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Re: Scottish place names as given names, wdyt?
in reply to a message by Lethe
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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