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Ailish

Girl name · 224 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Ailish: 224 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to girls, peaking at 15 births in 1996.

Ailish is the Scottish Gaelic form of Alice, ultimately from the Old French *Aalis*, itself a diminutive of the Germanic name *Adalhaidis*, meaning "noble" or "of noble kind." While famous historical bearers are rare, the name gained a wider audience through Irish singer Ailish McBride, though it is most famously associated in modern pop culture with the Irish spelling of Eilish, as in singer Billie Eilish. The name shares its noble root with the Scottish place name Elgin, both descending from the same "noble" lineage. Choosing Ailish offers a distinctly Celtic twist on a classic, evoking the soft, lyrical sound of the Gàidhealtachd.