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Coinneach

Boy name · 9 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Coinneach: 9 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to boys, peaking at 3 births in 2003.

Coinneach is the original Scottish Gaelic form of Kenneth, meaning “handsome” or “born of fire,” rooted in the Old Irish *Cinaed. Its most legendary bearer is Coinneach Odhar, the 17th-century Brahan Seer, whose prophecies remain part of Highland folklore, while Kenneth MacAlpin united the Picts and Scots in the 9th century as the first King of Scots. The name also appears in place names such as Kennethmont in Aberdeenshire, and its Anglicised version, Kenneth, became widely used after the Stuart era. Notably, Coinneach remains a beloved choice in modern Scotland, preserving a direct link to Gaelic heritage while pairing naturally with the short form “Kenny” for everyday use.