Initials before a surname.....

[Mairi]

In OPR Births and Baptism Search Returns I have come across N before a father's Christian name ie.,
1770 McRorie James (to) N Malcolm/McRorie Ann Stewart

and

1739 McRorie Alexander (to) N Patrick/McRorie Ann Murray

( both of Monzievaird and Strowan, Perthshire.)

I thought of Neil/Niall.
I thought of natural as in natural son of but that would be nat. and would not be put in front of father's name.
So far it has just been in front of Malcolm and Patrick.
Cannot find it in list of abbreviations in my genealogy books.
Also unsure why / is before McRorie which is the surname. Elsewhere the / is after the father's surname. Don't think it can be an alternative surname as Patrick McRorie is listed as a parent for John b. 1745.
Can anybody enlighten me?
Mairi

[nshaw]

I know in Latin often they will use the small letter n for nepos as a prefix before the name to indicate grandson of someone with a similar name.

Just an idea
Cheers
N