Irish/Scottish Names

Girl Names
1

My husband is of Scottish descent and I am Irish, and we have a very traditional Scottish surname. We’d like to honor our heritage with our children’s names, but we’re having a hard time coming up with Irish or Scottish girl’s names that we like. The following are names we like:

[name]Fiona[/name] (Probably would only be used as a mn because it’s too popular for our taste)
[name]Maeve[/name] ([name]Love[/name], but will most likely be used in mn spot)
[name]Saoirse[/name] ([name]Adore[/name] the name, but poses obvious pronunciation problems in the US)

To give you a glimpse of our style, some boy names we love are:

[name]Malcolm[/name]
[name]Cormac[/name]
[name]Clyde[/name] (Also a family name on my side)

2

From your list there, I like [name]Fiona[/name] and [name]Saoirse[/name]. [name]Do[/name] you want traditional spelling or anglicized?

Here’s both side by side for you, Irish on the left, anglicized on the right

Aibhlinn = [name]Eveline[/name] (pronounced ave-leen)
[name]Aideen[/name]
[name]Aileen[/name]
[name]Aine[/name] = [name]Anya[/name]
[name]Alannah[/name]
[name]Aoife[/name] = [name]Eva[/name]
[name]Aisling[/name] = [name]Ashling[/name]
[name]Branna[/name]
[name]Brigid[/name]/[name]Bridget[/name]
[name]Cathleen[/name]
[name]Caoimhe[/name] = [name]Keeva[/name]/[name]Keva[/name]
[name]Cara[/name]
[name]Cassidy[/name]
[name]Catriona[/name]
[name]Ciara[/name] = [name]Keira[/name]/[name]Kira[/name]
[name]Cleona[/name]
[name]Darcy[/name]
[name]Deirdre[/name]
[name]Eithne[/name] = [name]Enya[/name]
[name]Iona[/name]
[name]Kyla[/name]
[name]Meara[/name] (pronounced meer-ah)
[name]Niamh[/name] = Neeve/Neave
[name]Nora[/name]
[name]Roisin[/name] = [name]Rosaleen[/name] (pronounced row-sheen)
[name]Sinead[/name] = [name]Jane[/name] (pronounced shin-aid)
[name]Siobhan[/name] = [name]Shevaun[/name] (pronounced shiv-awn)

Scottish

[name]Ailsa[/name]
[name]Ainsley[/name]
[name]Bonnie[/name]
[name]Elspeth[/name]
[name]Ilisa[/name]
[name]Isla[/name]
[name]Rhona[/name]
[name]Roslyn[/name]

[name]Hope[/name] that helped a bit. :slight_smile:

3

I love your suggestions of [name]Meara[/name], [name]Brigid[/name], [name]Ailsa[/name] and especially [name]Cleona[/name]! [name]Do[/name] you know the history behind this name?

4

It’s from cliodhna. Cliodhna had three magical birds that could sing the sick to sleep and cure them. She falls in love with a mortal and leaves Tir-Na-Nog with him but when he goes off to hunt, leaving her on the beach, she is swept to sea by a great wave, leaving her lover desolate.

You can spell the name [name]Cliona[/name] or [name]Cleona[/name] (I just prefer the look of the e)

Here’s the story, if you’re interested in reading it. http://www.shee-eire.com/Magic&Mythology/Myths/Tuatha-De-Danann/Cliodna’s-Wave/Page1.htm

5

Can’t go wrong with Gaelic names… love them :slight_smile:

From your list I like [name]Maeve[/name] and [name]Fiona[/name] best. But [name]Saoirse[/name] is growing on my.

[name]Isla[/name] is my fave Scottish girl name. [name]Fiona[/name] is on my list too.

6

Thanks! I love the story behind the name and I love the nickname [name]Clio[/name]! That could definitely be a contender.

7

[name]Don[/name]'t forget [name]Kirsten[/name]/[name]Christian[/name] on the Scottish side, as well as [name]Isobel[/name], [name]Ishbel[/name], and [name]Morag[/name], [name]Shona[/name], and [name]Mairi[/name].

8

You’re so lucky to have both Scottish and Irish heritage to pick from! A lot of the celtic names are really popular now though. Some less popular girls ones are:

[name]Mairi[/name]
[name]Shona[/name]
[name]Elspeth[/name]
[name]Aislinn[/name]

9

[name]Maeve[/name] is a favorite of mine! Also,

[name]Ailsa
Aoife
Ainsley
Iona
Roisin[/name]
[name]Siobhan[/name]

10

I’m surprised no one has suggested [name]Lorna[/name] yet, always been one of my favorites and very Scottish. [name]Flora[/name] as well.

11

Ooh I love [name]Lorna[/name] and [name]Elspeth[/name]!

