Middle Names, Surnames, and Nicknames · Unisex Baby Names
Last Names That Are Adorable First Names
Across 29 pages
of 29
Loew
German
"lion"
This variation of the surname Loeb works even better than the original as a first name, though any child named Loew will inevitably have to endure a lifetime's worth of "high and...." jokes. Other…
O'hara
Irish
"son of Eaghra"
The O'Haras are descended from Eaghra -- pronounced and phonetically spelled Ara -- the lord of Luighne, the modern Leyney in County Sligo. As a name, this makes a satisfying new twist on Harry, and…
Lowell
French
"young wolf"
Lowell is an upstanding and somewhat conservative name that calls to mind the genteel patrician families of nineteenth century New England, such as the one poet Robert Lowell was born into. Two other…
Lowen
Cornish
"joy"
Could Lowen be the next Owen, Rowen, and Cohen? This Cornish name certainly has the right sounds to be an American hit, and is rising dramatically for both boys and girls. About 80 baby boys were…
Lowry
English and Scottish surname
"from Laurentum"
This artistic surname name derives from a diminutive of Laurence/Lawrence, and was famously borne by the English painter LS Lowry. Country singer Sam Hunt and his wife Hannah have a son named Lowry…
Ludlow
English
"ruler's hill"
Rarely heard surname name that lacks the lightness of other o-ending names.
Mabry
Variation of Mayberry, English and Irish
"mud hill"
Cute and eminently wearable surname name for girls.
O'brien
Irish
"descendant of Brian"
The use of O -prefixes could create the next wave of Irish-inflected names, offering an innovative way of honoring a relative with the old-fashioned moniker Brian. On Downton Abbey , the surname…
Nixon
English
"son of Nicholas"
A fresher spin on Jaxon, with built-in cool nickname Nix, and a great way to honor an ancestral Nick. But the association with disgraced former president Richard Nixon remains strong, which might…
Madigan
Irish
"little dog"
An unusual, energetic surname choice that would make a good Madison alternative. Madigan was a typical police detective series of the 1970s, starring Richard Widmark.
Newcomb
English Surname
"newly come"
Julia Styles used Newcomb as the middle name for her son Strummer.
Maguire
Irish
"son of the beige one"
Although Maguire is such a prominent Irish surname —it ranks in the Top 40 in the Emerald Isle —this lively and cheerful family name has rarely been used as a first, unlike more familiar…
Malloy
More obscure Irish surname-name, also spelled Molloy, that's prime for use.
Malone
Irish surname
"devotee of St. John"
A stylish sounding last name, similar to Marlowe in sound and Murphy in style, Malone is a gender neutral choice in the US that has leaned just slightly feminine in recent years. Adapted from the…
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.…
Mosley
English place name and surname
"peat bog, mouse clearing"
Mosley, former best known as the surname of author Walter, has been put in play as a first name for girls by football great Peyton Manning, who used the name for his twin daughter, sister of…
Lovelace
English surname
"outlaw"
What better namesake for a baby girl than Ada Lovelace (or, to use her full title: Augusta Ada King, Countess of Lovelace), the brilliant 19th-century writer, mathematician and early computer…
Morrissey
Irish
"descendant of Muiris"
When British rocker Steven Patrick Morrissey decided to use his last name alone, it became a viable option for baby namers, a lot cooler than Morris or Maurice, with the nice three-syllable lilt of…
Mccarthy
Irish surname
"son of Cárthach"
McCarthy is one of a wave of new Irish surname-names, one of the most popular last names of Irish origin now translated to a first name. Mac is an attractive nickname.
Mccartney
Scottish surname
"son of Artan"
This highly recognizable surname means "son of Artan," an Irish derivative of the name Art. It's most closely tied to Beatle Paul McCartney — we'd be willing to bet that some of the parents who give…