Meaning and Origin of Innes

The male given name Innes is an Anglicization of the Scottish Gaelic name Aonghas (or Angus); therefore the origin of Innes is Scotland itself. It is the name of an island (the Gaelic word meaning island) and can mean “from Innes,” “from the river island” or “one choice.” It became a Scottish surname and clan name originating from 1160 (whose motto is: Be Traist from the Gaelic meaning Be Faithful) before being used as a first name and unusually enough it can also be used as a female first name as well.

The popularity of the Name

Currently, the popularity of Innes places it at the 89th most popular boy’s name in Scotland according to the Scottish Government Statistics of 2017.

Famous People

Some famous bearers of the name Innes are: Innes Ireland the formula one racer, Dr. Innes J. McCartney the nautical archaeologist and for those astronomically minded it is also the name of a crater on the Moon and an asteroid named after the Scottish-South African astronomer Robert T. A. Innes.

Variations of the Name

Some nicknames and variations are: Ennis, Iniss, Inness, Innis, and Inniss.

Useful Resources

• Our extensive list of Scottish boys names.
• Get these great offers on baby products.