Scottish Translations of Foreign Names
This page is for names that have been taken from other sources (Bible, English names, Norse names etc.) and adopted into the Gaelic name pool. You may find a translation of your name on this page!
Note: not every name can be translated into Gaelic. Most of the names that are translatable are either biblical, the names of saints, or names of English and Norman settlers that became adopted into the naming pool. Modern names (i.e., names that came into common English use in the past couple of centuries, like Melissa, Tanya, and Jason) generally cannot be translated.
We have them divided by Women's Names and Men's Names.
Women's
Names
| Name | Gaelic Form | Pronunciation | Origin | Meaning | See Also/other forms |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aggie | Aigidh | AH kee | dim. Of Aigneas | dim. of Agnes, "holy" | |
| Agnes | Aigneas | AG nes | Greek | "holy" | Aggie |
| Alice | Aileas | AH lus; EH lus | Old German | "noble" | Alice |
| Allie, Alison | Allasan | AHL uh sun | dim. Of Aileas | dim. of Alice | |
| Amelia | Aimili | AM ih lee | Latin | from the clan name Aemilius | |
| Angelica | Aingealag | an GEH lak | Latin | angelic | |
| Anne | Anna | AH na | Hebrew | grace | Annie |
| Annie | Annag; Nan; Nannag | AH nak; NAN; NAN ak | Hebrew | dims of Anna | Anna |
| Barbara | Barabal | BAR uh bal | Greek | "stranger" | Barb |
| Barb; Barbie | Babag; Babaidh | BOB ik; BOB ee | dims. Of Barabal | Barbara | |
| Beatrice | Beitris | BEE tu rish | Latin | "voyager" | |
| Bessie, Betsy | Beasag; Eilispidh | BES ik; AY lus pee | Hebrew | dims. Of Ealasaid | Elizabeth; Isabelle |
| Catherine | Caitrìona | ka TCHREE un na | Greek | trad. Associated with ‘pure’ | Kate |
| Christina | Cairistìona | car rus TCHEE na | Latin | follower of Christ | Chrissie; Kirsten |
| Chrissie; Christie | Caitrìonag; Criosaidh | cot CHREE un nak; CRI see | Latin | dims of Cairistìona | Christina;Kirsten |
| Clara | Sorcha | SOR uh kha | Gaelic | light (Clara means "bright; famous" in Latin) | |
| Clementine | Climidh | KLIM ee | Latin | mild; merciful | |
| Eleanor | Eilionoir | EL ee nur | Greek, via Latin | light | form of Helen, Ellen |
| Elizabeth | Ealasaid | YAH luh sutch; EL uh sutch | Hebrew | "God is my oath" | Bessie |
| Ellen | Eilidh | AY lee | Greek | light | form of Helen, Eleanor |
| Emily; Emilia | Eamag | EM ak | Latin | from the family name Aemilius | Amelia |
| Euphemia | Eapag | EP ik | Greek | Well-spoken | Effie, Eppie |
| Eve/Eva | Eubh/Eubha | AYV/AYV a | Hebrew | life | |
| Evelyn | Eibhlin | EYE leen; EV a leen | Germanic | possibly means "derired" | Nellie |
| Helen | Eilidh | AY lee | Greek | possibly, "torch" | Ellen, Eleanor |
| Flora | Flòraidh | FLO ree | Latin | flower | Florrie |
| Florence | Floireans | FLO runs | Latin | flourishing | |
| Florrie | Flòrag | FLO ruk | dim. Of Flòraidh | Flora | |
| Frances | Frangag | FRAN kuk | Latin | from France | |
| Franny | Frannsaidh; Fransag | FRAN see; FRAN sak | Latin | dims. Of Frangag | Frances |
| Georgia | Seòrsag | SHOR sak | Greek | farmer | |
| Georgie | Seòrdag | SHOR dak | Greek | dim. of Seòrsag | Georgia |
| Grace | Giorsal | GIR sul | English, from Latin gratia | Grace | |
| Griselda | Griseal | GREE shul | Germanic | grey battle | |
| Isabelle | Iseabail; Isbeal; Iosbail | ISH uh bel; ISH bul; EES uh bel | Latin via French | form of Elizabeth | Elizabeth |
| Izzy | Ibeag | EE pak | Latin | dim. of Iseabail | Isabelle/Elizabeth |
| Jane; Joan | Sìne | SHEE na | Hebrew | God is gracious | Janet; Janie; Jinty |
| Janie | Sìneag | SHEEN ak | Hebrew | dim. of Sìne | Jane; Janet; Jinty |
| Janet | Seònaid | SHAW nutch | Hebrew | God is gracious | Jane; Janie; Jinty |
| Jinty, Jessie | Seonag; Seasag; Seasaidh;Teasaidh | SHO nak; SHES ak; SHES ee;TSCHES ee | Hebrew | dim. of Seònaid | Jane; Janet; Janie |
| Judith | Siubhan | SHEE van; SHU van | Hebrew | "woman from Judea" | This isn't technically a form of Judith, Judith has been traditionally used to "translate" the Gaelic name Suibhan, which is a form of Joan." |
| Kate | Catrìonag; Ceit; Ceitag; Rìona | kat CHREE uh nak; KAITCH;KAE tchak;REE uh na | Greek | dims. of Caitrìona | Catherine |
| Kirsten | Ciorstan | KIRS tin | Latin via Scandinavia | dim of Cairistìona influenced by Danish Kirsten | Christina; Chrissie; Kirsty |
| Kirsty | Ciorstaidh | KIRS tee | Latin | dim. of Ciorstan | |
| Leticia | Leitis | LEH tish | Latin | gladness | |
| Lillian | Lileas | LEE lus | Latin | Lily flower | |
| Lily | Lilidh | LI lee | Latin? | this could also be a dim. of Ealasaid (Elizabeth) | |
| Lizzie | Lìosag; Lìosaidh; Lìsidh | LEE sak; LEE see; LEE zee | Hebrew dims. of Ealasaid influenced by Lizzie | Elizabeth | |
| Lucy | Liùsaidh | LOO see | Latin | light | |
| Marcella | Marsailí | MAR sa lee | Latin | derived from Roman god of war | |
| Marcy | Marsail; Maighsi | MAR sel; MY zee | Latin | dims. of Marsailì | Marcella |
| Margaret | Mairead; Mairearad | MY rut; MEH rut; MY ru rut | Greek | Pearl | Peggy; Maggie; Meg |
| Maggie | Magaidh;MAG ee | Greek | Dim. of Mairead | Margaret; Peggy; Meg | |
| Meg | Meig | MEK | Greek | Dim. of Mairead | Maggie; Margaret; Peg |
| Martha | Marta | MAR ta | Aramaic | Noble | |
| Mary | Màiri | MAH ree | Hebrew | meaning is disputed, possibly "rebellion" or "bitterness" | Molly |
| Mildred | Milread | MIL rut | Old English | mild power | |
| Molly | Màili; Màileag; Màireag | MAH lee; MAHL ik; MAR ak | Hebrew | dims. of Màiri | Mary |
| Nellie | Neillidh | NAIL ee | Germanic | dim of Eibhlin | Evelyn |
| Peg; Peggy | Peig; Peigi | PAEK; PEG ee | Greek | dims. of Mairead | Margaret |
| Rose | Ròs | ROS | Gaelic | the rose flower | |
| Sarah | Sàra | SAR a | Hebrew | princess | |
| Thomasina | Tòmag | TO mak | Greek | twin-feminine form of Thomas | |
| Williamina | Uilleag | WIL lak | German | will-helmet, feminine form of William |