Scottish first names that start with P are a fairly short list, but they include some of the most recognisable names in the language tradition, especially Pàdraig, Peadar, Pàl, Pòl, Peigi and Paisley. If you want a name with real Scottish roots, the strongest options usually come from Scottish Gaelic rather than modern baby-name lists.
This guide is part of our Scottish Names collection. Browse our complete Scottish Names directory for A–Z first names, surnames, Gaelic names, meanings, and themed collections.
That matters here because plenty of online lists mix Scottish, Irish, English and surname-style names together. In this guide, we’ve kept the focus on names with a clear Scottish link, explained the pronunciation in plain English, and flagged where a name is place-based, Gaelic, borrowed or more modern in use.
If you’re building a shortlist, this is the practical version. You’ll get the Gaelic spelling, the meaning where it is established, and the context so you can decide whether the name feels traditional, modern, rare or simply a bit different.
Scottish Names Beginning With
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Scottish Naming Traditions Behind P Names
Scottish names come from several strands at once: Scottish Gaelic, Scots, Old Norse, biblical names and place names. That is why Scottish first names can look very different from each other even when they belong to the same family tree.
With the letter P, the Scottish Gaelic strand is especially important. Names such as Pàdraig, Peadar, Pàl and Pòl are Gaelic forms of names that are better known in English as Patrick, Peter and Paul. They feel distinctly Scottish in spelling and sound, even though the deeper roots of the names are older and wider than Scotland itself.
You also get another Scottish habit here: surnames and place names becoming first names. Paisley is the obvious example. It is tied to the Scottish town of Paisley and later became a given name, particularly in the English-speaking world, much like other names linked to things associated with Scotland that travel far beyond their original setting.
So if you are searching for Scottish first names that start with P, it helps to divide them into three groups:
- Scottish Gaelic forms of established names
- Scottish place or surname names used as first names
- Names listed as Scottish online that may be used in Scotland, but are not strongly Scottish in origin
That small bit of sorting saves a lot of confusion.
Authentic Scottish First Names That Start With P
The list is not huge, which is no bad thing. It means the names that do show up have a clearer identity.
Pàdraig
Gaelic spelling: Pàdraig
Meaning: derived from Patrick, ultimately meaning noble through its older Latin root.
Pronunciation: roughly PAH-drig or PAH-draig, depending on accent and community use.
About the name: Pàdraig is the Scottish Gaelic form of Patrick. It is one of the clearest examples of a genuine Scottish Gaelic P name and feels much more rooted in Gaelic tradition than simply using Patrick in an article about Scottish names.
Famous bearer: There are modern Gaelic speakers and artists with this name, but it is better known as a language-form name than a celebrity name. If you choose it, you are choosing the Gaelic identity first.
Why people choose it: It has strong heritage value, it is recognisably Scottish Gaelic, and it still sounds familiar enough to non-Scots once you hear it aloud.
Peadar
Gaelic spelling: Peadar
Meaning: the Scottish Gaelic form of Peter, from a root meaning rock or stone.
Pronunciation: usually given in plain English as PEH-dar or PAD-ar, with variation by speaker.
About the name: Peadar appears in both Irish and Scottish Gaelic usage. In a Scottish context, it is one of the more solid P options if you want a Gaelic form that is traditional without being overly elaborate.
Famous bearer: This is another name with better linguistic than celebrity recognition in Scotland, so it tends to appeal to families who want a heritage name rather than a trend-led one.
Why people choose it: It carries a familiar biblical base, but the Gaelic spelling gives it a very different texture from Peter.
Pàl
Gaelic spelling: Pàl
Meaning: Scottish Gaelic form of Paul, usually connected to the meaning small or humble through the older root.
Pronunciation: broadly PAHL.
About the name: Pàl is short, clean and direct. If you like Gaelic names that do not require a long explanation every time you say them, this is one of the easiest on the list.
Famous bearer: No major universally known Scottish bearer stands out above the form itself.
Why people choose it: It works well for families who want a minimalist Gaelic name with a strong traditional base.
