1450+ English Names (with Meanings & Popularity)
Across 73 pages
of 73
Carleton
English
"settlement of free men"
Carleton has a great meaning behind it, and should really have more popularity than it has found to date. You can shorten it to Carl or keep it upscale and formal in the longer form. Baseball Hall of…
Tillie
English, diminutive of Matilda
"battle mighty"
A surprise recent hit revival with cutting-edge British, Tribeca and Malibu parents; Tillie, also spelled Tilly, is cute, frilly, and sassy all at once. Tilly features in the England and Wales Top…
Carden
English occupational name
"wool carder"
Highly unusual but stylish-sounding occupational name, with a pleasant association with gardens.
Clem
, English, diminutive of Clement
Laid-back and humble, with a distinctive down-home charm.
Cleveland
English
"hilly land, from the cliff"
A presidential and place-name that's not a stand-out in either category.
Clifford
English
"lives near the ford by the cliff"
Clifford is beginning to overcome a slightly stodgy intellectual image and showing signs of possible revival. Kids might or might not like the association with the big red dog. In England, the…
Cliff
Topographical name or short form of Clifford or Clifton
Cliff is a familiar, timeless short form -- never too popular, yet widely known -- that you might also think of as a geographical name ala Vale or Field.
Macen
English, feminine variation of Mason
"worker in stone"
Rather than going with a yooneek spelling like Macen (or Maysen or Masyn), we'd suggest sticking with the original Mason, as Kelsey Grammer did for his daughter.
Clint
English, diminutive of Clinton
As flinty and steely as Mr. Eastwood.
Elmira
English, Turkish
"noblewoman; country, world commander; ruler of the people"
A name with various origins, Elmira combines the sounds of multicultural Mira with the popular El- beginning. Despite this, the name is rarely heard in the US, though it does rank in the Top 100…
Clive
English
"lives near a high cliff"
Clive started life as a surname for someone who lived near a cliff, making it a secret outdoorsy name. Its use as a first name began in honor of Robert Clive (aka Clive of India), an…
Carden
English occupational name
"wool carder"
Unusual, serious, no-nonsense occupational surname that could be borrowed from the boys.
Vinnie
English, diminutive of Lavinia
A winning, gold locket nickname name of the turn of the last century, though also a common nickname for Vincent.
Mason
English occupational name
"stoneworker"
Mason is a supertrendy name for boys that's starting to cross over -- Kelsey Grammer used it for his daughter. Creative speller's delight.
Calder
English
"rocky water"
A cool, rugged sounding name, Calder is connected to an ancient Scottish clan, an English village, and a Scottish River, along with the sculptor Alexander Calder, who invented the mobile (as in,…
Calbert
English
"calf-herder"
Putting a C before Albert doesn't make this old occupational name any more contempo.
Merrill
English
"sea-bright; pleasant hill"
Merrill, once fairly common for American boys back in the first half of the 20th-century, is now a rare choice, given to just 7 girls and 6 boys in a recent year. Alternative spelling Meryl is also…
Ellison
English
"son of Ellis"
Updates Allison—which everyone will misunderstand it as. But it's definitely a fresh spin on the Ellie names, and a rising surname name choice for girls. Ellison made its first appearance on the US…
Polly
English variation of Molly, diminutive of Mary, Hebrew
"bitter"
An alternative to the no-longer-fresh Molly, the initial 'P' gives Polly a peppier sound, combining the cozy virtues of an old-timey name with the bounce of a barmaid. Associated with Tom Sawyer's…
Byram
English variation of Byron
Why not stick with the original.