Surname Names for Baby Girls

Shaw is a streamlined and more modern-sounding Shawn, with many notable surname namesakes.

Auden is increasing in use for girls each year, and the feminized spelling Audyn is beginning to follow along. Parents are loving the gentle but unisex sound of this surname, associated with poet W.H., Auden.

A subtle literary surname choice: Estlin is the second "E" in E.E. Cummings (the first being Edward). Works equally well on both men and women.

This steely surname has a simple, strong sound – similar to names like Sloane or Clarke.

Atieno is the feminine equivalent of Otieno, which is now more commonly seen as a surname in Eastern Africa.

Napoleon "Nap" Lajoie may inspire some baseball history fans to adopt his surname as a first or middle name for their child. He was a second baseman for Philadelphia and Cleveland's teams in the early 19th century and is one of the only MLB players to have over 3000 career hits.

Elwell is an English surname as well as a place name. Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick used it as a second middle name for one of their twin daughters in 2009.

A gender-neutral Chinese name that originated as a surname, An can be used for girls or boys and means peace or quiet. An may also be a Vietnamese name meaning safe and secure. Its equivalence to the English article an may make it feel slight in an English-dominant culture.

A distinguished English occupational surname referring to a senior official who managed the household of a noble or monarch. The best known historical bearer is British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, who was in office at the start of the Second World War.

The full name of one of the main characters on Netflix's Dear White People, though she usually goes by Coco. Colandrea occasionally pops up as a surname, but as a first name, it feels more like a mashup of Coco and Andrea -- and a not unappealing mashup at that.

Preppy surname, and most notably, a record player brand.

Palin has suddenly become a hot new surname-name given usually to girls. The inspiration can only be former Alaska governor Sarah, though the name Palin is her husband's -- her original surname is Heath. Palin herself is no stranger to the adventurous baby name, as the mother of daughters Bristol, Piper, and Willow, and sons Track and Trig.

A preppy surname which could work as a tough and distinctive alternative to Ainsley, Ainsworth blends the sounds of the the 2000s favorite with a modern virtue-style ending. Originally a place name in the north of England, it combines the Old English given name Ægen meaning "to possess" with the element worþ meaning "enclosure" .

Actress Gates McFadden proves this surname can work just as well for girls as boys. It joins an impressive lineup of celebrity babies with similar names, including Hillary Duff's Banks and Emma Roberts' Rhodes. Gates is also famously the surname of Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft.

Adding that B to Randall transforms a pretty boyish surname choice into a 21st century spin on Brandy.

Variation of the Basque surname Zabala. Matt Damon used it as the middle name for his daughter Gia.

The German surname Kilmer is derived from Gilmer, which itself originated from various German given names. These personal names include Gildemir and Gilmar, meaning "famous sacrifice", along with Gisel and Gisela, which derive from the German element gīsil, meaning "pledge", "hostage", or "noble offspring".

Most often heard as an Italian surname, this might be an unusual yet musical option. While it's not among the traditional Italian names for girls, it can fill that role.

Notable as the surname of Old Hollwood star Clark Gable, this appealing option is just one sound away from Mabel or Fable. Literature lovers might also associate it with Lucy Maud Montgomery's classic Anne of Green Gables.

Faraday is a whimsical Scottish surname that works equally well as a first name for girls or boys.