Pòl
Gaelic spelling: Pòl
Meaning: also a Scottish Gaelic form of Paul, with the same older meaning of small or humble.
Pronunciation: roughly POHL.
About the name: You will sometimes see both Pàl and Pòl listed as Scottish Gaelic forms of Paul. That is exactly why name research gets fiddly. Both forms appear in Gaelic name references, and spelling can vary by tradition and usage.
Why people choose it: Pòl has a slightly rounder sound than Pàl and may suit families who want a name that looks visibly Gaelic but remains short and wearable.
Peigi
Gaelic spelling: Peigi
Meaning: Scottish Gaelic form of Peggy.
Pronunciation: usually approximated as PEG-ee.
About the name: Peigi is one of the few clearly feminine Scottish Gaelic P names you will find in regular reference lists. Because it is tied to Peggy, it belongs to the wider family of Margaret-related naming traditions rather than standing as a separate root name.
Famous bearer: The name is known in Gaelic-speaking circles more than in mainstream pop culture.
Why people choose it: It is rare without feeling invented, and it has a gentler sound than many highly anglicised modern girl names. If you like names in this lane, it sits naturally beside the rarer picks in unusual Scottish girl names.
Scottish Place And Surname Names Beginning With P
Not every Scottish first name comes from Gaelic. Some come through places, surnames and local identity, which is where the letter P gets more modern.
Paisley
Meaning: often given as church or cemetery.
Pronunciation: PAYZ-lee.
About the name: Paisley is tied to the Scottish town of Paisley in Renfrewshire. It is also known globally through the patterned textile design that shares the name. As a first name, it is much more modern in feel than Gaelic names like Pàdraig or Peadar.
Famous bearer: While the name has become more visible in popular culture, its best-known Scottish link is still the town itself rather than one historic figure.
Why people choose it: It sounds lively, it is recognisably Scottish in place-name form, and it fits easily in the wider trend for surname and location-inspired first names. In recent baby-name charts in English-speaking countries, Paisley has comfortably outpaced older surname-style Scottish options, which tells you a lot about its modern appeal.
A practical note: If you want a name that is deeply Gaelic, Paisley is not that. If you want a Scottish-linked name that feels contemporary and familiar in both the UK and US, it makes a lot more sense.
Paton
Meaning: not securely established here as a first-name meaning in specifically Scottish usage.
Pronunciation: usually PAY-tun or PAT-un.
About the name: Paton is better known as a Scottish surname than as a traditional first name. Surname records in Scotland show many P surnames in historical use, and Paton sits more naturally in that world than in older Gaelic naming practice.
Why people choose it: Usually for family reasons, surname honouring, or because it sounds more grounded and less fashionable than some modern surname names.
Pollock
Meaning: often associated with the meaning pit.
Pronunciation: POL-uk.
About the name: Pollock is a recognised Scottish surname and place-linked name, but it is unusual as a first name. In practice, most people would read it as a surname first.
Why people choose it: Nearly always to honour a family line or local connection rather than because it is a mainstream baby-name choice.
Perth
Meaning: often given as thornbush thicket.
Pronunciation: PERTH.
About the name: Perth is another Scottish place name occasionally discussed as a first name. Like Paisley, it draws its identity from a real place, but it is much rarer in day-to-day naming.
Why people choose it: Usually because they want a place name that sounds brisk, unusual and unmistakably tied to Scotland.
Names You May See On “Scottish P Names” Lists, With A Bit Of Caution
Once you start browsing baby-name sites, the list of Scottish first names that start with P suddenly gets longer. That does not always mean more authentic.
You may come across names such as Parlan, Paxton, Payton, Peyton, Paden, Pherson, Price, Prentice and Prentiss. Some have surname histories, some are used in Scotland, and some appear on broad name databases that group names loosely.
Use caution before treating them as traditional Scottish first names. A name can appear in Scottish records or surname tables without being a classic Scottish given name. Scotland’s historical records contain plenty of names that are not Scottish in origin, simply because real naming history is messy and migration has always existed.
