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Help[Opinions] Scottish place names as given names, wdyt?
A couple of posts I made suggesting Nevis and Tiree got me thinking about Scottish place names as given names. There's already many well used, particularly island names like Iona, Isla and Skye, but I started thinking of others that are either less well known, or completely unused as names. So wdyt of these? Do you like any? Are any actually usable?
I've starred the ones I like, but there's only a couple that I personally would consider using.
Female:
Tiree
Kerrera
Jura*
Alva
Lorne (this has gained some popularity in Scotland but at far as I know, not really elsewhere)
Shuna*
Doune*
Sanna
Sanda
Morven / Morvern
Male:
Lanark* (I actually really like this one, its the name of the title character in a well known surreal Scottish novel)
Oban*
Carrick
Harris
Nairn
Arran*
Girvan
Annan
Leven
Lomond (like Raymond?)
Ruthven
Loudon
Crinan
Duart*
Leith* (I would actually consider this as a middle name)
Lothian
Struan (STROO-an. I've known a couple, but it's little known elsewhere)
?
Nevis* (Nelly Furtado's daughter is called this, but as a variant of Nieves and hence pronounced neevis)
Melrose* (I think I prefer it on a boy, but on the other hand the rose seems to make it feminine. I had a male teddy bear called Melrose, but that's where he was from lol, it wasn't a great flash of creativity on my part)
I've starred the ones I like, but there's only a couple that I personally would consider using.
Female:
Tiree
Kerrera
Jura*
Alva
Lorne (this has gained some popularity in Scotland but at far as I know, not really elsewhere)
Shuna*
Doune*
Sanna
Sanda
Morven / Morvern
Male:
Lanark* (I actually really like this one, its the name of the title character in a well known surreal Scottish novel)
Oban*
Carrick
Harris
Nairn
Arran*
Girvan
Annan
Leven
Lomond (like Raymond?)
Ruthven
Loudon
Crinan
Duart*
Leith* (I would actually consider this as a middle name)
Lothian
Struan (STROO-an. I've known a couple, but it's little known elsewhere)
?
Nevis* (Nelly Furtado's daughter is called this, but as a variant of Nieves and hence pronounced neevis)
Melrose* (I think I prefer it on a boy, but on the other hand the rose seems to make it feminine. I had a male teddy bear called Melrose, but that's where he was from lol, it wasn't a great flash of creativity on my part)
This message was edited 3/23/2008, 8:48 AM
Archived Thread - replies disabled
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Replies
How about Caledon itself?
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haha, I prefer Caledonia on a girl but honestly, it's a bit shortbread tin! I know this means nothing to an American, maybe Elinor will know what I mean, but there is an awful woolen mill music cd out called Caledon, with 3 tenors singing bad overly scottish music :-/
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I'm partial to Isla, of course. ;)
I'm fascinated by Scotland, though I've not yet been. But if I ever used Isla, it wouldn't be after the island, by any means. I just happen to think it's a gorgeous name, and the fact it's Scottish and a Scottish place name is just icing on the cake, really.
Comments on some...
(BTW, I didn't know most of these were Scottish place names :b)
Alva - I once knew a little boy with this name. The only other place I've heard it was because of Thomas Alva Edison. It does sound a bit more feminine, but it's still nms.
Lorne - I much prefer this on a boy, and Lorna on a girl.
Doune - Would this be prn. DOON or DOWN? Actor Charley Boorman has a daughter named Doone (and one named Kinvara, both of which I thought were Irish place names). NMS, either way.
Sanna - This is lovely as a nn for Susanna(h)
Morvern - Interesting. There's a movie called Morvern Callar about a girl with that name. Not attractive at all, imo.
Carrick - nice
Leven - There's an actress on "All My Children" named Leven Rambin. The name is nms, but I'd much rather see it on a boy.
Leith - nice
I'm fascinated by Scotland, though I've not yet been. But if I ever used Isla, it wouldn't be after the island, by any means. I just happen to think it's a gorgeous name, and the fact it's Scottish and a Scottish place name is just icing on the cake, really.
Comments on some...
(BTW, I didn't know most of these were Scottish place names :b)
Alva - I once knew a little boy with this name. The only other place I've heard it was because of Thomas Alva Edison. It does sound a bit more feminine, but it's still nms.
Lorne - I much prefer this on a boy, and Lorna on a girl.
Doune - Would this be prn. DOON or DOWN? Actor Charley Boorman has a daughter named Doone (and one named Kinvara, both of which I thought were Irish place names). NMS, either way.
Sanna - This is lovely as a nn for Susanna(h)
Morvern - Interesting. There's a movie called Morvern Callar about a girl with that name. Not attractive at all, imo.
Carrick - nice
Leven - There's an actress on "All My Children" named Leven Rambin. The name is nms, but I'd much rather see it on a boy.
