Scottish Naming Patterns

At one time a fairly strict system of naming children was used in Scotland. We can assume that this was at least partly due to the desire to give due recognition to the wider kin group without causing offence. It was not always adhered to and sometimes there were variations on the basic principal but it general it went this way

• First son is named for the Father's Father.
• Second son is named for the Mother's Father.
• Third son is named for the Father's Father's Father.
• Fourth son is named for the Mother's Mother's Father.
• Fifth son is named for the Father's Mother's Father.
• Sixth son is named for the Mother's Father's Father.
• Seventh through Tenth sons are named for the Father's Great-Grandfathers.
• Tenth through Fourteenth sons for the Mother's Great-Grandfathers.

• First daughter is named for the Mother's Mother.
• Second daughter is named for the Father's Mother.
• Third daughter is named for the Mother's Father's Mother.
• Fourth daughter is named for the Father's Father's Mother.
• Fifth daughter is named for the Mother's Mother's Mother.
• Sixth daughter is named for the Father's Mother's Mother.
• Seventh through tenth daughters are named for the Mother's Great-Grandmothers.
• Tenth through fourteenth daughters for the Father's Great-Grandmothers

In some cases the first-born son is named after the mother's father and the second-born son after the father's father. When this happens the daughters are also usually reversed.

Exceptions sometimes inject themselves into this order when a child may be named after a recently deceased family member or a name given to a child who subsequently died is sometimes re-used.