C. Wheeler Barnes of Denver, head of the Scottish Rite in Colorado, praised Pike as a historian, author, poet, journalist, lawyer, jurist, soldier and musician, who devoted most of his mature years to the strengthening of the Masonic Order.

* 1718 – Hugh Blair, Scottish preacher, author, and rhetorician ( d. 1800 )

At a Braveheart Convention in 1997, held in Stirling the day after the Scottish Devolution vote and attended by 200 delegates from around the world, Braveheart author Randall Wallace, Seoras Wallace of the Wallace Clan, Scottish historian David Ross and Bláithín FitzGerald from Ireland gave lectures on various aspects of the film.

The author based part of his narrative on the story of the Scottish castaway Alexander Selkirk, who spent four years stranded on the island of Juan Fernandez.

* 1954 – Iain Banks, Scottish author

* Robert Henryson ( Scottish, 15th century ), author of The Morall Fabillis of Esope the Phrygian.

* 1802 – Robert Chambers, Scottish author and journalist ( d. 1871 )

The Keswicks have maintained a relationship with another prominent Scottish family, the Flemings, of which the author Ian Fleming was also a member.

* 1860 – J. M. Barrie, Scottish author ( d. 1937 )

* 1869 – F. A. Forbes, Scottish author ( d. 1936 )

* 1780 – Thomas Chalmers, Scottish pastor, social reformer, author, and scientist ( d. 1847 )

Scottish author Nigel Tranter based one of his historical novels on the historical figure, MacBeth the King.

Ashley Cowie, Scottish author, historian, and archaeologist, and his team search the U. K. for treasures said to have been hidden away by Merlin in the 5th episode of season 1's " Legend Quest ".

Ossian is the narrator and purported author of a cycle of epic poems published by the Scottish poet James Macpherson from about 1760.

Scottish author Hugh Blair's 1763 A Critical Dissertation on the Poems of Ossian upheld the work's authenticity against Johnson's scathing criticism and from 1765 was included in every edition of Ossian to lend the work credibility.

* 1969-1971: Scottish author Nigel Tranter wrote a trilogy, considered largely accurate, based on the life of King Robert: The Steps to the Empty Throne, The Path of the Hero King and The Price of the King's Peace.

* 1832 – Walter Scott, Scottish author, poet, and playwright ( b. 1771 )

* 1958 – Irvine Welsh, Scottish author

* 1905 – George MacDonald, Scottish minister, author, and poet ( b. 1824 )

One notable example of a technological and libertarian socialist utopia is Scottish author Iain Banks ' Culture.

* February 1 – Muriel Spark, Scottish author ( d. 2006 )

* September 7 – Gavin Maxwell, Scottish naturalist and author ( b. 1914 )

** James Herriot, Scottish veterinarian and author ( d. 1995 )

* Davidson, Neil, Discovering the Scottish Revolution, 1692-1746, Pluto Press, London, England ( 2003 ).

* 1978 – Neil Alexander, Scottish footballer

** Simon Neil, Scottish Musician ( vocalist, guitarist, songwriter ), Biffy Clyro Marmaduke Duke

Literary critic Neil Philip also argued that further folkloric and mythological influences could be seen in the character of Nastrond, who had both a foul smell and an aversion to fresh water, characteristics traditionally associated with the Nuckalevee, a creature in Scottish folklore.

Neil takes a Scottish cross-country walk with Gurkhas every year to raise funds for the Gurkha Welfare Trust.

* Neil Doncaster-CEO of the Scottish Premier League

Neil MacFarlane, a professional footballer who reached the 2008 Scottish Cup Final with Queen of the South, was born in the town.

The formation of the SLP was led by Jim Sillars, then MP for South Ayrshire, John Robertson, then MP for Paisley and Alex Neil, the UK Labour Party's senior Scottish researcher.

This failure prompted the SLP to disband ; and members either fell out of active politics, re-joined the Labour Party, or chose to join the Scottish National Party ( SNP ), which both Sillars and Neil did, with both rising to high office in the SNP.

Eric Linklater stood as an NPS candidate in the 1933 East Fife by-election, and Neil Gunn played a role in aiding the NPS amalgamation with the Scottish Party.

Alex Neil ( born 22 August 1951 ) is a Scottish politician, currently serving as the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Well-being and the Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Airdrie and Shotts.

By 1979 the SLP had collapsed and Neil fell out of active politics until 1985 when he joined the Scottish National Party ( SNP ).

Neil emerged as a leading supporter of former policewoman Shirley McKie as she bid to win compensation from the Scottish Government following her acquittal from perjury charges.

Neil Maclean ( 1875 – 12 September 1953 ) was a Scottish socialist and a Independent Labour Party and later Labour Party Member of Parliament ( MP ) for Govan in Glasgow.

At the 1989 Glasgow Central by-election, the Scottish National Party ( SNP ) candidate Alex Neil called himself and the then SNP MP for Govan, Jim Sillars, the " new Clydesiders ".

Sir ( Donald ) Neil MacCormick, QC, FBA, FRSE ( 27 May 1941 – 5 April 2009 ), or just Neil MacCormick, was a legal philosopher and Scottish politician.

A form of waterbed was invented in the early 19th century by the Scottish physician Neil Arnott.

Alasdair Neil Morgan ( born 21 April 1945 ) is a Scottish politician.

A Scottish fiddler named Neil Gow is usually credited with developing ( during the 1740s ) the short bow sawstroke technique that defined Appalachian fiddling.

* Scottish actors David Tennant, Tom Conti and Gerard Butler hail from Ralston, as do interior designer John Amabile and political commentator Andrew Neil.

David Neil Laurence Levy ( born 14 March 1945, in London ), is a Scottish International Master of chess, a businessman noted for his involvement with computer chess and artificial intelligence, and the founder of the Computer Olympiads and the Mind Sports Olympiads.