Names That Mean Son
Across 20 pages
of 20
Branson
English
"son of the raven"
Branson is a fairly recent addition to the Top 1000, first breaking in at Number 988 in 1995. While it may not be a common sighting yet, it fits the trend of more popular cousins Mason, Grayson,…
Addison
English
"son of Adam"
Despite its origin as a patronymic meaning "son of Adam", Addison really caught on for baby girls in the US around the turn of the millennium, following in Madison's footsteps to peak at #11 in 2007…
Carson
English and Scottish surname
"son of the marsh dwellers"
Very popular surname choice — it's in the Boys' Top 100 — beginning to catch on for girls. First female association: novelist Carson McCullers.
Bjornson
Scandinavian
"son of Bjorn"
Leave it at Bjorn.
Ibsen
Danish
"son of Ib"
Ibsen is a literary hero name possibility, after the great Norwegian dramatist, Henrik I. The name Ib is a short form of Jacob, so you might consider Ibsen as an honorific for or a twin of a Jacob.
Bevis
French
"from Beauvais"
An English surname derived from the French place name Beauvais, which in turn comes from the name of an ancient Gaulish tribe, the Bellovaci.
Thompson
English
"son of Tom"
Thompson is not as popular as Jackson or Harrison, but a novel way to circumvent Junior for the son of a Thomas.
Hughes
English, Scottish, Irish surname
"mind, intellect; son of Aodh"
Part of the next generation of preppy H-beginning surnames. Once Harrison, Hudson, and Holden are no longer fresh, expect to hear more little boys being called Hughes, Hutch, and Henderson on the…
Bevan
Welsh
"son of Evan"
This Welsh surname might be an interesting alternative to the popular Evan, though that Bev beginning conjures up a fifty-five-year-old woman named Beverly.
Holt
English
"son of the unspoiled forests"
Has that blunt masculine feel -- à la Cole and Kyle -- that many modern parents are drawn to.
Hodgson
English
"son of Roger"
A possible nod to grandpa Roger, though somewhat stuffy.
Ichiro
Japanese
"firstborn son"
Ichiro is a good classic choice for the first boy in a Japanese family.
Ingmar
Norse
"son of Ing"
Ingmar is known here almost solely through Swedish director Ingmar Bergman. Ing was the powerful Norse god of fertility and peace, who lent his name to several mortal variations, more notably to…
Damek
Slavic variation of Adam
"son of the red earth"
Damek, which you might think of as Adam with a Slavic accent, considerably freshens up the original.
Keegan
Irish
"son of Egan"
Another two-syllable surname zooming up the ladder for boys, and poised to be grabbed by the girls.
Hobson
English
"son of Robert"
An original way to honor an ancestral Robert. Hobson is outside the Top 1000 but is among the fastest-rising names for boys.
Henderson
English
"son of Henry"
Bulky surname honoring Grandpa Henry or Saul Bellow's Rain King.
Benoni
Hebrew
"son of my sorrow"
What the Old Testament Rachel originally named Benjamin, before his father changed it; rarely heard today.
Harris
English
"son of Harry"
When Harrison is too much, but Harry isn't enough, try this stylish surname name with a touch of British flair. It briefly reentered the US Top 1000 for the first time since 1988 in 2016, but has…
Benning
German
"son of Bernhard"
Conjures up the military image of Fort Benning in Georgia — or the surname of actress Annette.