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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 / MorvernMale: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

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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
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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.
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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 like
Alva
Lorne
Morven
Lanark
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I likeSanna
Arran
Girvan
Annan
Leven
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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.

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
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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.
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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!

This message was edited 3/23/2008, 10:23 AM

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I like -Jura
Alva
Lorne (b)
Leith (one of my favourites as a middle name)
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