Scottish Naming Traditions...

[CelticRoots]

Someone once told me that a long time ago (maybe even now), there were Scottish naming traditions for children born to a couple. For instance, the first son would be named for the husband's father and the first girl would be named for the husband's mother and so one.
If anyone know's what I'm talking about, could you clarify this so I can print it out so I won't forget this again? Thank You.

[Polwarth]

Hello

I can only speak for the naming traditions in my family - but I know that a similar pattern took place in the families of friends, too!

First son was usually named after the paternal grandfather, second son after maternal grandfather. Subsequent sons were normally named after both paternal and maternal uncles.

Girls were named similarly, although often through their middle names rather than their first name. A tradition in my family is that girls are often given their mother's maiden name, eg Elspeth MacDonald Paterson...

However, due to the total submersion in US and Australian TV programmes we now have our own tribes of Kylies, Britneys etc!

[CelticRoots]

Thank you very much for that bit of info. That seems to be the exact tradtion followed in my family line as well and this is most helpful to me.
Ahhh yes the "new" naming traditons run rampant over here too! Soap stars to Rock stars...the schools are filled with them.
Thanks again for the reply.

[Elise]

Well, my father's family is Manx, but the pattern is probably similar:
First son - named after father
Second son - named after paternal grandfather
Third son - named after maternal grandfather
First daughter - named after mother
Second daughter - named after maternal grandmother
Third daugher - named after paternal grandmother
Fourth son or daughter - whatever you like!

I see this pattern for generations of Cormodes, Tears and Kaighans. Everybody in my family it seems was named: William, Thomas, Daniel, Catherine, Elizabeth and Jane. It only starts to disapate after immigration to America/Canada (although my brother is Daniel and I have cousins William, Thomas and Elizabeth ...)

Elise Kingston (nee Cormode)
Cambridge, Ontario

[Ryan3932]

I can clarify, this is a very popular tradition among Scottish families. Example my MacDonald ancestors,

i. Murdoch
ii. Neil
iii. Murdoch
iv. Neil

and etc!


On the other side of my family for example, my Davidson/Hinksman ancestors,

i. William Davidson
ii. John
iii. William
iv. James
v. Janet
vi. John Hinksman

and John had many kids including William, James, John, and Jane instead of Janet.


So it sort of breaks sometimes, but rest assured the family names keep going.


Ryan W.