Middle Names, Surnames, and Nicknames · Unisex Baby Names
Last Names That Are Adorable First Names
Across 29 pages
of 29
Murray
Scottish
"settlement by the sea"
Murray, you may be surprised to discover, is a Scottish surname name --that of an ancient noble clan--with a sea-swept meaning, and just could be in the next wave of reevaluated grandpa names.…
Morrison
English
"son of Morris"
Morrison is one of the more uncommon patronymics; it could be used to honor an ancestral Morris, or one of the well-known surnamed Morrisons: Toni, Jim or Van.
Catesby
English surname, meaning unknown
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.
Thatcher
English occupational name
"roof thatcher"
Thatcher is an open and friendly freckle-faced surname, fresher sounding than Tyler or Taylor, that dates back to the days of thatched-roof cottages. It is catching on with modern parents—it reached…
Chanel
French
"dweller near the canal"
Fans of the classic French designer would now more fashionably choose Coco.
Channing
English or Irish
"people of Cana or wolf cub"
Channing is a sophisticated surname name whose use is probably linked to actor Channing Tatum and Channing Crowder, former linebacker for the Miami Dolphins.
Casey
Irish
"brave in battle"
One of the original unisex Irish surname names, energetic Casey bounced onto the scene in the 1960s, then peaked in the 1980s for both boys and girls. Today Casey is having a resurgence for both…
Chesney
English from French
"oak grove"
A rising surname name for girls — it's overwhelmingly feminine, despite the association with Kenny Chesney.
Carver
English
"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…
Clarke
Variation of Clark
A rising choice for girls that fits in with tailored surnames such as Sloane, Greer, and Blair.
Reagan
Irish
"little king"
Inextricably tied to the former president, Reagan is a handsome surname name with a cool, current sound. Gender-neutral nickname Ray/Rae is also very on-trend right now. Reagan has been more popular…
Caruso
Italian surname
Naples-born Enrico Caruso was one of the greatest opera singers of all time. Recordings of his powerful singing voice are still in circulation today, nearly 100 years after his death. Increasingly,…
Coen
Dutch diminutive of Coenraad, variation of Cohen, or Australian place name, "bold advisor; priest; thunder"
"bold advisor; priest; thunder"
Like many short forms now popular as full names in the Netherlands, Coen—also spelled Koen—originated as the diminutive of the more old-fashioned Coenraad, the Dutch Conrad. In this case, it would be…
Cartier
French variation of Carter, English
"transporter of goods by cart"
Luxury baby name associated with Jacques Cartier's eponymous jewelry company.
Rawlings
English surname
"son of Raul"
Rawlings was a surname brought to England with the Norman invasion and has ties to the name Raul, which means "wolf counsel."
Collier
English occupational surname
"coal miner"
An old-fashioned term for a coal miner, or nowadays, a sister to Harper and Piper.
Carrington
English, Scottish surname
"from Carrington"
This habitational surname works as a modern way to honor a Carrie, Carolyn, or Caroline. Actress Beverly Garland had a daughter named Carrington.
Carlisle
English
"from the walled city"
This stuffy English surname and hotel name took on Twilight cool when attached to vampire Carlisle Cullen. Inspired by the character, it's more popular in this spelling than as Carlyle and more…
Carlisle
English
"from the walled city"
Carlisle may be a male name in Twilight (he's vampire hero Edward's adoptive father), but in the real baby naming world, it's used about a quarter of the time for girls. Unusual now, we think…
Talcott
English
"cottage near the lake"
Similar in style or sound to Prescott, Maverick and Beckett, this far rarer name feels formal and strong. Notably borne by socialist Talcott Parsons, nicknames Tal or Otto might soften it a little.…