Names That Mean Dweller
Across 4 pages
of 4
Descartes
French surname
"dweller at the outskirts of town"
Highly unlikely philosophical choice.
Fielder
English
"dweller in open country"
An uncommon surname name with that energetic -er ending. Might appeal especially to baseball fans.
Fuji
Japanese
"dweller near the river where wisteria grows"
To honor the majestic mountain.
Kelby
English
"dweller at the farm by the stream"
This British last-name-first-name could make a more masculine alternative to Shelby.
Lamar
English from French
"dweller by a pool"
While it may sound a little dated, Lamar is a name that has never been outside the US Top 1000, but it is in danger of falling off the list. Lamar Odom is a retired professional basketball player.
Laughlin
Irish
"dweller at the fjord-land"
First used for Norse invaders, this name, along with the similar Lachlan, is an attractive, worldly, and unusual choice — despite connections to the Nevada gambling resort.
Montez
Spanish
"dweller in the mountains"
Sensuous and rhythmic.
Muir
Scottish
"dweller near the moor"
A common family name in Scotland, occasionally used as a first.
Ortega
Spanish name
"dweller at the sign of the grouse"
Dashing Latin surname name -- but also a well-known brand of Spanish packaged foods.
Perry
English
"dweller near a pear tree"
It's a long time now since this casual but suave name was linked to velvet-throated, cardigan-sweatered singer Perry (born Pierino, son of Pietro) Como's day... and this could be the moment for a…
Pomeroy
English
"dweller by the apple orchard"
This is an English surname dating back to 1086, but we don't see it having much of a first name future in the twenty-first century.
Putnam
English
"dweller by the hollow"
Perhaps if there's a Putnam in your background.
Quennel
French, Nahuatl
"dweller at the little oak tree; what is to be done, what remedy"
A multicultural option, visually similar to Quinn or Quentin and similar in sound to Kenneth, Cal, and Kelvin. As a French name, it relates to someone who lives near oak trees, while as a Nahuatl…
Shaw
English
"dweller by the wood"
With the current taste for last names first, this sounds a lot cooler than Shawn; it also has creative connections to the great Irish playwright, George Bernard Shaw, novelist Irwin Shaw, and Big…
Temple
English
"dweller near the temple"
Rather formal word name that has been used occasionally over the years, most notably for the autism activist and animal expert Temple Grandin.
Wray
Old Norse
"dweller near the corner"
A locational surname turned rare first name, which would likely be misheard as the much more familiar Ray.
Wyclef
English
"dweller at the white cliff"
Haitian-born rap superstar and humanitarian Wyclef ("Fugees") Jean has lent this name a powerful musical beat.
Kelby
English
"dweller at the farm by the stream"
A modern alternative to Shelby.
Birch
English, German, Danish, and Swedish surname and tree name
"dweller in the birch wood"
One of the rarer tree names, Birch evokes imagery of the beautiful paper-white bark tree. Although a unisex name, the most notable people named Birch are men, such as Indiana senator Birch Evans Bayh…
Westwood
English surname
"dweller by the west wood"
A unique alternative to the West- names that are suddenly everywhere — like Weston, Westley, and West itself. Westwood lends itself to two stylish nicknames, West and Woods.