Updated November 2023
Across 3 pages
of 3
English surname
"dark wood or clearing"
Blakely, along with Blakeley, Blakelee and Blakeleigh, is one of the post-Ashley surname names that end with the lee sound so stylish today. Reality stars Trista and Ryan Sutter named their daughter…
English
"oak wood or clearing"
As sturdy as Oak, but with stronger roots as a first name, Oakley ticks lots of boxes for modern trends. With its unisex vibe, its nature-based meaning, its surname-y feel, and its popular -lee…
"dry wood + river bend; true and strong"
A name which strikes the balance between gentle and strong, Truett has been a fast rising option in the 2020s. Given to 131 American boys in 2019, a more recent count saw it given to 578, placing it…
Scottish
"wood"
Strong but gentle, Keith is one of the Scottish surnames that, along with Douglas, Craig and Bruce, were considered the epitome of cool in the 1960s and early 1970s, when it was a Top 40 choice.…
"wood carver"
Carver is an occupational name with an artistic bent, associated with wood carving predominantly, though it could also be linked to those who carve from stone, marble, ice, and pumpkins. More…
"row of houses by a wood"
Aside from President Wilson (born Thomas), most Woodrows, including Herman, Guthrie, and Harrelson, have chosen to be known as Woody, which says it all.
"cleared wood; reed clearing; channel clearing"
Can one prominent character affect the gender identity of a name? Definitely, as has supernatural bad girl Ridley Duchannes of the Beautiful Creatures series-turned-movie, played by the gorgeous Emmy…
French
"yew wood"
Peaking in the 1950s, Yvonne has now dropped out of the Top 1000 in 2003 and doesn't look set to return soon, although its rare Y initial might endear it to some. Yvaine, from Neil Gaiman's Stardust…
Director Ridley Scott and actress Daisy Ridley made this surname-style name familiar, and with its outdoorsy meaning and rugged yet preppy sound, it could blend in with Oakley, Reid, Riley, and…
Blakeley is one of the many -ley ending surnames that is being adopted as a first name, updating the 80s darlings Blake and Ashley.
Place name, American variation of Holstein, German
"dwellers in the wood"
Holston is a uniquely Southern place name — that of a river, lake, and mountain in Tennessee, as well as a town in Virginia. Holston was first used for the river, previously called the Cherokee…
"clearing in the wood or meadow"
As a first name, Atlee is a common choice in the Amish community.
English, Scottish, and Irish surname
"descendant of Hugh; one who lives near the wood clearing"
Modern way to honor an ancestral Hugh.
"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…
An attractive and now underused nature name belonging to a tree whose wood is prized for its dark color and dense texture, which shines when polished. Ebony joined the most popular girl names list in…
On paper, with its stylish ties to fashion legend Yves Saint-Laurent (born Henri), Yves looks great, but the pronunciation--EVE-- could lead to gender confusion. German variation Ivo might be cooler…
Spanish and Catalan surname
"arched wood that forms a bow"
This Catalan and Spanish surname is derived from the Spanish word "rueda" from the Latin "rota," meaning "arched wood that forms a bow."
A decade or two ago, we might have stopped with Blake, but today the surname Blakely or Blakeley sounds more modern as a first name.
"shared wood"
Not manly enough.
"dweller near the wood fort"
Possibility for fans of science fiction writer Ray.