If your family has a Scottish connection, you can’t really go wrong with these Scottish cat names. And even if it hasn’t, you may like to introduce a little Scottish flair! Scotland is such a fascinating place, with an incredible history to boot.
As you might expect, these Scottish cat names are inspired by rivers and islands, a little mythology, plus variations of other British names.
Scottish Cat Names for Girls
- Ailsa
Ailsa most likely takes her name from Ailsa Craig – meaning “rock island” in the Firth of Clyde, off the west coast of Scotland. It’s an impressively beautiful place and a great cat name idea.
- Catriona
Used in both Ireland and Scotland, and is presumed to be connected to the name Kathleen or Katherine, meaning “pure.” Catriona is also the name of Robert Louis Stevenson’s sequel to Kidnapped (entitled David Balfour in America, and Catriona in Britain.) A short form of this name is Triona which would be a very unique cat name.
- Donalda/Donella
Both forms of the boy’s name Donald, which means “ruler of the world.”
- Elspeth
Elspeth is a Scottish form of Elizabeth, meaning “God is my oath.”
- Finella
From the name Fionnghuala, a character in Celtic mythology who was turned into a swan and made to spend 300 years each in the Moyle, between Scotland and Ireland, the Irish Sea and the Atlantic! This name means “white shoulder” or “fair shoulders.”
- Fiona
A name used throughout Britain, and another name with a connection to meaning “white.”
- Iona
Another island name, from Iona in the Scottish Inner Hebrides, off the west coast of Scotland. Iona has become a place of Christian pilgrimage, as Saint Columba founded a monastery there. The name itself seems to mean simply “island.”
- Isla
A Scottish river, whose name may come from the island of Islay. The name could mean “rocky place.”
- Jean/Jessie
Jessie is a familiar name for Jean, and both are related to the name Jane… or John – meaning “God is gracious.”
- Kirstie
Kirstie is a Scottish variant of Christina, a “follower of Christ.” Another form of the name is Kirstin.
- Morag
Morag combines two words meaning “great” and “young” – and is also the name of a city in Poland, as well as the name of a loch monster inhabiting Loch Morar in Scotland!
- Seonaid
Seonaid, pronounced shon-aid, is a form of the name Janet, and like Jean and Jessie above, means “God is gracious.”
- Sheena
Sheena is another form of Jane, and again means “God is gracious.” You may remember the character Sheena of the Jungle, or if you’re from the UK, Sheena Easton the Scottish pop singer!
Scottish Cat Names for Boys
Like their straightforward girl counterparts, these lads’ names are stylish, and attractive – yet conjuring up solid images of misty mountains, lochs, islands, kilts, haggis, sporrans – and all things Scottish!
- Angus
The root of this name, Aonghus, provides variants for Scottish and Irish names, with Angus being the preferred Scottish name. Aengus Og, the God of love in Irish mythology, was also the God of poetry, whose words were considered to be as sweet as honey. The name could mean “exceptional” or “strong.” Perfect badass cat name.
- Argyle
This is an old spelling of Argyll, now an area in Western Scotland. It means “place of the Gaels”, or Gaelic people, and there are several towns and cities across North America with this name, presumably as a result of Scottish emigration. Your male cat will be proud with this name.
- Baird
A Scottish surname, Baird’s variant is Bard, meaning “poet.” For singing cats.
- Blair
Not only a surname, as in Tony Blair, former Prime Minister, but also a given name meaning “from the plains” in Gaelic.
- Bruce
Robert the Bruce was King of Scotland in the fourteenth century, and defeated the English at the battle of Bannockburn. Sources give the meaning of this name as coming from Brieuse, France, or Bruges in Belgium.
- Callum
Callum, or Calum, are derived from the name Columba, meaning “dove.”
- Fergus
Fergus, or Fearghus, gives us the meanings of “man” and “vigour” – or “best warrior.” So – a strong type of guy, it would seem!
- Hamish
Prounounced hay-mish, this name shouts “Scotland!” more than any other to my ears! It’s a form of Seamus, coming from James which goes back to Jacob, whose name could refer to “heel” in the Bible tale of Jacob and Esau, or it could mean “let God protect.”
- Stuart/Stewart
The name is connected to the word “steward.” A famous historic Stuart was Mary Stuart, who became Mary Queen of Scots.
Scottish Clan Names
Here are some Scottish clan names that could be great Scottish cat names to get you thinking:
- Buchanan
- Cameron
- Ferguson
- Forrester
- MacKenzie
- Munro
- Pentland
- Mcleod
- Macpherson
- Durie
- Campbell
- Bruce
- Macalister
- Macbain
- Macdonlad
- Macduff
- Macewan
– and some family names connected with the wonderfully named Clan Farquharson:
- Barrie
- Coutts
- Findlay
- Kellas
- Machardie
- Mackinlay
- Reoch
A List of Awesome Scottish Cat Names
Scottish cat names are full of character and work whether you have a breed like a Scottish Fold, or any other breed for that matter.
On this list we’ve pulled together names of famous Scottish people, places and traditions. So if Scottish cat names appeal to you, choose from this list.
- Aberdeen – City In Scotland
- Aggie – Aggie Mackenzie, Tv Presenter (How Clean Is Your House?)
