Scott

♂ Boy

Pronounced SKAHT /skɒt/High

Meaning: From the English and Scottish surname Scott, meaning 'a Scot' or 'a person from Scotland,' derived from Old English Scottas referring to a Gaelic-speaking people; used as a given name from the 20th centuryHigh

In 30 seconds: Scott is a clean, one-syllable English surname-name meaning simply 'a Scotsman.' Peaked mid-20th century, it remains a reliable classic with preppy, no-nonsense appeal.

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Origin HighEnglish, Scottish

MeaningFrom the English and Scottish surname Scott, meaning 'a Scot' or 'a person from Scotland,' derived from Old English Scottas referring to a Gaelic-speaking people; used as a given name from the 20th century

U.S. rank (2025)#534 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births561 boys (0.03% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1971

Total births (all-time)≈ 775,012

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

History & Origin

Scott derives from the Old English ethnonym Scottas, the term used for the Gaelic-speaking peoples who migrated from Ireland to what is now Scotland in the early medieval period. It became a widespread English surname along the Scottish border and in northern England. As a given name, Scott was adopted in the 20th century as part of the broader fashion for using Anglo-Scottish surnames as first names.

Scott rose dramatically in the United States after World War II, peaking in the top 10 during the 1960s and 1970s, and has been declining gradually since. It remains in the top 300 and carries a reliable, clean-cut image. Famous bearers include author F. Scott Fitzgerald, astronaut David Scott, and actor Scott Bakula. The name's one-syllable simplicity and lack of ambiguity remain draws for parents who prefer understated classics.

Did you know? F. Scott Fitzgerald's first name was actually Francis — he went by Scott, his mother's maiden name, a choice that reflected a then-growing American fashion for using maternal surnames as given names.

Overall data confidence 94%

Behind the Name — Scott — etymology and historyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

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Nicknames

Scottie

Famous Bearers

★F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896–1940)
American novelist, author of The Great Gatsby and chronicler of the Jazz Age.
★David Scott (1932–present)
American astronaut and commander of Apollo 15, seventh person to walk on the Moon.

If you like Scott…

Todd— shares the short, clean mid-century American surname-name quality

Brad— one-syllable English surname-name from the same generational wave

Kyle— single-syllable Scottish-origin boys' name with the same preppy, confident feel

Brett— fellow one-syllable Anglo-French surname-to-given-name from the same era

Frequently Asked

What does the name Scott mean?

Scott comes from the Old English Scottas, meaning 'a Scot' or 'a person from Scotland.' It was an ethnonym before becoming a surname and then a given name.

How do you pronounce Scott?

It is said SKAHT — one syllable.

Is Scott a boy or girl name?

Scott is used almost exclusively as a boys' name.

How popular is Scott?

Scott peaked in the U.S. top 10 in the 1960s–70s and has declined gradually since. It currently sits in the top 300 and remains a well-known classic.