Occupational Names

We hesitate to call Bandit an occupational name, any more than Rogue or Vandal are occupational names, yet its use by one of the bandmembers of My Chemical Romance (for his daughter: we're thinking only Gerard Way could pull that off) undoubtedly owes a debt to occupational cousins from Pilot to Parker.

Fifer is a musical name that fits in seamlessly with the likes of Harper and Piper, but is much more unusual. It's also a Scottish demonym, referring to an inhabitant of the historic Scottish county of Fife.

One Irish surname that will never make it as a first.

An occupational name, associated with working in a bank or as a vote counter. There's also the more whimsical possibility of it linking to "storyteller".

Sure, and we hope he has a good time playing with Buster and Buddy.

More than 300 babies have been named Shooter in the US since 2002, which, depending on who you ask, is arguably about 300 too many. One of the violent names for boys that have gained traction in recent years, the most optimistic view perhaps is that parents were thinking about sports or honoring a family connection to the militiary when choosing this name.

One of the less common members of the currently popular craftsmen's guild, Becker once had a self-named sitcom, and is also associated with Wimbleton tennis legend Boris Becker.

Brewer is a surname turned first name that comes from the occupational name for someone who brews beer. Definitely a cool guy name.

Cannon sits amongst other weapon names like Colt, Pistol, Lance, and Remington. Definitely a name that offers bombast.

Webster is one of several W-starting surname names back on the drawing board, now that it has recovered from its childlike eighties sitcom identity.

Brawny name chosen for his son by rocker Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue.

A not uncommon surname in Northern England that remains uncommon as a first name everywhere.

Could join such up-and-comers as Miller and Gardener, though the "potty" and Harry Potter associations are strong and potentially unappealing these days.

Unusual alternative to Fisher with a brisker surname appeal.

Originally a Dutch surname, imported by the early Dutch colonists, has been all but overpowered by the phonetic spellings in the US -- Skyler for boys and Skylar for girls. With the surnames-as-first-names trend, however, and the popularity of the Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical Hamilton, which features the Schuyler sisters, perhaps Schuyler might receive some more interest in the coming years.

Another bad boy occupational name, joining Bandit, Rogue, and Gunner, though Vandal feels more obviously destructive. The Vandals were a tribe that swept through Europe and North Africa in the sixth century and sacked Rome. Their name is thought to spring from the Germanic word for wandering, but has come to mean senseless destruction.

This variation of Connor was practically unused before the 1990s.

Wheeler is one of the most energetic of the newly stylish occupational names, all those 'e's giving it a friendly, freewheeling sound.

One of the most distinguished names in literature could become a hero name in a family of poetry-lovers -- or be seen as a trendy new occupational name.

Warden is a masculine English occupational name derived from Old Northern French and Middle English 'wardein,' meaning 'guardian' or 'keeper.' Historically, a warden was someone responsible for protecting or supervising something important, such as a game warden or prison warden. As a given name, Warden is extremely rare, appealing to parents drawn to unique names with strong, authoritative meanings. It evokes qualities of responsibility, protection, and leadership. The name has an air of seriousness and duty, making it distinctive in modern naming landscapes where occupation-based names have experienced occasional revivals. Its uncommon nature gives it a distinctive quality while maintaining recognizable English language roots.