Hugh

Hugh (m) Also (rarely) Hew. This was used in Scotland
as a substitute for several Gaelic names, such as Uisdean, Eoghan, Aodh, because of vague similarities in pronunciation. Hugh is actually Germanic in origin, from a
root word meaning ‘heart, mind.’ In terms of modern usage, Hugh is decidedly Scottish. It was in 12th position in 1858, 10th in 1935, and 28th in 1958. It has recently tended to slip still further down the scale, which seems a pity. The name has hardly been used in other English-speaking countries, except Ireland, during the last hundred years. In Scotland Hughina is occasionally found as a girls’ name. There are also many Scottish surnames derived from Hugh or Hew. These include Hewat, Hewet, Hewit, Hewatson, Hewison, Howat, Howatson, Hugan, Huggin, Hughson, etc.

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