Leith - nice
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That's the other thing with place names, its open to dispute as to which gender you prefer them on. I never even thought of Thomas Alva Edison, but it does make it seem more masculine. I also like the name Ailbhe which is pronounced the same and according to the database is unisex.
Doune is pronounced Doon. I really threw it in as an alternate spelling, I know Doone has been used (there's a a UK comedian called Doon)probably it's because of Lorna Doone.
It comes from the Gaelic word Duin meaning a hill and since there's plenty of them in Ireland too it's one of the many Gaelic place names that you find in both countries.
I quite like Kinvara, but I can't really shake it as a place name, it sounds like the name of a house or estate in a romantic novel like Gone with the Wind's Tara.
Doune is pronounced Doon. I really threw it in as an alternate spelling, I know Doone has been used (there's a a UK comedian called Doon)probably it's because of Lorna Doone.
It comes from the Gaelic word Duin meaning a hill and since there's plenty of them in Ireland too it's one of the many Gaelic place names that you find in both countries.
I quite like Kinvara, but I can't really shake it as a place name, it sounds like the name of a house or estate in a romantic novel like Gone with the Wind's Tara.
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Just for your interest, as well as the island, there's a really gorgeous glen by the name of Isla. Often it's spelled one world: Glenisla. I'd google image it sometime :)
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I actually tend to like a lot of European place names, but all others seem so tacky to me. Recently I've been really into France's regions and former provinces as names.
Jura is beautiful, but I think that it would need a longer, more dramatic mn.
Surprisingly, as a member of the anti-Harrison league, I like Harris. Only as a mn though. I actually think it would make a great 2nd mn. Leith an Lothian are pretty cool too.
Jura is beautiful, but I think that it would need a longer, more dramatic mn.
Surprisingly, as a member of the anti-Harrison league, I like Harris. Only as a mn though. I actually think it would make a great 2nd mn. Leith an Lothian are pretty cool too.
This message was edited 3/23/2008, 10:57 AM
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I like Struan, Lorne, Nairn, Carrick, Arran (for a girl), Harris, Morven and Leven.
Lothian, Lanark, Oban and Girvan are *too* placey to me, but the sound of Lothian is nice, admittedly. It might be a cool name for someone with Scottish ancestry who wasn't actually living here. Leith has a good sound but it's not a particularly nice place! (What I've seen of it.)
How about -
Cupar
Crail
Croy (Omigoodness...We had an American tour guide named Croy in San Francisco...my dad thought it was hilarious, but I suppose it could work)
Crieff
Cullen
Elgin
Erskine
Fife
Dunoon
Rothesay
Moray
Lothian, Lanark, Oban and Girvan are *too* placey to me, but the sound of Lothian is nice, admittedly. It might be a cool name for someone with Scottish ancestry who wasn't actually living here. Leith has a good sound but it's not a particularly nice place! (What I've seen of it.)
How about -
Cupar
Crail
Croy (Omigoodness...We had an American tour guide named Croy in San Francisco...my dad thought it was hilarious, but I suppose it could work)
Crieff
Cullen
Elgin
Erskine
Fife
Dunoon
Rothesay
Moray
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Thought of more - this is great procrastination for me :)
I think the more obscure you go, the less distracting the place-name part is. Some Highland towns have got quite attractive names. How about Beauly? It's got a nice sound. Cawdor, Laggan, Lunan, Roslin, Elrick, Cairnie...there have to be a lot more vaguely namey sounding places, but I've run out totally. Lol.
I think the more obscure you go, the less distracting the place-name part is. Some Highland towns have got quite attractive names. How about Beauly? It's got a nice sound. Cawdor, Laggan, Lunan, Roslin, Elrick, Cairnie...there have to be a lot more vaguely namey sounding places, but I've run out totally. Lol.
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I knew there was more! we could probably go on for ages lol.
How on earth did I forget Fife? It's even on my pnl.
That's the problem with place names, they might sound nice but have bad associations for people who actually know them!
I like Leith...despite the place lol. Same with Girvan, and Erskine. and don't you think Linlithgow has a ring to it? I was thinking of putting Govan in, but that was just a step too far...!
hmm Croy why not?! It's just Roy with a c after all :-/
I like Elgin, Lunan and Cullen although it reminds me of cullen skink. Roslin looks like a variant spelling of Roslyn, I'm sure somebody has already used it without knowing the place. Crieff just makes me think of good grief!
How on earth did I forget Fife? It's even on my pnl.
That's the problem with place names, they might sound nice but have bad associations for people who actually know them!
I like Leith...despite the place lol. Same with Girvan, and Erskine. and don't you think Linlithgow has a ring to it? I was thinking of putting Govan in, but that was just a step too far...!
hmm Croy why not?! It's just Roy with a c after all :-/
I like Elgin, Lunan and Cullen although it reminds me of cullen skink. Roslin looks like a variant spelling of Roslyn, I'm sure somebody has already used it without knowing the place. Crieff just makes me think of good grief!
This message was edited 3/23/2008, 10:23 AM
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