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Last Names That Are Adorable First Names

  1. Donnelly

    • Origin:

      Irish

    • Meaning:

      "dark brave one"

    • Description:

      Makes Donna into a cool twenty-first-century unisex Irish surname.
  2. Gates

    • Origin:

      English surname

    • Meaning:

      "person living near town gates"

    • Description:

      Reality TV star Raven Gates gave her on-trend s-ending surname to her son, named Gates Zev. Gates joins an impressive lineup of celebrity babies with similar names, including Hillary Duff's Banks and Emma Roberts' Rhodes. Gates is also famously the surname of Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft.
  3. Towers

    • Origin:

      English surname, French

    • Meaning:

      "one who lives in the tower of a castle; person from Tours"

    • Description:

      This lofty sounding surname might put in mind soaring skyscrapers, old castle turrets, or a city in France, but as a given name Towers has yet to catch on. Associated with Lord of the Rings, Mallory Towers, Fawlty Towers, Tim Powers, and a whole variety of other towers worldwide, there is the possibility that some may immediately think of the Twin Towers and understandably not wish to use the name.
  4. Selby

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "from the willow farm"

    • Description:

      Selby, a rarely heard British surname, feels sleeker and more distinctive than Shelby. Todd Selby, known primarily by his last name, is a hip photographer of interiors.
  5. Tessin

    • Origin:

      German place name

    • Description:

      A German surname, Tessin is drawn from several places in or near the Mecklenburg region of northeastern Germany. This rare first name can work for either sex.
  6. Pennington

    • Origin:

      English surname

    • Meaning:

      "penny town"

    • Description:

      An unconventional route to the nickname Penny. Pennington debuted on the charts for girls in 2015.
  7. Hammett

    • Origin:

      English surname

    • Description:

      A possibility for fans of the mystery writer, but most parents would prefer Dashiell.
  8. Kingsley

    • Origin:

      English surname

    • Meaning:

      "king's meadow"

    • Description:

      Regal Kingsley seems like an all-boy name, but a growing number of parents have bestowed this name on a girl. Credit the ever-trendier -ley suffix.
  9. Kiffin

    • Origin:

      Alternative spelling of Kyffin, Welsh

    • Meaning:

      "confine, limit"

    • Description:

      A Welsh place name and surname, Kiffin derives from Cyffin or Gyffin, meaning "limit" or "confine". Also spelled Kyffin, this spelling might help ensure it isn't pronounced with a 'KIE' sound. Kiffin Rockwell is a notable, historic bearer who was the first American pilot to shoot down an enemy aircraft during World War I. He had joined the French Foreign Legion early on in the war, but transferred to France's air arm after being injured in the trenches.
  10. Wright

    • Description:

      Wright is a masculine name that originated as an English occupational surname referring to a craftsman or builder—specifically a woodworker or carpenter (from the Old English "wyrhta," meaning "worker"). As a first name, Wright carries strong traditional and artisanal connotations, suggesting skill, craftsmanship, and creation. It remains relatively uncommon as a given name, maintaining an air of distinction and uniqueness. The name has a strong, concise sound with its single syllable and consonant blend. Those named Wright might appreciate the name's connections to craftsmanship and its subtle suggestion that one can build or create their own path in life. Its surname-as-first-name style also reflects contemporary naming trends.

  11. Astor

    • Origin:

      Provencal; Icelandic

    • Meaning:

      "hawk; thunder god"

    • Description:

      Similar to the floral name Aster, this spelling derives separately from Old Provençal astur "hawk") and from the Icelandic name elements as ("god") and þor ("thunder").
  12. Cartier

    • Origin:

      French variation of Carter, English

    • Meaning:

      "transporter of goods by cart"

    • Description:

      Luxury baby name associated with Jacques Cartier's eponymous jewelry company.
  13. Mellon

    • Origin:

      English and Irish surname

    • Meaning:

      "from Meulan; descendant of Meallán"

    • Description:

      It's too close to the fruit "melon" to make a good first name, but if there are Mellons on your family tree, why not put it in the middle? The English form of this surname is habitational, and at one time denoted someone from Meulan-en-Yvelines, a commune outside of Paris.
  14. Newcomb

    • Origin:

      English Surname

    • Meaning:

      "newly come"

    • Description:

      Julia Styles used Newcomb as the middle name for her son Strummer.
  15. Soyer

    • Origin:

      French, Turkish

    • Meaning:

      "master, lord; nobleman"

    • Description:

      While this may sound like an alternative spelling of the unisex Sawyer, it is in fact a multicultural choice of French and Turkish origin, more familiar as a last name than a given name.
  16. Messer

    • Origin:

      German surname

    • Meaning:

      "knife; cutler"

    • Description:

      Messer has trendy surname style, but a "messy" first syllable and sharp imagery may give some prospective parents pause. Reality star Stassi Schroeder named her son Messer Rhys in 2023, brother to Hartford Charlie Rose.
  17. Westwood

    • Origin:

      English surname

    • Meaning:

      "dweller by the west wood"

    • Description:

      Notable British surname associated with fashion designer Vivienne.
  18. Mccrae

    • Origin:

      Scottish

    • Meaning:

      "son of Rath; son of grace and prosperity"

    • Description:

      Stylized as McCrae, this attractive Scottish surname-name is found in Larry McMurtry's Lonesome Dove, as the surname of hero Augustus/Gus McCrae. Also spelled MacCrae or McRay among other variations, the meaning is variously given as son of grace or luck, or more literally as "son of Rath".
  19. Drayton

    • Origin:

      English surname

    • Meaning:

      "portage settlement"

    • Description:

      A WASPy surname that fits in with names like Clayton, Layton, and Payton. Drayton peaked in 2012, when it was given to 78 baby boys in the US.
  20. Rudell

    • Origin:

      English, Swedish

    • Meaning:

      "rye valley; fame wolf"

    • Description:

      A surname inspired choice, Rudell may be an English last name, derived from the town of Ryedale, or from the given name Rudolf. A high-end jewellery and watch brand in the UK, it was also borne by professional boxer Rudell Snitch.

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