easily broken hearted, and are very sensitive.

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Discover the meaning and popularity of other Scottish boys’ names on our website.

The name James

The name Jimmy

Lachie

Meaning and Origin of the Name Lachie

The masculine Scottish name Lachie was used as a given name in Scotland and Ireland during the early Middle Ages.

The meaning of Lachie is “the land filled with lakes”. Lachie was introduced to Scotland, during the Middle Ages. It originated from the Scottish Gaelic name Lachlan, which was spelled Lochlainn during the early Middle Ages. The name Lachie was initially utilized as a nickname, which signified Viking intruders of Scotland.

Popularity

Lachie was a famous name used throughout Scotland, England, New Zealand, and Australia. The popularity of Lachie isn’t very common. Although, it has been a top name in Australia for at least a decade.

Lachie came in at 91st on Scotland’s records in the year of 2017. It finally reached the top 1000 baby names for the first time in the United States in the year of 2013 and it ranked 98th.

How to Pronounce Lachie

Scottish individuals pronounce the first syllable of the name Lachie like “lack”, pronouncing the name like “Lack-lin”. Other countries pronounce the first syllable like “lock”, pronouncing the name like “Lock-lin”. So, it can be pronounced as either “Lack-lin” or “Lock-Lin”. Either way, it’s still a perfect name, that will fit a perfect little baby boy!

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Discover the meaning and popularity of other Scottish boys’ names.

Lachlan

Meaning and Popularity of the Name Lachlan

Every child’s name is special. Throughout the years, the name Lachlan was quite popular in Scotland; however, in recent years, the popularity of Lachlan has declined among new parents. In 2018, Lachland did not make it to the top 100 baby boys’ names in Scotland.

The meaning of Lachlan translates to Warlike in Scottish culture. Based on the meaning of Lachlan, it is referred from a Viking warrior and translates to land of lakes. Since Lachlan is not quite popular with new parents, there are famous people with the name.

Famous People with the Name Lochlan

During the medieval era, Lochlann of Galloway was a knight in Scotland. He was loyal to King William and as a reward for his loyalty, he earned a high rank in a title- Constable of the King of Scots, and land. With the land, he founded the Glenluce Abbey- a Catholic monastery, in which the ruins are still around today.

Richard Grieve plays Lachlan Fraser on the Australian soap Home and Away. On the show, he played a doctor who was a good guy. His appearance was brief but memorable.

Lachlan Grant was a Scottish doctor who worked in rural Scotland. Throughout his studies, he has done some research with tuberculosis in the later years; however, in his earlier years, his focus was on healthcare in rural Scotland. Though the name and meaning of Lachlan are referred to a Viking warrior, the men who are named after him, made a difference in Scottish culture.

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Discover the meaning and popularity of other Scottish boys’ names.

Keir

Meaning of Keir

Keir is a Scottish name and it’s a variation on the name Kerr.

Popularity

Keir was the 210th most popular baby boys’ name in Scotland in 2017 with 24 baby boys being given that name.

Famous People with the Name Keir

Keir Starmer the English Labour politician
Keir Starmer the English Labour politician
Keir Starmer the English Labour politician
British Labour Party politician and barrister Keir Starmer, who serves as the Member of Parliament for Holborn and St Pancras and Shadow Brexit Secretary. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel (QC) in 2002 and Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 2014 New Year Honours. Scottish trade unionist and politician Keir Hardie, who was a founder of the Labour Party, and served as its first parliamentary leader from 1906 to 1908. In 1879, he was elected leader of a miners’ union in Hamilton. American actor Keir Dullea, who is best known for his portrayals of astronaut David Bowman in the 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey and its 1984 sequel, 2010: The Year We Make Contact. English-born Canadian actor Keir Gilchrist is known for playing Marshall Gregson on Showtime’s original series United States of Tara, Craig Gilner in the 2010 comedy-drama film It’s Kind of a Funny Story, Paul in It Follows, and Sam Gardner in the Netflix original series Atypical.

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Discover the meaning and popularity of other Scottish boys’ names.

Jimmie

Meaning and Origin of the Name Jimmie

Name Jimmie: An alternative to the given name James. Has Latin origin and can be used as either masculine or feminine.

Meaning of Jimmie: Commonly a Hebrew name, the name means Supplanter which when translated means government or a ruler of a country.

The popularity of Jimmie

The name started taking off back in the mid-late 1800s and reach its peak between 1940-1950. The name has been on a slow but steady decline since the mid-1900s but still has a large amount of the population giving the name to future generations.

According to the Scottish government, in 2017, no baby was given the name Jimmie although James was the 3rd most popular name.

Famous People with the Name Jimmie

The singer Jimmie Vaughan
The singer Jimmie Vaughan

Here are a few famous people with the first name Jimmie:

  • Jimmie Allen: An American country music singer and known songwriter, his more recent albums include “Mercury Lane” and “Best Shot” which were produced by Broken Bow Records.
  • Jimmie Vaughan: An American Blues Rock Guitarist, he is also a singer for Austin, Texas. He is well known for being the older brother to a legendary blues guitarist, Stevie Ray Vaughan.
  • Jimmie Johnson: A well-known race car driver for the Nascar organization. He drives the #48 car and has won seven championships in the Monster Energy Cup series. He currently races full-time for the Monster Energy Series and has the sixth-most all-time Nascar Cup series wins. Born September 17th 1975, he is currently 43 years of age.

