Updated October 2026
Across 65 pages
of 65
English
"royal peace settlement"
A dignified yet gentle surname name occasionally heard in England and the West Indies.
English place-name
British place-name unlikely to evoke much passion in any baby namer.
"narrow way"
Surname choice that could be used to honor the playwright Lanford Wilson.
"long hill"
Classy-sounding surname name usually bypassed in favor of the simpler Landon.
"long meadow"
The name of a large Air Force base in the US, Langley is a surname style choice that may appeal to fans of Langston, Landon, and Oakley, but also Banner, Navy, and Cannon. Quietly used for boys in…
"island of linden trees"
Lindsay is one of the few truly unisex names (rather than being a name that has changed genders). Over time the ey ending was usually reserved for women and the ay ending reserved for men, although…
"flax settlement"
In Wuthering Heights, Cathy's milquetoast husband; Heath is so much more appealing.
"settlement on the hill"
Slightly less stiff and small if spelled Lytton.
"shelter"
This English surname offers an interesting mix of images: it sounds upper-crusty yet macho, and also conjures up the coziness of a wintery ski lodge. As a surname it is associated with the…
"tall one"
Longfellow is the first name of the eponymous hero of the classic 1936 film Mr. Deeds Goes to Town , later remade with Adam Sandler. But it's hard to imagine a modern parent using it except as a…
"ruler's hill"
Rarely heard surname name that lacks the lightness of other o-ending names.
Bulgarian, English
"raspberry; little warrior"
An international and unisex choice, Malin is a rare northern English name associated with the city of Sheffield. In this case, it would mean "little warrior". As a Bulgarian choice, it is a masculine…
"shared wood"
Not manly enough.
English, Scottish, and French place-name
Some definite downsides: Massive, Messy.
"from the meadow"
Undiscovered single-syllable surname option, a friendly alternative to Reed.
"town by the lake"
Sounds like a displaced Dr. Seuss character.
"the moors"
Moore is recommended as a rich and satisfying middle name choice, whether it relates to your own family history or not. Of the numerous outstanding Moore-surnamed namesakes, count sculptor Henry,…
"moor, meadow clearing"
Gently pleasant English family name long associated with 60-Minuteman Morley Safer.
"dead sea"
Other kids might see a teasible connection to mortician or mortuary. Mortimer is an English family name used a few generations ago as an Anglicization of Moses; it was Walt Disney's original choice…
"town near the moor"
An English family name used a few generations ago as an Anglicization of Moses, but hardly heard since th 1950s.