By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 76 pages
of 76
Irish surname
"son of Cárthach"
McCarthy is one of a wave of new Irish surname-names, one of the most popular last names of Irish origin now translated to a first name. Mac is an attractive nickname.
English place name
No matter how much you love the novels of Papa H., don't saddle your son with this unwieldy appellation.
Gaelic
"son of Aodh"
MacKay is the Anglicized form of Mac Aodha, meaning "son of Aodh" in Gaelic. Aodh is the origin of names such as Aidan and Hugh, making McKay a subtle way to honor people with those names. It could…
Mccarey is a masculine name derived from Irish and Scottish Gaelic surnames, representing an Anglicized form of Mac Fhearadhaigh, meaning 'son of Fearadhach' (a personal name meaning 'manly' or…
English surname name
"friendly"
The surname of enterprising journalist Nellie Bly and poet Robert Bly makes a simple, modern, and upbeat sounding choice for either a boy or a girl.
Literary name
The original Zooey, hero of J.D. Salinger's Franny & Zooey , was male, but nowadays the name is more closely associated with actress/singer Zooey Deschanel. With Zoe at number 31 for girls and Zoey…
English surname
"flat-topped hill"
Embry became viable as a first name when it was used for the (male) werewolf character Embry Call in the Twilight series. But its Em- beginning and -y ending give it a feminine sound, so we call it…
Literary and nickname name
Moby, the nickname of musician Richard Melville Hall, was thanks to his ancestor Herman Melville, creator of the infamous whale. You can imagine calling a child Moby as a cute nickname in honor of a…
Variation of Geary, Irish or English
"spear or fickle"
You might want to honor premier U.S. architect Frank Gehry--even though he was born Ephraim Goldberg. Gehry, pronounced like the more common surname Geary, may be a spin on the name Gary, which means…
Vercy is an uncommon masculine name with obscure origins, possibly derived from Latin 'versus' (meaning 'turned') or as a variant of Percy, which comes from a Norman place name. With extremely…
Japanese
"first-born"
Japanese-born fashion designer Issey Miyake, known for his techno-clothes, could provide baby naming inspiration.
Hebrew
"his kingdom, his counselor"
Dominican-born New York Yankees outfielder Melky Cabrera has brought this name into the spotlight. Many parents might find it too milky--in fact, Cabrera's nickname is "Leche"--Spanish for "milk."
Delaunay is an elegant masculine name with French origins, derived from a surname meaning 'from Aunay' or 'from the alder grove.' Historically, it referred to someone who came from any of several…
Dufy is an uncommon masculine name that may have several possible origins. It could be a variant spelling of Duffy, an Irish surname derived from 'Ó Dubhthaigh' meaning 'descendant of Dubhthach'…
Tunney is a masculine name derived from an Irish surname, originating from the Gaelic 'Ó Tonnaigh,' meaning 'descendant of Tonnach' (a personal name possibly related to 'wave' or 'flood'). Most…
Word name
Forget Patience and Charity: Here's a Colonial name (and sentiment) that seems perfect for modern times.
Pinkney is a masculine name derived from an Old English surname that originally referred to someone from a place with many 'pink' flowers or from a hill covered in pinks (a type of flower). The name…
Spelling variation of Henry
Hoy is an uncommon masculine name with multiple possible origins. In Scottish contexts, it derives from a place name meaning 'high land' or 'high island.' It may also have Chinese origins where it…
Orley is a distinctive masculine name with Germanic and Old English origins. It likely evolved as a surname before becoming a given name, possibly derived from elements meaning 'eagle meadow' or…
