Middle Names, Surnames, and Nicknames · Nature, Place and Word Names
Habitational Surnames
Across 8 pages
of 8
Brighton
English place-name
Out-of-the-way place name (it's an antiquated holiday spot on England's south coast) that might make a brilliant choice. Actor/director Jon Favreau named his daughter Brighton Rose.
Brixton
English place-name
Brixton, the name of a neighborhood in London, is one of the fastest-rising place-names for baby boys, up more than 100 points on the most recent US popularity list. Besides its association with the…
Clayton
English
"place with good clay"
Clayton is a surprisingly traditional name on the boys' side, ranking among the US Top 1000 for boys for its entire history. Girls named Clayton have been fewer and further between, but there's no…
Burton
English
"fortified enclosure"
Burton originated as a habitation surname that now feels like a appropriate first. Actor Richard Burton, two-time husband of Elizabeth Taylor, was the most famous bearer. Burtie makes an adorable…
Carleton
English
"settlement of free men"
Carleton has a great meaning behind it, and should really have more popularity than it has found to date. You can shorten it to Carl or keep it upscale and formal in the longer form. Baseball Hall of…
Carrington
English. Scottish surname
"from Carrington"
Carrington is much more popular as a last name than a first, but it's one of those surnames we could see making the leap into first name territory. A few minor historical figures have carried the…
Charlton
English
"Charles' town"
A surname name, most popularly associated with actor Heston, has a blue-blooded ring to it. Charlton is also a more unusual pathway to evergreen nickname Charlie.
Clinton
English
"hilltop town"
Like many names that have strong political connotations, the attractiveness of the name Clinton will be affected by your world-view. But, taking politics out of the equation, Clinton has a lovely…
Dayton
English, variation of Deighton
"place with a dike"
If Dayton, like Trenton and Camden, is finding favor with parents, it's more because of its popular two-syllable surname feel and -on ending than the industrial city in Ohio.
Denton
English
"valley town"
Denton has never been extremely popular but maintains a steady, modest usage throughout English-speaking countries. The name conveys a sense of reliability and strength, with its strong consonant…
Ellington
English place-name and surname
"Ellis' town"
Ellington's popularity may be inspired by jazz great Duke, but the name is used slightly more often for girls today, perhaps because of its trendy El- beginning. Like a host of other El- names, from…
Fenton
English
"marsh town"
Fenton is the kind of surname name that's starting to sound almost like a normal first name these days. While it made a brief appearance on the Top 1000 in the late 1800s, today it's distinctive but…
Dutton
English surname
"hill settlement; Dodd's town"
The fastest rising boy name of 2022 — thanks to the Dutton family of the hit show Yellowstone — was used for around 20 baby girls as well. It feels in line with trendy unisex name Sutton, which now…
Elton
English
"from the old town"
Elton is an unassuming, lesser-used place name belonging to several towns in the British Isles, the US and Canada, and even a lake in Russia. The singer Elton John gives it a bit of extra pizzazz.
Hamilton
English and Scottish
"treeless hill"
Unless it runs in your family, or Alexander Hamilton is your particular hero, you might consider something less imposing -- and without the teasable nickname Ham. Scottish curler Hamilton McMillan Jr…
Hutton
English, Scottish surname
"ridge enclosure"
Hunter is gaining favor among girls, as is Sutton, and for those in search of something less common, surname-style Hutton might just be the one, as it blends elements of both. Used quietly for boys…
Heston
English
"heath town"
Heston gained recognition as a first name partly through association with American actor Charlton Heston, famous for his roles in epic films like 'The Ten Commandments' and 'Ben-Hur.' Heston…
Walton
English
"fortified town"
Slightly more modern than Walter, but only just.
Trenton
English, place-name
"Trent's town"
There's only one Trenton, New Jersey, but it's a widely used name, more for its fashionable -on ending than the reference to the city. Since 2007, however, Trenton has been on a steady decline.…
Paxton
English
"peace town"
Set apart from other once-male-only surnames because of its peaceful element. This is one of the newest and trendiest names that mean peace .