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Isaac

Boy name · 1,976 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Isaac: 1,976 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to boys, peaking at 126 births in 2017.

Of Hebrew origin, Isaac comes from *Yitzchak*, meaning “he will laugh” – a joyful name rooted in the biblical story of Abraham and Sarah laughing at the promise of a son. The most famous bearer is Sir Isaac Newton, whose laws of motion and gravity reshaped science. Science fiction fans also know Isaac Asimov, the prolific author of the *Foundation* series. While no major place is directly named after Isaac, the name shares its root with the town of Isaac’s Harbour in Nova Scotia, and many Scottish churches bear the name of the patriarch. Variants include Isaak, Izaak, and the Gaelic *Ìosac* – though Isaac itself remains a classic, widely used in Scotland since the 1970s.

Boy 41 of 52 years

Peak year
2017126 babies
Latest (2025)
#5677 babies
Total births
1,976since 1978
5-year trend
▼ 20%vs prior 5y
1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2017 · 126
Births per year in Scotland. Missing years had a count of 2 or fewer (suppressed by NRS).