SCOTTISH BABY NAMES

By Betty Kirkpatrick

160x120mm • 144pp • £5.99 • HB • ISBN: 978-1-906051-25-9 • September 2010

From Aidan, Catriona and Cameron to Erin, Hamish, Laclan and Walter, Scottish Baby Names covers names which are Scottish in origin and names which are, or have been, particularly common in Scotland, offering brief information on the origin and meaning of each.

Over the centuries names in Scotland have been much influenced by immigrants, from the Vikings in the north, to the Norman French who came into Scotland from England after the Norman Conquest, and the Irish who came, especially during the mid-nineteenth century as a result of the potato famine.

Scottish Baby Names gives a valuable insight into the naming process in Scotland, both ancient and modern. The Scots method of naming children has changed greatly in recent years. Few families still adhere to the old system of naming offspring after family members. Recent trends show the influence of celebrities, the resurgence in popularity of what were considered old-fashioned names, as well as Old Testament names and Celtic names in general.

Scottish Baby Names is a valuable source of information for Scots in Scotland, for the many people of Scots heritage who live elsewhere but are interested in their roots, and for all those who are interested in things Scottish. Moreover, its handy size makes it an ideal book for browsing through.

Walter
Walter is not Scottish in origin, but Germanic. It consists of the elements wald, meaning 'rule' and heri, meaning 'army', suggesting that it meant a military leader. The name was in use in Scotland by the twelfth century, having been brought to England by the Normans. It became very popular among the Border Scott family and it was made famous in Scotland and elsewhere by the Scottish novelist and poet Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832).