Middle Names, Surnames, and Nicknames · International Baby Names
English Last Names
Across 33 pages
of 33
The names
Wild
Word name
Asking for trouble.
Radburn
English
"reedy stream"
Upper-crusty surname name.
Quimby
Variation of Quenby, English
"queen's settlement"
Quincy may be unisex, but Quimby is decidedly feminine — at least according to the stats, it's never been used for boys. Perhaps it's because of Beverly Cleary's children's book heroine Ramona…
Wilkinson
Wilkinson originated as an English surname meaning 'son of Wilkin' (a diminutive of William, meaning 'resolute protector'). Its transition to first-name usage follows the modern trend of adopting…
Windsor
English
"riverbank with a winch"
Windsor may have male references, such as Britain's royal House of Windsor and a tie's windsor knot, but this name also has a definite feminine feel, as in Windsor Rose. That seems appropriate, as…
Winslet
English surname and place-name
"Wynn's channel or stream"
Winslet is one of a legion of surnames newly considered fair game as first names. The inspiration may be British star Kate, but she's not the only reason parents are attracted to Winslet, one of…
Winslow
English
"friend's hill"
Cool and contemporary, yet gentle and easy-going, Winslow blends the elements of other stylish choices, including Willow, Marlow, Winnie, Winter, Sloane, and Elowyn. Its most famous namesake is…
Potter
English
"maker of drinking and storage vessels"
Could join such up-and-comers as Miller and Gardener, though the "potty" and Harry Potter associations are strong and potentially unappealing these days.
Wolfe
Anglo-Irish surname and variation of animal name
"wolf"
The Wolfe spelling shifts this name from animal name to surname-name, aggressive to aristocratic, much like Wilde does for Wild. Some sources suggests that the original bearers of the Wolfe family…
Portwood
English Surname
Chosen by Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher as the middle name of their son Dimitri.
Poole
English surname
"person who lives by a pool"
At one time, the surname Poole denoted someone who lived near a pool. Not in the chlorinated sense — pool was another word for pond.
Woods
Nature name
"one who lives by the woods; area covered in trees"
Woods is a nature name that is a cousin to the stylish Brooks and Forest, evoking the entire world of trees. Sometimes used as a diminutive of Woodrow or Edward, Woods is rugged and outdoorsy, with a…
Woolf
Variation of Wolf, animal name
The spelling Woolf inevitably conjures writer Virginia. If you're a fan of Mrs. Dalloway and the Bloomsbury group, Woolf might be a creative way to combine a trendy animal name with an original honor…
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.
Wrigley
Surname name
A name that's long been popular for dogs on Chicago's North Side is now gaining traction among human babies. Wrigley Field is the Chicago Cubs' historic ballpark, originally named after the Wrigley…
Yardley
English surname
"wood clearing"
Yardley, a surname redolent of British soaps and perfume, was used for her daughter by Megyn Kelly. Yeardley Smith (born Martha), has long been the voice of Bart on The Simpsons .
Yates
English
"gate"
A preppy English surname. Newscaster Megyn Kelly used it as a middle name for her son in 2009.
Poe
English
"peacock"
Hip new middle-name choice, conjuring up the gothic tales of Edgar Allan, and current single-named pop singer Poe. As a first name, it's radically underused, given last year in the US to only five…
Abbott
English, Aramaic, Hebrew
"priest, father"
A traditionally masculine surname, denoting the head of a monastery, a priest, or someone who worked for a church official, Abbott may appeal as a fresh spin on Biblical Abigail. Quietly used for…
Piers
Greek
"rock"
Piers was the first version of Peter to reach the English-speaking world, via the Normans, but it's never made it in the US, despite its large measure of understated panache. This might change due to…