12

from your list I love [name]Matilda[/name], [name]Olive[/name], [name]Fiona[/name], [name]Iris[/name], [name]Gwyneth[/name], [name]Thea[/name], [name]Helena[/name], and [name]Genevieve[/name]. for boys I like [name]Linus[/name], [name]Cedric[/name], [name]Silas[/name], [name]Conrad[/name], [name]Arthur[/name], [name]Simon[/name], [name]Malcolm[/name], [name]Sullivan[/name], and [name]Theodore[/name]. I also like…
girls: [name]Bridget[/name], [name]Aisling[/name], [name]Aislinn[/name], [name]Katie[/name], [name]Aoife[/name], [name]Eimile[/name], [name]Caitlin[/name], [name]Siobhan[/name], [name]Leanne[/name], Victeoiria, Isibéal, [name]Kathleen[/name], [name]Abaigeal[/name], [name]Christie[/name], [name]Emma[/name], [name]Lucy[/name], and [name]Erin[/name]
boys: [name]Connor[/name], [name]Shawn[/name]/[name]Sean[/name], [name]Eoin[/name], [name]James[/name], [name]Seamus[/name], [name]Jack[/name], Néall, [name]Adam[/name], [name]Ian[/name], [name]Evan[/name], [name]Ryan[/name], [name]Dylan[/name], [name]Cillian[/name], [name]Reece[/name], [name]William[/name], [name]Liam[/name], [name]Patrick[/name], and Pádraig

13

There’s also [name]Eilidh[/name] (ay-lee), a Scottish girl’s name which is a form of [name]Helen[/name], and the similar [name]Eilish[/name] (eye-leesh) which I believe is Irish (sister’s friend’s sister’s name, Irish family so…)

14

[name]Ciara[/name] ([name]Keera[/name])
[name]Niamh[/name] (Neeve)
[name]Aoife[/name] (Ee-fa)
[name]Aideen[/name]
[name]Clare[/name]
[name]Mairead[/name] (Mah-rade)
[name]Roisin[/name] ([name]Ro[/name]-sheen)
Sive or [name]Sadhbh[/name] (Sive, rhyming with hive)
Laoi ([name]Lee[/name])
[name]Eire[/name] ([name]Ireland[/name])
[name]Cait[/name] (Coyt)
[name]Ailbhe[/name] ([name]Alva[/name])
Ríona ([name]Reena[/name])
[name]Aoibheann[/name] (Ay-veen or [name]Eve[/name]-een)

15

also, not sure how to spell it but I know a little Irish girl whose name is pronounced A-lish.

16

That’s [name]Ailis[/name]/[name]Ailish[/name]/[name]Eilis[/name]. Its the Irish/Gaelic for [name]Ellen[/name] :slight_smile:

17

Which of these do you think are usable in the US?

18

thank you! i think she spells it [name]Ailis[/name]

19

[name]Just[/name] from the names I suggested the most usuable in the U.S. are probably:
girls: [name]Bridget[/name]-very usable
[name]Aisling[/name]/[name]Aislinn[/name]-I think most people know how to pronounce this
[name]Katie[/name]-very usuable
[name]Aoife[/name]-probably a little harder to pronounce
[name]Eimile[/name]-seems hard but easy to figure out
[name]Caitlin[/name]-very easy to pronounce
[name]Siobhan[/name]-I think this one is possible
[name]Leanne[/name]-easy to prounce
Victeoiria-defintely one of the harder ones, she would just be called [name]Victoria[/name]
Isibéal-easy enough to figure out
[name]Kathleen[/name]- easy to pronounce
[name]Abaigeal[/name]-really just [name]Abigail[/name] spelled differently
[name]Christie[/name], [name]Emma[/name], [name]Lucy[/name], and [name]Erin[/name]-all easy to pronounce
boys: [name]Connor[/name]-easy to pronounce
[name]Shawn[/name]/[name]Sean[/name]-easy to pronounce
[name]Eoin[/name]-I think most people know this is pronounce [name]Owen[/name]
[name]James[/name], [name]Seamus[/name], [name]Jack[/name]-easy to pronounce
Néall-might be a harder one
[name]Adam[/name], [name]Ian[/name], [name]Evan[/name], [name]Ryan[/name], [name]Dylan[/name]-all easy to pronounce
[name]Cillian[/name]-hoenstly, I always have a hard time with this one
[name]Reece[/name], [name]William[/name], [name]Liam[/name], [name]Patrick[/name]-easy to pronounce
Pádraig-one of the hardest to say

20

I’m on my phone at work so can’t see all replies so hopefully i won’t repeat to many but just off teh top of my head thinking of names i know/hear/see locally - I live in the highlands of [name]Scotland[/name] here’s my suggestions of Scottish girls names, mainly people i work with or wnet to schoold with. Very varied taste so i imagine you’ll be able to delete the bulk of them to get the ones that fit your style.

[name]Flora[/name] - gutted my new neice is called this or would be serious contender fo rbaby number 2
[name]Lorna[/name] - this is due a comeback [name]IMO[/name]
Bonnia
[name]Catriona[/name] ([name]Cat[/name]-rina)
[name]Shona[/name]
[name]Sheena[/name]
[name]Ailsa[/name]
[name]Elspeth[/name]
[name]Isobel[/name]
[name]Kirsty[/name]
[name]Morag[/name]
[name]Heather[/name]
[name]Iona[/name]
[name]Isla[/name]
[name]Eilidh[/name]
[name]Aileen[/name]
[name]Blaire[/name]
[name]Ainsley[/name]
[name]Alison[/name]
isobel
[name]Lesley[/name]
[name]Moira[/name]
[name]Rhona[/name]

A lot of these will probably qualify as Irish origin as well as we share gaelic/celtic heritage.

P.S. [name]Cormac[/name] is one of my top 3 for a boy so thumbs up from me!