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Aulay

Boy name · 71 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Aulay: 71 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to boys, peaking at 13 births in 2024.

Of Old Norse origin, Aulay is a distinctly Scottish form of the name Olaf, derived from the elements *anu* ("ancestor") and *leifr* ("descendant" or "heirloom"), giving the meaning "ancestor's descendant." A notable bearer was Aulay MacAulay of Ardincaple, a 16th-century chief of Clan MacAulay, a name itself linked to the same root. The name also appears in Scottish history as Aulay MacAulay, a 19th-century Gaelic bard. While no major modern places are named after an Aulay, the name is intimately tied to the landscapes of Argyll and the Hebrides through its clan associations. A further point of interest: Aulay remains a rare but enduring choice, sometimes anglicised as Auley or even Olaf, offering a distinctive link to Scotland’s Norse heritage.