Updated October 2026
Across 65 pages
of 65
English "barley valley"
"barley valley"
Rarely heard last-name-first choice with nice gardenlike feel.
English
"den of the boar"
A neglected surname name that could substitute for the more common Gordon, which has in the past associated with the milk company and Elsie the Cow.
"axe-wolf"
Shakespeare's classic drunken fool. In fact, this name, carried to Britain by the Normans, was quite popular until it was brought into disrepute by the low-life character who haunts taverns with…
English occupational name
"tanner"
Barker may be appealing to parents looking for a name with many layers - not only does it share a meaning with the more common Shepherd and Tanner, it also brings to mind the bark of a tree, making…
"grower or seller of barley"
A bit too bad-boy (think bars, beer, Harley) for us, as well as being the name of a grain.
"place cleared by burning"
Has some creative credibility via abstract painter Barnett Newman, but we'd prefer his nickname, Barney.
English contraction of "baron's home"
"baron's home"
Inevitable circus association.
"grain farm"
Perfect choice if your baby has grandpas named Barry and Eric, but also a bit military.
English, originally a nickname for a short person
Nothing but a hound dog.
"baker's meadow"
A more unusual, if slightly snooty, masculine Bailey alternative.
French
"russet-haired"
An old English redhead name -- one of the few that doesn't begin with the letter r -- with references both to a famous French knight and a magical horse. Civil Rights leader Bayard Rustin is a…
English from French
"fair, handsome"
Could be a possible and more modern, namesake for Uncle Neal.
"beekeeper"
This occupational choice is less appealing than such brethren as Baker and Baxter.
"trumpet player"
Might make a good middle name for the child of a musician, though people could think you were honoring your BMW.
"prayer"
A famous seventh-century saint and church historian whose name has not survived as well as his works. Known as the Venerable Bede, this Benedictine monk is considered the first known writer of…
"pretty face"
Try telling the kids it really means "pretty face" and not "burper".
"pretty valley"
Belden is a little-used surname-name that might work in this age of Belles.
"bellows maker"
Might be an honorific for novelist Saul Bellow, although bellowing is not the gentlest of sounds. Consider Saul instead.
"ford where barley grows"
Upper-crusty hotelish surname.
"bear rule"
Berold is one of the more obscure boy names meaning bear, which also include Arthur, Orson, and (in a different vein) Teddy.