Updated October 2026
Across 65 pages
of 65
English from German
"powerful counsel"
Serious surname choices, the latter form known via award-winning author Reynolds Price.
English, diminutive of Robert
"bright fame"
Rob has claimed Bob's turf.
English variation of Ulrich and Wulfric, German
"rich and noble heritage; wolf power"
Also related to the word for wolf, this name has a first syllable that's not appealing to the American ear. Better ic-ending choices: Dominic, Frederic, Eric.
English
"friend's farm"
See WYNTON.
Germanic
"old, wise ruler"
In an era with so many created, modern names, Aldrich oozes history and substance. But it is also fit for modern times, given its surname-as-name status and the nickname potential (Al, Richie, etc).
English and Scottish surname
"strong arms"
Last name occasionally used as a first, can be seen as a Lance Armstrong athlete-hero name.
English, diminutive of Albert and Bertram
A once-popular nickname for Albert and Bertram now being polished up by hip Brits, but still hibernating in the Land of Nerd over here.
Welsh
"battle"
Cadell is a surname that is unlikely to win many supporters, except perhaps from parents looking for an alternative to Caden. But while Cadell is more distinctive, that L ending is weaker and less…
"Dudda's meadow"
It's easy to love a name that rhymes with "cuddly" and is also attached to the surname Do-Right -- once you ignore the "dud" connection. Dudley has aristocratic roots--the name was originally famous…
"hill peninsula"
Gentle and southern-inflected, redolent of the North Carolina landscape.
"old, wise leader"
Name long associated with eloquent Black Panther activist Eldridge Cleaver and jazz great Roy Eldridge.
"someone who lives by a hill"
Simple and down-to-earth, but would probably work best as a middle name.
English surname derived from Jacques
Decidedly offbeat name that combines jauntiness with that uber-cool X, and would certainly set your son up for life outside the mainstream.
English, diminutive of Kimball
Kim is forever feminized, despite memories of the Rudyard Kipling character.
"warrior chief"
Now that Kimberly is no longer one of the top girl names, Kim or long form Kimball feel more gender neutral.
"meadow-dweller"
Almost as passé as Hyman.
Scottish
"son of Arthur"
The Mc and Mac surnames are asserting themselves as first names and this is among the most usable. MacArthur or McArthur makes a perfect honorific for an ancestral Arthur and leads directly to the…
"northern friend"
Alvin, Melvin, Norvin -- most vin names, except maybe Kevin and Gavin -- are not vinners.
"divine bear; divine warrior"
A surname style choice that could get you nicknames Bear and Ozzy, which is pretty cool. It comes from the Old English variant of the Old Norse Ásbjǫrn, which was introduced to England after the…
"son of Peter"
Patterson is an upscale name worth considering if you're looking to continue a line of Peters, but soundalike Paterson is a downscale city in New Jersey.