The dainty petticoat tails gained their peculiar name and distinctive shape by resembling the pieces of fabric used to create the elaborate 16th-century petticoats, including that of Mary Queen of Scots, who was reputed to have been particularly fond of these sweet, buttery shortbread biscuits.

However, another less romantic theory claims their name could've been derived from petits cotés, the old French term for little biscuits. Regardless of their real origins, petticoat tails remain a Scottish favorite until this day.