By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 47 pages
of 47
English word and nature name
Projects the sleek and playful image of the aquatic mammal, plus that of the striking British-born Brazilian/Nigerian/Afro-Caribbean singer (born Sealhenry).
English
"blessed"
Has a positive meaning and a nickname feel. Sealey was a feminine name in medieval times but would be equally stylish (and rare) for both sexes now.
"boisterous"
A jolly, bawdy image that recalls the hero of the eighteenth-century novel Tristram Shandy ; also a drink in British pubs.
Scottish and English
"town by the sea"
A perfectly fine Anglo surname, though we'd prefer Keaton. Oscar-winning writer-director George Seaton ( Miracle on 34th Street, The Country Girl ) was actually born George Stenius.
"seaman"
Associated with archetypal folksinger Pete Seeger.
"blond"
If this name makes you think of Victorian novels, it's because Fairfax was part of Mr Rochester's name in Jane Eyre , and the surname of a minor character in Jane Austen's Emma . It has a distinctly…
"from the house on the hill"
Seldon was seldom heard as a first name but that may change now that Elon Musk has used it for his 14th child, his fourth with Shivon Zilis. Little Seldon Musk's middle name is Lycurgus, the name of…
"bold in victory"
New twist on Bennett. Mack Sennett was the early movie director known as the innovator of slapstick comedy.
English and French
"bow-maker, cattle herder"
Two completely different images come from its national pronunciations -- BOY-err or boy-AY -- the latter giving it an effete French accent.
"sea defender"
Double whammy: the expression "Seward's folly" and inevitable sewer jokes.
"wedge-shaped object"
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…
"from the crooked field"
One place-name that doesn't make the cut as a person name, associated with several commercial enterprises. We've seen it used by Chicago Cubs fans — Sheffield is the name of a major street bordering…
"the brook"
Has a certain fiery charm.
"clearing on a bank"
Despite its poetic associations, almost as dated as Sheldon, and more feminine.
"fisherman"
Unusual alternative to Fisher with a brisker surname appeal.
"fair-haired"
If ever there was a one-person name, it's probably Sherlock. But Sherlock Holmes the character has arguably never been hotter: he's been played by Robert Downey Jr., Ian McKellen, Jonny Lee Miller…
"bright forest"
Unfashionable surname, best left in the forest with Robin Hood and his Merry Men.
"one who lives near a stream"
A surname with more force than most.
"he who lives in a broad valley"
Hitting bottom.
"well near the woods"
Waspy-sounding choice, well known in literature for Boswell's Life of Johnson .
