1450+ English Names (with Meanings & Popularity)
Across 73 pages
of 73
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.
Deforest
English
"living near the forest"
Nature surname with an aristocratic edge. Spelling it DeForest distances it from deforestation.
Del
English, diminutive
"small valley"
The kind of name last found in northern Wisconsin in the 1950s, and even then it was probably a nickname for Delbert.
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.
Denham
English
"village in a valley"
Legitimizes the newly coined Denim, as does the Scottish place-name Denholm (both pronounced DEN-um).
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,…
Tennyson
English
"son of Dennis"
Few people would have considered the surname of this famous Victorian poet as a first name until Russell Crowe chose it for his son in 2006. But, as a rhythmic three-syllable patronymic, Tennyson has…
Calbert
English
"calf-herder"
Putting a C before Albert doesn't make this old occupational name any more contempo.
Destry
French
"war horse"
Destry rides again, this time as a Western flavored baby name. Derived from the French surname Destrier, from an Anglo-Norman word meaning "warhorse", this rugged name was popularized by the 1930…
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…
Dickinson
English
"son of Dick"
Dickinson is a possibility for Richard's boy, though that Dick nickname is problematic no matter how you get to it.
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.
Doane
English
"low, rolling hills"
Unusual, but clear and strong.
Dodge
English, diminutive of Roger, German
"famous warrior"
This old short form might be seen as a little dubious by some, though it could make for a fun pet name, honor name, on update on the still-stodgy Roger. In a recent film, Seeking a Friend for the End…
Dodson
English
"Roger's son"
Fresh way to pass down Roger.
Byatt
English
"by the enclosure"
For fans of the (female) author A. S. ; makes an interesting alternative to Wyatt or the hotelish Hyatt.
May
Diminutive of Margaret and Mary; month name
May is a sweet old-fashioned name that hasn't been on the national charts in several decades, but is definitely sounding fresh and springlike. Parents are beginning to see it once more as one of the…