Last Names That Are Adorable First Names
- Dupont
Origin:
French surnameMeaning:
"of the bridge"Description:
This French last name is often written as Dupont, but can also be rendered as Du Pont, DuPont, duPont, or du Pont. In the US, it's commonly associated with the du Pont family — one of the wealthiest old money American families whose fortune arose from manufacturing gunpowder.
- Stover
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"crop residue, leaves and stalks left in the field"Description:
A surname-style name, Stover refers to either the leaves and stalks left behind in a field once the crops have been harvested, or to someone who carries out the process of heating an item get a top coating, or to someone who raises plants in a hothouse.
- Wheelock
Origin:
English surnameMeaning:
"winding river"Description:
As a given name, Wheelock has been passed down to generations of the Whitney family — descendants of Eli Whitney, creator of the cotton gin. The first Wheelock Whitney — known as Wheels — was named after his mother, Alice Wheelock. His son, Wheelock Whitney Jr. went by Whee, and Wheelock Whitney III is called Lock.
- Furman
Origin:
Variation of Fermin, Basque, SpanishMeaning:
"strong"Description:
Furman is a surname-y spin on the Basque saint's name Fermin, the patron saint of Pamplona, where Hemingway famously ran with the bulls.
- Loew
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"lion"Description:
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 leonine options: Leopold or Lionel.
- Royson
Origin:
English, ScottishMeaning:
"son of Roy; son of Royce"Description:
Royal and Rory are both in the US Top 1000 for girls where they join a number of surname-inspired names ending in -son, from long-time favorite Madison to the newer Emerson. The yet to rank Royson could be a new consideration with its rosy feel, but tougher edge.
- Catesby
Origin:
English surname, meaning unknownDescription:
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.
- Pennington
Origin:
English surnameMeaning:
"penny town"Description:
An unconventional route to the nickname Penny. Pennington debuted on the charts for girls in 2015.
- Donnelly
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"dark brave one"Description:
Makes Donna into a cool twenty-first-century unisex Irish surname.
- Luckey
Origin:
Word name, EnglishMeaning:
"having good fortune; son of Luke, man from Lucania"Description:
Luckey can be considered an alternative spelling for the felicitous word name Lucky, or as an English surname derived from Lukey, a diminutive of Lucas or Luke. This option was chosen by (disgraced) former Congressman Matt Gaetz and his wife Ginger in 2025, to honor her maiden name.
- Voll
Origin:
Norwegian, GermanMeaning:
"one who lives by the meadow; people"Description:
A Norwegian nature name and surname, Voll derived from the Old Norse vǫllr translating to "meadow, field".
As a German name, it originates from volk or Fulco, meaning "people", although a more literal translation of modern German would be "full".
- Tessin
Origin:
German place nameDescription:
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.
- Lyndall
Origin:
English, South AfricanMeaning:
"linden or lime tree valley; lake in the valley"Description:
Lynda and Linden meet Kendall and Randall in this surname-style choice, familiar in South African, owing to its use by author and activist Olive Schreiner in her 1883 novel, The Story of an African Farm. In the book, Lyndall is borne by a female character and drawn from the maiden name of Schreiner's mother.
Also spelled as Lyndell and Lyndal, Lyndall is likely an English surname name meaning "lime tree valley" or "linden tree valley", giving it an an outdoorsy feel. Alternatively, however, Lyn may be drawn from the Welsh word for lake, lending it the meaning "lake in the valley".
- Westwood
Origin:
English surnameMeaning:
"dweller by the west wood"Description:
Notable British surname associated with fashion designer Vivienne.
- Malone
Origin:
Irish surnameMeaning:
"devotee of St. John"Description:
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 Irish surname Ó Maoil Eoin, it means "devotee of St. John".
- Bettany
Origin:
English surname and herb nameDescription:
A jaunty English surname which may derive from "betony", the name of a pretty purple-flowering shrub. A famous bearer is British historian and broadcaster Bettany Hughes.
- Rudel
Origin:
Hebrew, Yiddish, English "rose; happy, willing; fame wolf; rye valley"Meaning:
"rose; happy, willing; fame wolf; rye valley"Description:
This multicultural name is a sweet but solid sounding pet form of Hebrew and Yiddish origin, used as a nickname for Rhoda, Rosa, or Rada. It can also be considered an English surname, derived from either the given names Rudolf or Ridel meaning "fame wolf" and "ride" or from the place name Ryedale meaning "rye valley".
- Lindley
Origin:
English and German surnameMeaning:
"from Lindley"Description:
Updates Lindsey for the 21st century.
- Redell
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"counsel, advice; red valley"Description:
A last name as a first name, Redell began to appear in England after the Norman invasion. Likely connected to the names Raymond and Radulf, it could mean "counsel, advice, decision". Another possible interpretation is that it merges the word red with the word dell to form the meaning "red valley". This could also mean it borrows from land feature in the Lake District of England, known as Red Dell.
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