Names That Mean Son
Across 20 pages
of 20
Pearce
English and Irish
"son of Piers"
The spelling Pearce softens the name's sharper edges, though we prefer the original Piers. That "pear" snippet could confuse pronunciation, which is just like Pierce.
Paterson
English
"son of Peter"
Paterson is a surname-name to continue a line of Peters and also the name of a city in New Jersey, hometown of poets William Carlos Williams and Allen Ginsberg.
Patterson
English
"son of Peter"
Patterson is an upscale name worth considering if you're looking to continue a line of Peters, but soundalike Paterson is a downscale city in New Jersey.
Vinson
English
"son of Vincent"
For Grandpa Vincent.
Watson
English and Scottish surname related to Walter
"son of Wat"
What with the resurgence of W names like Weston and Walter, the prominence of high profile actress Emma and golfer Bubba, and even the attention paid to Watson, the IBM computer on "Jeopardy" (named…
Parry
Welsh
"son of Harry"
Parry is quite common in Wales, often as a surname, but would inevitably be misunderstood as Perry or even Harry.
Drennon
Irish
"son of Draighnean"
Brennan alternative.
Bart
Diminutive of Bartholomew, Hebrew
"son of the earth"
Permanent property of that devilish little Simpson kid.
Osman
Arabic
"baby bustard"
Its most famous bearer was Prince Osman the First, founder of the Ottoman Empire, the third caliph of the Muslims, and a companion and son-in-law of Muhammad. Osman is sometimes written as Usman. And…
Adecyn
English, phonetic spelling of Addison, English
"son of Adam"
As soon as a name becomes mega-popular, parents start to look for spelling variations to set their child apart. This is one of the less graceful ones.
Ramses
Egyptian
"son of God"
Ramses was the name of several kings in Ancient Egypt, including the long-reigning Ramses II, known as Ramses the Great. Unfortuntely, some may associate it with the condom brand name.
Barnaby
English variation of Barnabas, Aramaic
"son of consolation"
Barnaby, a genial and energetic name with an Irish-sounding three-syllable lilt, is an ancient appellation that manages to be both unusual and highly attractive and deserves to be used more than it…
Fitzgerald
Irish and Scottish
"son of Gerald"
Made famous by F. Scott Fitzgerald and John Fitzgerald Kennedy; still works best as a middle name.
Maguire
Irish
"son of the beige one"
Although Maguire is such a prominent Irish surname —it ranks in the Top 40 in the Emerald Isle —this lively and cheerful family name has rarely been used as a first, unlike more familiar…
Olsen
Scandinavian
"Olaf's son"
An alternative to Oliver, Orson, or Colson, this Scandinavian surname is no longer tied exclusively to the well-publicized twins, Ashley and Mary-Kate. Instead, it fits in with other surname-style…
Fitzhugh
English, from German
"son of intelligence"
All the Fitz names are hard to carry, but this one has a wonderful meaning and might be a good middle name choice to honor a brilliant lineage.
Fitzroy
English
"son of the king"
An English surname originally given to the illegitimate sons of a monarch. It might be a nice middle name choice to honor an ancestral Roy, though as a first, it does have a cool meaning.
Fitzwilliam
English
"son of William"
The Christian name of the dashing Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice — it was his mother's maiden name— is just one of several Fitz names, including Fitzroy, Fitzgerald, Fitzpatrick, that…
Mcarthur
Scottish
"son of Arthur"
The Mc and Mac surnames are asserting themselves as first names and this is one of the most popular. Though outside the U.S. Top 1000, it's among the fastest rising names for boys . And why not?…
Dodson
English
"Roger's son"
Fresh way to pass down Roger.