Teàrlag is a Scottish Gaelic feminine name, derived as a feminine form of Teàrlach. It is sometimes Anglicized as Charlotte. Teàrlach itself comes from the Irish Toirdhealbhach, an Old Irish name meaning "instigator" or "prompter" (from tairdelb "prompting, urging").
Etymology
While the male name Toirdhealbhach (anglicized as Turlough) was borne by several medieval Irish kings, the form Teàrlach became common in Scottish Gaelic as an equivalent of Charles, and Teàrlag follows as the feminine counterpart. The Anglicization to Charlotte reflects this parallel—Charlotte is the French feminine diminutive of Charles, and the Gaelic name Teàrlag adapts this similarly for Scottish usage.
Usage
Teàrlag is a traditional name in the Scottish Gaelic-speaking regions of the Highlands and Islands. Though now rare, it preserves a distinct linguistic heritage, linking directly to the Old Irish root Tairdelbach. The name is part of a broader Celtic tradition of adapting continental names (like Charles) into native phonology, while also maintaining the original meaning related to leadership or urging.
- Meaning: Feminine form of Teàrlach, akin to Charlotte
- Origin: Scottish Gaelic, from Old Irish Tairdelbach
- Type: Feminine given name
- Regions: Scotland, especially Highlands and Islands