Fun Facts About the Name Galloway
- 10 babies named Galloway: U.S. records list 10 babies given the name Galloway from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Galloway Mean?
Galloway is a Scottish place name meaning "place of the foreign Gaels." It comes from Scottish Gaelic Gall-Ghàidheil, a compound of gall, "foreigner" or "stranger," and Gàidheil, "Gaels." In early Gaelic usage, gall was especially used for Vikings and other Norse speakers, and Gall-Ghàidheil referred to Norse-Gaels, people of mixed Norse and Gaelic background.
The English name comes from the district of Galloway in southwestern Scotland. As a first name, Galloway is a transferred use of the surname, which is itself a locative surname taken from the district. The literal sense of the Gaelic term is "foreign Gaels"; the customary place-name sense is "district of the foreign Gaels."
Galloway Name History & Origins
Galloway is the name of a region in southwestern Scotland, lying between the Solway Firth and the Irish Sea and including the old counties of Wigtownshire and Kirkcudbrightshire. In the Middle Ages the area was the Lordship of Galloway, a territory whose rulers were involved in the politics of both Gaelic Scotland and the Norse-Gaelic Irish Sea world. The district's Gaelic name, Gall-Ghàidhealaibh, contains the same Gall-Ghàidheil element, and Latin writers used the form Gallovidia. English and Scots forms developed into the modern spelling Galloway.
The surname Galloway is a locative name for someone from the district. It is found in Scotland and England, and in Scotland it is associated with the southwest. As a given name, Galloway is a transferred use of that surname; it is not a traditional Gaelic personal name. The name is used in English-speaking countries, while its origin is specifically Scottish Gaelic and its reference point is the Scottish district.
How Popular is the Name Galloway?
Galloway has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 1989. Its best rank was #8,328 in 1989.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | #12,706 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1989 | #8,328 | 5 | 0.0002% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
Most Popular Boy Names That Start with G
How the Name Galloway Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are introspective, prophetic, philosophical, and soul searching, but also can be analytical, critical and opinionated. You think deeply and clearly, have an air of mystery, can be solitary and secretive. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You find the best contentment in life when you own your own home and provide well for your family and loved ones. You have a great sense of responsibility and duty. You are comforting, appreciative and affectionate. Your obligation in life is to hold justice and truth, and if you follow the Law, you can find the great happiness and satisfaction.
✦ Galloway's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Galloway's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.