Updated October 2024
Across 6 pages
of 6
Word name
Spring doesn't sound half as contemporary as Winter, which has become the cool season name.
English
"sandy ford"
A dated fifties surname name that led to the nickname SAndy.
"stony ford"
Even if you're a loyal alumnus, consider something less ultraupright, like Yale or Cal.
"marshy land near the sea"
Out playing shuffleboard at his condo and not expected back for several generations -- unless it morphs into a girls' name, a la Sydney.
English word name
Nice sound, but double meaning -- shady glen or shady character.
"saddle-maker"
Sadler is another new entrant in the trendy occupational surname category, one particularly prime for a horse lover.
English word name, diminutive of Sylvester
A bit too cunning.
"clearing on a bank"
The Shirley of the 1950s. Shelley Winters was born a Shirley.
Yiddish
"defender of men"
Also an English surname, Sender derives from Alexander and has an attractive modern sound. Though given to only a handful of baby boys per year, it nevertheless is in step with the brotherhood of…
"swift runner"
You won't win with Sherwin.
English from Latin
"when the sun stands still"
Solstice graduated from word to official first name when author Lionel Shriver used it for a character in her novel Big Brother . But of course, there were people named Solstice before: 16 baby girls…
"blessed, happy"
Surname name with an uplifting meaning. Just beware that this is a well-known mattress brand.
English surname derived from Simon
"the listener"
Sims is a medieval English surname, also found in Ireland and Scotland, that has many variations all deriving from the Hebrew Biblical name Simon. Sims is a simple, straightforward, yet…
"captain"
Sure, and we hope he has a good time playing with Buster and Buddy.
"Alexander's son"
A possible alternative to Anderson and a cool way to honor an Alexander, Sanderson has a slightly gentler sound and may appeal to those who also like Lysander, Sebastian, and Sullivan. With nicknames…
"woodcutter or reciter"
One of the more subtle occupational surnames, Sayer is a pleasant, open, last-name-first name, particularly apt for a family of woodworkers -- or writers. Some parents are beginning to consider Sayer…
"from the willow farm"
British last name that, though rather gentle, feels like a sharper, sleeker Shelby. Todd Selby, known primarily by his last name, is a hip photographer of interiors.
Striker is one of the new gang of boys' names that have two syllables, end in -er, spring from words, and have a macho, even aggressive meaning and image. Other examples include Breaker, Heller, and…
"lives by the thicket"
Shaw is a streamlined and more modern-sounding Shawn, with many notable surname namesakes.
In 2014, six little girls in the US were given the name Starlit. Starlit has a sweeter meaning than the similar Starlet, and a better ring than Starlight.