Given name & surname · also Middle English
Scotland
“land of the Scots”
Scotland is a surname from Middle English, ultimately from Old English.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Scotland goes back to Old English Sċotland, meaning “land of the Scots.”
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Where it comes from
Scotland comes from Middle English, and ultimately from Old English.
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
How it developed
From Middle English Scotland, from Old English Sċotland (“land of the Scots”), built from English Scot + -land.
Adapted from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1975. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Scotland through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 996
- 272 boys · 724 girls
- Most popular year
- 2024
- 103 babies
- 2025
- 102
- #2,093 for girls · #7,116 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +72%
- Rising fast
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 14% boys.
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 90 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 2,093 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 81.4% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 12 birth records for boys in 2025. In 2025, Texas had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (13). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 624 as a first name in 2020; 971 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Scotland’s family of names
In English usage, Scotland has a diminutive in Robbie. In English usage, Scotland has a feminine form in Williamina.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 1
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 2
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
Similar names
If you love Scotland, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Wynter
“born during the winter”
2% boys · 98% girls
Zaylee
“a heavenly woman”
>99% girls
Tinley
Tinley is a feminine given name, probably from Old English.
>99% girls
Kensley
Kensley is a feminine given name from Old English.
3% boys · 97% girls
Beckley
“wood, clearing”
>99% girls
Journey
“one who likes to travel”
9% boys · 91% girls
Tansley
“twig, branch”
>99% girls
Hatley
“woodland clearing, glade”
>99% girls