English Names

A cross-cultural possibility, but a bit heavy and somber. 

Hammond

Though we usually think a name's image in contemporary culture supersedes its ancient meaning, this is a case where the definition could undermine a child's self-esteem. 

Hamill

The late tennis great Arthur Ashe (whose wife was a photographer) pioneered word names when he used this for his daughter. It would make an interesting first or middle name possibility for parents involved with photography.

Camera

One of many variants of Cameron, though it is currently rarely used on any gender.
 Deriving from a Scottish surname made up of the Gaelic elements cam and sròn, Cameron and its variants mean "crooked nose". This likely originated as a nickname, but if you were hoping for a different meaning, there is also the theory that the second part of the name may have come from the Gaelic abhainn meaning "river" or the Welsh bryn meaning "hill".

Camrin

This variation of the popular unisex name has been used nearly exclusively on boys in recent years, while Camryn and Kamryn are preferred on girls. Camron did see quiet used for girls in the 2000s when it was in the Top 1000 for boys.
 Deriving from a Scottish surname made up of the Gaelic elements cam and sròn, Cameron and its variants mean "crooked nose". This likely originated as a nickname, but if you were hoping for a different meaning, there is also the theory that the second part of the name may have come from the Gaelic abhainn meaning "river" or the Welsh bryn meaning "hill".

Camron

Although this was the surname of rugged World War II admiral William Halsey, these days it's more closely identified with uninamed female singer-songwriter Halsey. Five baby boys were named Halsey in the US last year, along with 45 baby girls.

Halsey

Used sporadically for girls but very rarely for boys, this place name does have one notable bearer: actor, boxer, and Civil Rights activist, Canada Lee. He was born Leonard Lionel Cornelius Canegata but a mispronunciation of his surname led him to go by Canada. 
 
The name itself comes from kanata, drawn from the Native American language of Iroquoian, in which it means "village".

Canada

Young actor Haley Joel Osment to the contrary, this name in all its variations has become too popular for girls to survive as a boys' choice. Hailey, Haily Halley, Hallie, Hayley. 

Haley

Caria is both a rare elaboration of Cara and Carrie and and the name of an ancient region of Asia Minor. Given to a handful of girls in the US since the 50s, it is rarely given to more than 10 babies in a single year.
 
As an elaboration, it derives from either Caroline (vias Carrie) meaning "free man", or from the Irish and Italian Cara, meaning "beloved, dear" and "friend". As an ancient place name, it connects to a region of what was once Anatolia and is now modern day Turkey. The name may have come from the king of the region, Car or Kar, who may or may not have been the same Kar of Megara in Greek mythology.

Caria

English surname that's very rarely found as a first name. The Colorado city was named after Horace Greeley, the nineteenth-century congressman and founder of the New-York Tribune.

Greeley

Surname from a landscape feature, associated with author Gore Vidal and Bill Clinton's Vice President Al Gore. Its alternative meaning - as in gory - may explain why it's never made it into the charts.

Gore

A popular first name in the eleventh and twelfth centuries, giving rise to surnames Gifford et al.  Could enjoy a comeback thanks to trendy Griffin.

Giffard

Could catch on in tandem with the newfound popularity of Griffin and Griffith. 

Gifford

Galton

While Carraway brings to mind Nick Carraway, the narrator of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, there is no reason why this cool surname-name wouldn't work on a girl. Modern and stylish, with a friendly and sporty vibe, Carraway is a trendy-sounding name that feels almost vintage due to its literary connections.

Carraway

While Caraway-with-one-R brings to mind nature and herbs, the double R variant is reminiscent of Nick Carraway, the narrator of the classic novel The Great Gatsby. With its trendy surname feel and literary connections, Carraway is a gem waiting to be discovered.

Fortitude is the kind of virtue name the Puritans favored that could feel rather heavy for a modern boy. Nevertheless, with options such as Sincere, Chosen, Messiah, and Valor on the rise, perhaps in coming years, it might not seem so hefty after all, though for now, we think it would be best reserved for the middle spot. 

Fortitude

A mellow sounding surname, Carroway could work as a fresh spin on Caroline and a unique way to get the nicknames Coco or Carrie. Reminiscent of the earthy, bitter herb, caraway, and with a touch of literary style thanks to Nick Carraway, narrator The Great Gatsby, Carroway might be one to watch out for.
 
Derived from the Old English gara and weg, the name means "path or road to a triangular piece of land" and was originally found among an Anglo-Saxon tribe who lived near such a place.
 
While the name has yet to feature as a given name in the US stats, it was chosen by reality TV star, Sadie Robertson Huff, who named her daughter Kit Carroway in 2025. Carroway is the star's own middle name, and likely her grandmother's maiden name.

Carroway

Similar in sound to caraway (a bitter, earthy herb), Carraway (Nick, narrator of The Great Gatsby) and Calloway (a quietly rising choice for boys), Carroway is a surname-style choice that could work as a unisex given name. It might appeal to those looking for a creative way of honoring a Wayne and/or a Caroline.
 
Originally found among an Anglo-Saxon tribe who lived near a road or path by a triangular piece of land, it combines the Old English elements gara and weg to describe such a location. 
 
While it has never appeared in the US stats, Carroway was used by reality TV star, Sadie Robertson Huff, for her daughter's middle name in 2025. It is a family name for the star, but her use of it may well help bring the name to people's attention.

More popularly spelled as Carey, this succinct unisex option was popular in the 1960s and -70s, predominantly for boys, though it did appear in the charts for girls in the 60s through to the early 90s. Similar in sound (or style) to Carrie, Kerry, and Cassie, it ultimately comes from the Irish element ciar meaning "dare, black".

Cary

English names -- names originating in the English language -- rank among the top names in the US, the UK, and other English-speaking countries, along with such European countries as Sweden, Germany, and France.

 in the US Top 300 include Georgia, Juliet, Lily and Olive for girls, and Emmett, Miles, Oscar, and William for boy.

 include Alfie, Lily, Edward, and Ella. In Sweden, the English girls' name Alice ranks near the top of the list, while the English boys' nickname Tom is fashionable in France.



Less conventional English names that rank highly in the US include, for girls, Kendall, Kinsley, Madison, Marley, Peyton, Presley, Sutton, Willow, Winter and Wren, For boys, this group includes Archer, Brooks, Carter, Fletcher, Graham, Huxley, Mason, Reed, Sawyer, and Wilder.

 that carry a lot of style value include, for girls, Araminta, Arden, Azalea, Birdie, Blythe, Clover, Lilac, Lavender, Posey, and Waverly. For boys, unique English names to consider include Birch, Booker, Dane, Garrison, Hale, Kit, Oberon, Shaw, Tobin, and Winston.



Our collection of English baby names also includes surname names such as Lancaster and Huffington, nature names such as River and Marigold, English word names such as Love and Journey, along with place names like Devon and occupational names such as Driver.



Browse Nameberry's complete range of English names for girls and boys, continued, below, or consult our individual lists of 

English names including girl names and boy names of English origin from the English language and culture (Page 143)

English Names (with Meanings & Popularity)