- Alastair – Alastair Sim, Actor
- Andrew – St. Andrew, Famous Golf Course (Home Of Golf)
- Angus – Angus Young, Guitarist For The Rock Band Ac/dc
- Annette – Annette Crosbie, Actress (One Foot In The Grave)
- Arabel – Scottish Form Of English Amabel / Meaning “lovable”
- Ashley – Ashley Jensen, Actress (Extras)
- Bagpipe – Scottish Musical Instrument
- Barrie – J.m Barrie, Author (Creator Of Peter Pan)
- Billy – Billy Connelly, Comedian
- Blair – Unisex Name, Derived From Gaelic Word Blar “plain”
- Blythe – Blythe Duff, Actress (Best Known For The Police Drama Taggart)
- Bon Scott – Original Singer Fro The Rock Band Ac/dc
- Bonnie – Scottish Pet Form Of Bonita / Meaning “beautiful Or Pretty”
- Brewster – David Brewster, Inventor Of The Stereoscope
- Brigit – Brigit Forsyth, Actress
- Burns – Robert Burns, Scotland’s Most Celebrated Poet
- Busby – Matt Busby, Soccer Manager (Manchester United)
- Carlyle – Robert Carlyle, Actor
- Carnegie – Andrew Carnegie, Industrialist And Businessman
- Clyde – River Clyde, Third Longest In Scotland
- Connery – Sean Connery, Actor (The First James Bond)
- Dalglish – Scottish Soccer Player And Manager, Keny Dalglish
- Deborah – Deborah Kerr, Actress
- Dixie – Lady Florence Dixie, Writer
- Doogie – Doogie White, Rock Vocalist
- Dougie – Dougie Thomson, Bassist For The Band Supertramp
- Dougray – Dougray Scott, Actor
- Doyle – Arthur Conan Doyle, Creator Of Sherlock Holmes
- Dundee – City In Scotland
- Dunlop – John Boyd Dunlop, Founder Of The Rubber Company
- Eilean -Eilean Donan Castle, In Loch Duich, Western Highlands
- Ella – Ella Logan, Jazz Singer And Actress
- Ghillie – Ghillies, Shoes Worn For Scottish Dancing
- Glasgow – City In Scotland
- Glengarry – Traditional Boat-shaped Hat
- Hamish – Hamish Maccunn, Composer
- Hannah – Hannah Gordon, Tv Actress
- Heather – Scottish Name Derived From The Heather Plant
- Higgins – John Higgins, Snooker Champion
- Highlander – Someone From The Highlands
- Higland – Highlands In The North Of Scotland
- Jackie Stewart – Formula One World Champion
- James – Name Of Seven Scottish Kings
- Jeanie – Jeanie Adams-actor, Novelist (Pseudonym Jeanie Hering)
- Jessie – Jessie Mcgregor, First Women To Earn A Medical Degree In Scotland
- Jock – Jock Stein, Soccer Manager
- Kelly – Kelly Macdonald, Actress
- Laurie – Laurie Brett, Tv Actress
- Lessie – Scottish Pet Form For Unisex Leslie
- Lindsay – Lindsay Duncan, Actress
- Livingstone – David Livingstone, Explorer And Missionary
- Lockerbie – Town In Dumfries And Galloway, Sw Scotland
- Lulu – Singer And Actress
- Macbride – Stuart Macbride, Author Of Crime Thrillers
- Macintosh – Charles Macintosh, Created The Waterproof Jacket
- Mactaggart – William Mactaggart, Landscape Painter
- Maggie – Bell Blues-rock Singer
- Margaret – Saint Margaret Of Scotland (Wife Of King Malcolm Lll Of Scotland)
- Marti – Marti Pellow, Singer (Wet Wet Wet)
- Mccolgan – Liz Mccolgan, World Champion Long Distance Runner
- Mcgregor – Ewan Mcgregor, Actor
- Mckidd – Kevin Mckidd, Actor
- Moira – Celtic Name Meaning “great”
- Montgomerie – Colin Montgomerie, Golfer
- Moodie – Janice Moodie, Golfer
- Murdoch – William Murdoch, Pioneer Of Gas Lighting
- Muriel – Muriel Spark, Author (The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie)
- Murray – Gordon Murray, Architect
- Nazareth – Scottish Rock Band
- Orkney – Scottish Island In The North Sea
- Paisley – Town In Renfrewshire (Central Scotland)
- Phyllis – Phyllis Logan, Actress
- Ramsay – Richie Ramsay, Golfer
- Rankin – Ian Rankin, Author (Creator Of Inspector Rebus)
- Rhoda – Rhoda Bulter, Poet
- Rob – Roy Scottish Folk Hero And Outlaw
- Ronnie – Ronnie Corbett, Comedian (The Two Ronnies)
- Scotch – Refers To Scottish Whisky
- Scott – Walter Scott, Writer (Ivanhoe)
- Scottish – A Person From Scotland
- Shankly – Bill Shankly, Soccer Manager (Liverpool)
- Sheena – Sheena Easton, Singer
- Shortbread – Scottish Biscuit
- Simone – Simone Lahbib, Actress (Wire In The Blood)
- Smillie – Carol Smillie, Tv Personality
- Stella – Stella Tennant, Model
- Stirling – Stirling Castle, One Of The Largest In Scotland
- Susan – Susan Boyle, Mezzo-soprano (Britain’s Got Talent Winner 2009)
- Tartan – Pattern Wool Material
- Tay – The Longest River In Scotland
- Theresa – Theresa Breslin, Author Of Young Adult Fiction
- Tipsy – Tipsy Laird, Scottish Trifle
- Val – Val Mcdermid, Author (Wire In The Blood)
- Wallace – William Wallace, Scottish Freedom Fighter
More Kitten Names
If you didn’t find that one name, we have many more to offer. Try our unique cat names for uniqueness and originality. Or check exotic cat names for that exotic vibe. Of course if you are looking for names by color you should take a look at black cat names or names for white cats.
