List of Scottish Gaelic Names

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Surname/tag: Scottish_Clans

Part of the Scotland Project and Scottish Clans Teams

Also see

A Glossary of Clan Terms

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History of the Scottish Celtic Language

Scottish Gaelic (Gàidhlig; (kaːlikʲ) is a Celtic language native to Scotland. A member of the Goidelic branch of the Celtic languages, Scottish Gaelic, like Modern Irish and Manx, developed out of Middle Irish, and thus descends ultimately from Old Irish.

The 'traditional' view is that Gaelic language was brought to Scotland, probably in the 4th century, by settlers from Ireland, who founded the Gaelic kingdom of Dál Riata on Scotland's west coast. This is based mostly on medieval writings from the 9th and 10th centuries. However, recently some archeologists have argued against this view, saying that there is no archeological or placename evidence for a migration or a takeover by a small group of elites. In his academic paper Were the Scots Irish?, archeologist Ewan Campbell suggests that in the "maritime province" of northern Ireland and western Scotland, "sea communications dominated, and allowed a shared archaic language to be maintained, isolated from linguistic developments which were taking place east of the Highland massif"

Scottish Gaelic developed as an independent language after the 12th century. With the growth of Dál Riata and its use by the church, Scottish Gaelic became the language of most of Scotland, replacing Cumbric in the south and Pictish in the east.The language was maintained by the trade empire of the Lordship of the Isles, which continued to control parts of Ulster until the 16th century.

The Gaelic language eventually displaced Pictish north of the River Forth, and until the late 15th century was known in Scots (then known as Inglis) as Scottis, and in England as Scottish.

From around the early 16th century, Scots language speakers gave the Gaelic language the name Erse (meaning Irish in Scots), and thereafter it was invariably the collection of Middle English dialects spoken within the Kingdom of Scotland, that they referred to as Scottis (see Scots language). This in itself was ironic, as it was at this time that Gaelic was developing its distinct and characteristic Scottish forms of the modern period.

Scottish Gaelic was called "Erse" partly because educated Gaelic speakers in Ireland and Scotland all used the literary dialect (sometimes called Classical Gaelic) so that there was little or no difference in usage. When Classical Gaelic stopped being used in schools in both countries, colloquial usage began to predominate, and the divergence of the two languages became more and more apparent in writing.

External Links

Wikipedia

A List of Scottish Gaelic Womens Names

English	Gaelic	English	Gaelic	English	Gaelic	English	Gaelic
Amelia	Aimili	Clarisa	Cairir	Helen	Eilidh	Margery	Marsail
Anabella	Barabal	Diana	Diana	Henrietta	Eiric	Marion	Muireall
Angelica	Aingealag	Dorcas	Deòiridh	Isabella	Iseabal	Martha	Moireach
Ann	Anna	Dorothy	Diorbhail	Janet	Seònaid	Mary, Molly	Màiri
Barbara	Barbara	Elgin	Eiliginn	Jane, Jean, Jenny	Sìne	Mildred	Milread
Catherine	Caitriana	Elizabeth	Ealasaid	Judith	Siubhan	Euphamia	Oirhrig
Christian	Cairstìne	Flora	Fionnaghal	Louisa	Liùsaidh	Rachel	Raónaild
Cicely	Silis	Frances	Fràngag	Lucretia	Lùereis	Sarah	Mòr
Clare	Sorcha	Grace	Giorsail	Margaret	Mairearad	Winnifred	Ùna

A List of Scottish Gaelic Mens Names

English	Gaelic	English	Gaelic	English	Gaelic	English	Gaelic
Adam	Adhamh	Ewan	Eòbhann	Lawrence	Làbhruinn	Peter	Peadar
Albert	Ailbeart	Farquhar(Fred)	Fearchar	Lewis	Luthais	Philip	Philip
Alexander	Alasdair	Fergus	Fearghus	Luke	Lucais	Quintin	Caoidhean
Allan	Ailean	Fingal	Fionn	Magnus	Mànus	Richard	Ruiseart
Alpin	Ailpein	Finlay	Fionnladh	Malcolm	Calum	Robert	Rob
Andrew	Aindrea	Francis (Frank)	Frang	Martin	Màrtainn	Roderick (Rory)	Ruairidh
Angus	Aonghas	Geoffry	Goiridh	Matthew	Mata	Ronald	Raonull
Archibald	Gilleasbuig	Gillanders	Gilleanndrais	Maxwell	Mascual	Samuel	Samuel
Aulay	Amhladh	George	Seòras	Michael	Mìcheil	Somerled	Somhairle
Charles	Tearlach	Gilbert	Gillebard	Mungo	Mungan	Simon	Sìm
Christopher	Gillecriosd	Gilebride	Gillebrìde	Murdoch	Murchadh	Solomon	Solamh
Colin	Cailean	Gillies	Gilliosa	Murphy	Muireach	Stephen	Steaphan
Coll	Colla	Godfrey	Guaidhre	Nicholas	Neacal	Taddeus	Taogh
Conall	Connull	Gregor	Griogair	Naughtan	Neachdann	Thomas	Tòmas
Constantine	Conn	Henry (Harry)	Eanruig	Neil	Niall	Torquil	Torcull
Donald	Dòmhnull	Hector	Eachunn	Ninian	Ringean	Walter	Bhaltair
David	Daibhidh	Hugh	Ùisdean	Noven	Gillenaomh	William	Uilleam
Dermud	Diarmad	James (Jimmy)	Seumas	Norman	Tòrmod	Zachary	Sachairi
Dugald	Dùghall	John	Iain	Oliver	Olaghair
Duncan	Dónnachadh	Joseph	Ioseph	Owen	Aoghann
Edward (Ned)	Eideard	Kenneth	Coinneach	Paul	Pàl, Pòl
Eugene	Aodh	Lachlan	Lachunn	Patrick	Pàdruig

Names taken from: Gaelic-English and English-Gaelic Dictionary; MacAlpine, Neil and MacKenzie, John; Gairm Publications, Waterloo Street, Glasgow, 1971.