Beiste

Meaning of the name Beiste

Names are a fun and interesting thing to study because whether you know it or not, your name means something more than just a name. The name Beiste, in particular, is a name originating from Scotland.

The meaning of Beiste is basically beast or beastly.

Popularity

The popularity of Beiste is that it is not necessarily widely popular but it has gained some attention being mostly from the fact that popular glee character Shannon Beiste takes the name and wears it well.

In 2017, Beiste was not in the top baby boys’ names, in fact, no one in Scotland was given that name as a baby name.

Why choose the name?

The name itself has a great sound to it and really brings out the Scottish descent in a person allowing others to know where you come from.

It is also said to mean beastly as in powerful and can be interpreted as empowering and bringing forth great wrath.

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Discover the meaning and popularity of other Scottish boys’ names.

Broden

Meaning and Origin of the Name Broden

The name Broden is a Scottish male name and the meaning of the name is derived from the Scottish names of Brody or Brodie.

The Scottish meaning of the name Broden os from the Brodie Castle in Moray, Scotland.

There is also the Dutch meaning of the name is ‘Loaves of Bread’ and the Finnish and American meaning is Brother.

Popularity

The popularity of Broden is not at all popular however it was the 490th most popular baby boys’ name in Scotland in 2017.

Traits of people called Broden

People with this name have a strong desire to inspire others in a great way and like to share their own views on spiritual wonders.

People with this name tend to have things in an orderly fashion that allows others to build and dedicated to building their lives on a steady foundation. They value justice, and peace may be easy to anger with those who do not see things in the same manner. Managing and saving money is one of their strengths and they are good at building things in the world of manifestation. Very serious and conservative human beings.

People and Places with the name

People with the name include:

  • Stephen Broden former Republican from the state of Texas
  • John Broden another American politician.
  • and of course Broden Castle.

Paden

Meaning and Origin of the Name Paden

The Scottish name Paden wasn’t one of the most popular names for boys in 2017, but it is a nice sounding name with a simple meaning. “Little nobleman” is the meaning of Paden.

Popularity

Paden is not a popular baby boys’ name in Scotland and according to Scottish government records no baby was name Paden in 2017.

And, while the popularity of Paden and how it hasn’t been used often might make it seem obscure, there are some uses of the name that make it recognisable. There are a few famous people and places with the name Paden, and it is an easy name to pronounce.

Famous People and Places with the Name Paden

Paden Oklahoma is a small town in the United States. Jurica Paden is a famous singer and guitarist from Croatia. And, the playwright, producer, and stage actor John Emerson was given the name Clifton Paden at birth.

So, while the name isn’t popular, it is a boys name with simple spelling, and that is easy to recognize, and it also sounds good when it is spoken out loud.

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Discover the meaning and popularity of other Scottish boys’ names.

Hew

Meaning and Origin of Hew

In its earliest form, the name Hew was original spelt as ‘Hugh,’ and was derived from the Germanic word ‘hug,’ meaning “heart, mind, spirit.” In Old English, it was related to the word ‘hyge’ and, not surprisingly, was used to refer to someone who served in a household, particularly as a domestic helper.

Over time, the name was adopted by the nobility and, in France, it was common among dynastic leaders, including kings. When the name came to Scotland, by way of the Normans, the spelling changed to its modern variant: Hew.

Popularity of Hew

A unique name, Hew has not been on the 100 most common boys names in Scotland for at least the past 5 years (National Records of Scotland). However, several notable Hew’s can be found throughout history.

Famous People with the name Hew

Hew Strachan the Scottish military historian
Hew Strachan the Scottish military historian

In Scotland, 18th-Century Politician and Judge, Sir Hew Dalrymple, Lord North Berwick, was a Commissioner for the Articles of Union between England and Scotland. It was also the given name of Hew Ross, who served in the Irish Rebellion of 1798, as well as a commander in both the Peninsular War and the so-called Hundred Days (the period between Napoleon’s return from exile, until the second restoration of the King).

A contemporary namesake, Sir Hew Strachan, is a military historian and a Professor of International Relations at the University of St Andrews, as well as an award-winning author.

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Discover the meaning and popularity of other Scottish boys’ names.

Tormod

Meaning of Tormod

Tormod is a masculine Scottish boy name that comes from Germanic and Old Norse roots, meaning “North man” or “Thor’s mind.” “Thor-mod” translates to “mind, courage, and wrath.”

Norse conquerors first introduced the name Tormod to Gaelic speakers and have since been Anglicised as a meaning of Norman in Scotland. The name has been used in Gaelic, Scandinavian, and Scottish languages.

The popularity of Tormod

Since Tormod is a unique name, it was not found in the 100 most popular baby boys’ name in Scotland in 2017.

Famous People with the Name Tormod

Three of the most well-known individuals with the name Tormod is Tormod Macleod, Tormod MacGill-Eain, and Tormod Caimbeul.

  • Tormod Macleod is remembered as a west Highland Lord and son of Leod; traditional founder and eponymous ancestor of Clan MacLeod. His name is now known as the Scottish Gaelic name Sìol Thormoid, which means “seed of Tormod.”
  • Tormod MacGill-Eain is a famous Scottish Gaelic comedian, novelist, poet, musician and broadcaster, who passed in August 2017.
  • Tormod Caimbeul, a Scottish Gaelic novelist, poet, author of children’s literature, and translator, who is remembered today as one of the most important Gaelic writers of the twentieth century.

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Discover the meaning and popularity of other Scottish boys names on our website.