Tag Archives: Scottish Names

Odhrán, Odharnait

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  • Origin: Irish-Gaelic
  • Meaning: “dun, pale, sallow, greenish-grey.”
  • Masc pron: Masc. (AW-rawn); Fem (AR-net)

Both names are rooted in the Old Irish adjective odhar, meaning “dun, pale, sallow, greenish-grey.” The word originally described earthy or muted colors — the shade of an animal’s coat, or a green-brown hue in nature.

Odhrán (modern spelling in Irish, often Anglicized as Oran or Orin) is a diminutive form: odhar + -án, meaning “little pale one” or “little sallow/greenish one.”

Odharnait is the feminine form, built from odhar + –ainait, a feminine diminutive ending.

Odhrán is well-attested in medieval Ireland. A 6th-century saint named Odhrán of Iona (also called Odran) was a companion of St. Columba and is remembered as one of the first Irish Christian martyrs. His feast day is celebrated on October 27.

Anglicized Male Variations

  • Odran
  • Otteran
  • Oran, Oren, Orrin

Anglicized Female Variations

  • Eorna
  • Odarnata (Latinized)
  • Odarnat
  • Orna, Ornat

Sources

Faolán, Phelan, Fillin

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  • Origin: Gaelic
  • Meaning: “little wolf.”
  • Gender: masculine
  • Gaelic (FWAY-lahn); Eng (FAY-len; FIL-lin)

The name is derived from the Gaelic, faol, meaning “wolf” and the diminutive suffix –án. It is borne by 3 Medieval Saints from Ireland, 2 who settled in Scotland and another that did missionary work in Frankish Brabant.

There is a Cathedral dedicated to St. Foillan of Brabant in Aachen, Germany.

It is the ancestor of several Irish and Scottish surnames, such as Fylan, Hyland, MacClellan, MacClelland, Mac Giolla Fhaoláin, McClellan, McClelland, Ó Faoláin, Phelan, Whalen & Whelan.

Fillan is also the name of a place in Norway, but the name is probably of a separate etymology.

Other forms include:

  • Foillan (Dutch, French, German)
  • Phillan (English)
  • Feuillien (French)
  • Folien (French)
  • Foilan (French)
  • Pholien (French)
  • Foillano (Italian)
  • Fillano (Italian)
  • Foilanus/Foillanus (Late Latin)
  • Fáelán (Old Irish)
  • Felano (Spanish)

Sources

Fionnghall, Fingal

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800px-Staffa_Fingal's_Cave_14712Gender: Masculine
Origin: Irish/Scottish/Swedish
Meaning: “white stranger, fair stranger.”

The name is from the Gaelic fionn meaning “white; fair” and gall meaning “stranger.” In Ireland, it is the name of an area in county Dublin, it was settled by Vikings in the early middle ages, and the name Fingal was given in reference to the fair-haired inhabitants. A language known as Fingalian, (now extinct) was spoken by the inhabitants till the mid-1800s. It was a mix of Old Norse, Anglo-Saxon and Gaelic. It was also the name of the hero in the English prose epic written by James Macpherson known as the Poems of Ossian and was the middle name of Oscar Wilde. In the Inner Hebrides of Scotland, it is the name of a cave on the uninhabited Isle of Staffa. It was popularized as a tourist destination after Felix Mendelsohn composed an overture in 1829, entitled Die Hebriden, which were inspired by the echoes he heard in the cave. In Sweden, its designated name-day is October 17.

Colmán

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  • Gender: Masculine
  • Origin: Gaelic
  • Meaning: “dove”
  • (KOLE-men)

The name is a Gaelic form of the Latin name Columbanus meaning “dove.” The name was borne by an early Irish saint who founded several monasteries throughout Europe. The feast day is held on July 8. A possible nickname option is Cole. Variations include the Scottish Colm and Callum.

Muriel, Muireall

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Gender: Feminine
Origin: Scottish Gaelic
Meaning: “sea bright”
(MYER-ee–ul)

The name, in its original form, is Muireall (MOOR-all).

It has been in usage since at least the 15th century, when Muriel, who was the heiress of John Calder, was deposed from her ancestral lands by the Earl Argyll in 1498.

The name appears in history again as that of the name of the wife of Alexander Sutherland (1456). The records indicate her name as Muriella, which was probably a latinization.

The name is still fairly common in Scotland and the nickname of Molly is occasionally used.

In Irish, the name is rendered as Muirgheal. The name is used in France, more often in the Breton speaking areas, spelled Murielle. There is also an Old Norse form: Myrgjöl.

Sumarliði

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Gender: Masculine
Origin: Icelandic
Meaning: “Summer traveler; Summer viking”
(SUM-ar-LEE-thee)

Variations include the Norwegian Sumarle (soo-MAR-leh); the Faroese Summaldur. The name was anglicized as Somereld or Somerled in Scottish.

Somerled was borne by a 12th century viking ruler in Scotland. He ruled over the Hebrides and the West Highlands.

The name has been in popular usage by the MacDonald family who are said to be his direct descendents.

In Scottish Gaelic it was sometimes rendered as Somhairle and anglicized as Sorley.

In modern Scotland, Samuel has often been used as a cognate, though the names do not share any etymological links other than sounding slightly similar.

In modern Iceland, only 40 men bore this as a first name while 4 had it as a middle name.