America has fallen in love with Hayes and Brooks and Banks and Rhodes, and now, parents are turning to Townes. With its fashionable S ending and image that can read as preppy or country or cowboy, depending on the context, Townes feels destined for mainstream success.

Crosby is an attractively laid-back Irish surname with retro musical associations to Bing and Crosby, Stills, and Nash, and with a jaunty air. Crosby Braverman was the name of a character on the TV show Parenthood, played by Dax Shepard.

Trevor, a British standard, took a long time to cross the Atlantic, but finally began its rise here in the 1980s. It is now a thoroughly naturalized citizen, though it still retains a touch of Anglo class.

This artistic and aristocratic surname is a bold and daring choice, but with nature inspired names like Wren on the rise, and surnames-as-first-names being in vogue, Wyndham was a fast riser in 2023.

This choice feels more familiar than other hall-related English surnames, thanks to designer Halston, the single-named disco-era society playmate of Liza and Elton.

One of the surname names used more in the last century, à la Milton and Morton.

Legitimizes the newly coined Denim, as does the Scottish place-name Denholm (both pronounced DEN-um).

Proper Bostonian.

Historically interesting via the 1917 Balfour Declaration, which supported the creation of a Jewish state in Palestine.

There were various villages called Edgecombe (and Edgcumbe and Eggcumbe) in Old England, particularly in present-day Cornwall and Devon. Local families adopted it as a surname — habitational surnames were extremely common among the English.

Tyra would be a more modern pick.

This name's buttoned-up British vibe is what makes it cool - that, and the fact that it was chosen by Anne Bronte as her pseudonym - Acton Bell. That's quite the literary - and may we add feminist - credential for a name. For those with an adventurous edge, Acton is one of the highest peaks in Antarctica.

Vicus, an unusual ancient Roman place-name, is used for modern-day boys in Africa.

Unusual name that's close -- possibly too close -- to several more familiar choices.

A preppy surname and place name derived from the Anglo-Saxon personal name Ælfweard "elf guardian" + the -by suffix, meaning "village, homestead". Ellerby feels like a quirkier Ellery or Emery.

Brusque and charmless, two things you don't want your son to be.

Charming Dickensian route to Nick.

Selby, a rarely heard British surname, feels sleeker and more distinctive than Shelby. Todd Selby, known primarily by his last name, is a hip photographer of interiors.

Canada is an undiscovered but attractive place-name possibility, sporadically used for girls since the 1970s. Nicknames Cadie, Addie, and Candy, maybe?

A distinguished sounding place and surname borne by religious leader Brigham Young, second president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.