If your goal is authenticity, stick closest to Pàdraig, Peadar, Pàl, Pòl, Peigi and Paisley. If your goal is simply a Scottish-adjacent feel, the longer modern lists may still give you ideas.
How To Choose The Right Scottish P Name
These names are few enough that the choice usually comes down to style rather than quantity.
Choose A Gaelic Name If Heritage Comes First
If you want the name to feel rooted in language and culture, the strongest options are Pàdraig, Peadar, Pàl, Pòl and Peigi. They are the names most clearly connected to Scottish Gaelic usage.
Choose A Place Name If You Want Something More Modern
Paisley is the obvious winner here. It travels well internationally, people can usually pronounce it on sight, and it carries a clear Scottish connection through the town name.
Choose A Surname Name Only If The Family Link Matters
Names like Paton and Pollock make most sense when they honour a surname already in the family. Without that link, they can feel more like inherited paperwork than first names. A bit harsh, maybe, but not wrong.
Quick List Of Scottish First Names That Start With P
- Pàdraig – Scottish Gaelic form of Patrick, meaning noble
- Peadar – Scottish Gaelic form of Peter, meaning rock or stone
- Pàl – Scottish Gaelic form of Paul, meaning small or humble
- Pòl – Scottish Gaelic form of Paul, meaning small or humble
- Peigi – Scottish Gaelic form of Peggy
- Paisley – Scottish place name used as a first name, often given the meaning church or cemetery
- Paton – more often a Scottish surname than a traditional first name
- Pollock – Scottish surname and place-linked name, rare as a first name
- Perth – Scottish place name used occasionally as a first name
Are There Many Scottish Girl Names That Start With P?
No, not many. The most clearly attested feminine option from Scottish Gaelic references is Peigi, and the best-known modern Scottish-linked girl name is Paisley.
That is one reason P names stand out. The letter is simply not as crowded in Scottish naming as M, C, E or I. If you choose a Scottish girl name beginning with P, it will almost certainly feel more unusual.
Are There Many Scottish Boy Names That Start With P?
There are more for boys than girls, especially if you count the Gaelic male forms Pàdraig, Peadar, Pàl and Pòl. After that, the field shifts quickly into surnames and place names rather than long-established masculine first names.
That makes the male side of the list feel both traditional and short. You are not choosing from dozens. You are choosing from a handful with very different personalities.
FAQ: Scottish First Names That Start With P
What is the most traditional Scottish first name that starts with P?
Pàdraig is one of the strongest traditional choices because it is a recognised Scottish Gaelic form of Patrick. Peadar is another strong traditional option.
Is Paisley a Scottish name?
Yes. Paisley is linked to the Scottish town of Paisley and is used as a first name. It is Scottish by place-name connection rather than by Gaelic origin.
Is Peadar Scottish or Irish?
Both. Peadar appears in Irish and Scottish Gaelic usage. In a Scottish names list, it counts because it is used in Scottish Gaelic as well.
What does Pàdraig mean?
Pàdraig is the Scottish Gaelic form of Patrick, a name ultimately derived from a root associated with nobility.
What is a Scottish Gaelic girl name that starts with P?
Peigi is a recognised Scottish Gaelic feminine name. It is the Gaelic form of Peggy.
Are Paton and Pollock traditional Scottish first names?
Not in the same way as Pàdraig or Peadar. They are better known as Scottish surnames and may be used as first names, usually because of family connections.
Final Thoughts On Scottish First Names That Start With P
The best Scottish first names that start with P are the ones with a clear story behind them. If you want Gaelic heritage, look first at Pàdraig, Peadar, Pàl, Pòl and Peigi. If you want something more modern but still tied to Scotland, Paisley is the standout.
The short version is this: the P list is small, but it is not dull. It just asks you to be a bit choosier. Which, to be fair, is probably what you wanted in the first place.
If you are building a wider shortlist, pair these with names from our Scottish Names hub, then compare them with dedicated lists of Scottish girl names and Scottish-linked classics to see how P names sit alongside the more common letters.
