Choosing a baby's name can be a very difficult decision. This book provides a wide selection of Scottish names from legend and history with the meaning, the myth, legend or story behind the names, a phonetic guide to pronunciation, alternative spellings and a list of other famous people who have borne that name.

From Aidan, Catriona and Cameron to Erin, Hamish, Laclan and Walter, Scottish Baby Names covers names which are Scottish in origin and names which are, or have been, particularly common in Scotland, offering brief information on the origin and meaning of each.Over the centuries names in Scotland have been much influenced by immigrants, from the Vikings in the north, to the Norman French who came into Scotland from England after the Norman Conquest, and the Irish who came, especially during the mid-nineteenth century as a result of the potato famine.Scottish Baby Names gives a valuable insight into the naming process in Scotland, both ancient and modern. The Scots method of naming children has changed greatly in recent years. Few families still adhere to the old system of naming offspring after family members. Recent trends show the influence of celebrities, the resurgence in popularity of what were considered old-fashioned names, as well as Old Testament names and Celtic names in general.Scottish Baby Names is a valuable source of information for Scots in Scotland, for the many people of Scots heritage who live elsewhere but are interested in their roots, and for all those who are interested in things Scottish.

This Dictionary is part of the Oxford Reference Collection: using sustainable print-on-demand technology to make the acclaimed backlist of the Oxford Reference programme perennially available in hardback format. The fascinating and informative Dictionary of First Names covers over 6,000 names in common use in English, including the very newest names as well as traditional names. From Alice to Zanna and Adam to Zola this book will answer all your questions: it will tell you the age, origin, and meaning of the name, as well as how it has fared in terms of popularity, and who the famous fictional or historical bearers for the name have been. It covers alternative spellings, short forms and pet forms, and masculine and feminine forms, as well as help with pronunciation. The book includes extensive appendices covering names from languages including Scottish, Irish, French, German, Italian, Arabic, and Chinese names. Tables of the most popular names by year and by region are also included. From the traditional to the rare and unconventional, this book will tell you everything you need to know about names.

The Book of Deer is especially important for the notes in Gaelic which have been added to it.