The most popular boys' names registered in Scotland in 1960 have been revealed, with John, James and David leading the rankings. The list, compiled by the National Records of Scotland, shows the top 100 names given to baby boys at the start of the new decade.
Top names and notable links
Other names in the top ten include William, Robert, Thomas, Ian, Andrew, Alexander and Alan. The year 1960 was a time of major industrial transition, urban slum clearance, and infrastructural upgrades across Scottish towns and cities. Glasgow rail services also became officially electrified for the first time.
Globally, 1960 was memorable for several events. The Beatles officially formed, John F. Kennedy won the presidential election in November, and seventeen African nations, including Nigeria and Cameroon, achieved independence from colonial rule.
Famous namesakes
Some of the most popular names from 1960 have links to famous figures of the time. James was a common name, shared with actor James Dean, who died in 1955 at age 24. Dean was known for his roles in East of Eden (1955) and Rebel Without a Cause (1955), both released after his death. He had a large fan base of young women who may have been inspired when naming their sons.
David, also in the top three, is the name of broadcaster Sir David Attenborough. By 1960, Attenborough was a well-known face on the BBC, having hosted Zoo Quest for several years prior, which kick-started his television career.
Andrew, also in the top ten, may have been influenced by the Royal Family, as Prince Andrew was born in February 1960. Parents may have been swayed to name their sons after the royal baby at the time.
Traditional names and modern trends
The list reflects Scotland's love of traditional names, with Robert, William, Alexander and Gordon all featuring among the favourites. More than 65 years later, many of these names are considered outdated and mostly exist among the older generation, while others like Hamish and Angus remain in the top 100 most popular Scottish baby boy names today.
This article is part of a series exploring Scotland's baby name history decade by decade. The most popular boys' names from the 70s, 80s, and 90s have already been covered. Below are the 100 most popular boys' names registered in Scotland in 1960, according to the National Records of Scotland.
Full list of top 100 names
John, James, David, William, Robert, Thomas, Ian, Andrew, Alexander, Alan, Brian, Stephen, Michael, George, Colin, Kenneth, Peter, Gordon, Paul, Graham, Derek, Douglas, Charles, Steven, Neil, Donald, Joseph, Allan, Stuart, Iain, Richard, Ronald, Edward, Hugh, Martin, Graeme, Gary, Mark, Kevin, Francis, Anthony, Alistair, Keith, Raymond, Christopher, Gerard, Patrick, Stewart, Philip, Duncan, Malcolm, Daniel, Alastair, Henry, Eric, Norman, Gerald, Scott, Leslie, Craig, Matthew, Angus, Archibald, Roderick, Bruce, Gavin, Samuel, Arthur, Grant, Walter, Ross, Ewan, Frank, Russell, Bryan, Garry, Roy, Terence, Fraser, Robin, Alasdair, Simon, Bernard, Nicholas, Lawrence, Cameron, Frederick, Albert, Calum, Harry, Barry, Callum, Adam, Lindsay, Timothy, Vincent, Murray, Trevor, Hamish, Jeffrey.
