Updated October 2026
Across 65 pages
of 65
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.
English
"dweller near the wood fort"
Possibility for fans of science fiction writer Ray.
"broad forest"
Currently connected to football Hall of Famer turned actor Terry Bradshaw.
"courageous raven"
We can hear the kids teasing him from here.
"well where the gorse grows; bramble well"
An unexpected route to nicknames Bram or Wells, this English surname derives from a historical hamlet in England, whose exact location has been lost to time. It comes from the Old English word for…
"firebrand, sword"
Rugged and straightforward brand-new name, though you might not like the idea of branding your son.
"raven meadow"
The suffix Bran is familiar as raven-related since Game of Thrones , and the -ley suffix has been popular since the 1990s heyday of Ashley.
"meadow at the slope of the hill"
A rowdy name nobody ever heard of, till Nick Nolte gave it to his son.
English occupational name
"female brewer"
With its slightly cocky feel, this well-used surname is not often heard as a first.
"burnt meadow"
Surname name with feminine final ley. The Welsh name Bryn, though also unisex and veering toward the girl world, is far more attractive.
English surname
"badger settlement"
Brock plus.
Diminutive of Bromley, English
"broom meadow"
Attached to one of the heroes of Christopher Paolini's megapopular fantasy novel Eragon , this name sounds strong yet sensitive. Paolini's character is named after another bestselling fantasy author…
Bromley is an English surname-name that's more possible as a first name now than ever before. The -ley suffix has been adopted for many names, and surnames such as Bromley are fashionable. A short…
"small stream"
The final e adds a big purple bow to what has already become a pink name. Try Brook or better, Brooks.
"monastery where deer dwell"
Innovative architect, inventor, and thinker Buckminster (universally known as Bucky) Fuller makes this vaguely possible.
English from French
"swelling"
Mythic lumberjack Paul may inspire some namesakes despite relation to similarly pronounced foot problem.
"riverbank where burrs grow"
Beautiful downtown Burbank -- about as glamorous a place-name as Akron...or Detroit.
"ford near the castle"
The stuffy-sounding name of a posh medieval village in the Cotswolds, in England, that some consider one of the most beautiful small towns in Europe.
"inhabitant of a fortified town"
Related to the word bourgeois; actor Burgess Meredith put this surname in first place.
"knotty wood; butler"
This name has a nicely fragrant woodsy feel, bringing it into the nature-tree name category. Its only well-known bearer, folk singer and Oscar-winning actor Burl Ives, had the full birth certificate…