English Last Names

One of the few military ranks used as a name, as in Kennedy in-law and Peace Corps creator Sargent (born Robert Sargent) Shriver. There's also a more creative, artistic association with painter John Singer Sargent.

Packer is a masculine name that originated as an occupational surname for someone who packed goods or prepared items for transport. This name represents the growing trend of adopting traditional surnames as first names, appealing to parents seeking strong, distinctive options with historical connections. Packer has a sturdy, industrious quality that evokes images of reliability and practical skill. Though uncommon as a first name, it aligns with the popularity of other occupational names like Cooper, Mason, and Carter. The name may also appeal to sports enthusiasts familiar with American football's Green Bay Packers, adding a contemporary cultural association to this historically grounded name.

This common English surname is rarely used as a first. The S ending makes it a preppy way to update Andrew.

An old-fashioned term for a coal miner, or nowadays, a sister to Harper and Piper.

An old English surname denoting either a servant of one of the Knights Templar, or a person living near or serving at a church.

Surname-sounding unisex cousin of Peyton is gaining in popularity, especially for girls.

Common surname in the US and UK. Stephens is notably the legal last name of John Legend.

Notable British surname associated with fashion designer Vivienne.

Larimer is an occupational surname that originally denoted someone who made and sold spur bits, along with other equine hardware. It could be a fitting choice for a child of a horse-enthusiast.

A small number of girls are given this Irish surname as a first name each year.

Skeat is a rare surname name that, like virtually every surname these days, is ripe for importation as a first.

As surname names for girls become more popular, we could see Catesby catching on among style-conscious parents. Bonus: it easily shortens to the girlish nickname Cate.

Yardley, a surname redolent of British soaps and perfume, was used for her daughter by Megyn Kelly.

Sex doesn't belong in a baby name.

Townes entered baby name consciousness — as a girl name, at least — in 2024 when Hilary Duff and Matthew Koma chose it for their daughter, Townes Meadow. Townes is a more established choice for boys, among whom it's often associated with the late musician Townes Van Zandt.

Slightly rugged and windswept, Hindley notably appears in Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights, borne by the elder son of the Earnshaw family. The name of two English towns, it combines the Old English elements leah and hind meaning "meadow, clearing" and "female deer" respectively.