Last Names That Are Adorable First Names
- Nebra
Origin:
German place name, Spanish short form or surnameMeaning:
"from Nebra; white shadow; fog"Description:
Nebra is the name of a town in Germany, notable for the Nebra Sky Disc, a Bronze Aged disc inlaid with gold symbols of the sun, the moon and stars, significant in revealing the astronomical knowledge of the period.
- Alston
Origin:
English surnameMeaning:
"dweller at the old town"Description:
Dropping the H off hot surnames gets you a whole new name. The trend is multiplying: Hadley becomes Adley, Harley become Arley, Harlow becomes Arlowe, and now Halston becomes Alston.
- Seeley
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"blessed, happy"Description:
Surname name with an uplifting meaning. Just beware that this is a well-known mattress brand.
- Embry
Origin:
English surnameMeaning:
"flat-topped hill"Description:
Though Embry became famous as the name of a boy werewolf in Twilight, we think its Em- beginning and -y ending make it perfectly appropriate for a girl. You might consider it as an alternative to Emma, Emily, or Aubrey. Embry or Embury is an established English surname.
- Mosley
Origin:
English place name and surnameMeaning:
"peat bog, mouse clearing"Description:
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 Marshall. Alternate spellings are Moseley and Mosely and the first syllable rhymes with Rose.
- Ivey
Origin:
Surname name, variation of IvyMeaning:
"son of Ive; person from Ivoy; ivy plant"Description:
Ivey can be considered an alternate spelling of the botanical name Ivy, but it also has separate origins as a surname. For the Anglo-Saxon Ivey line, Ivey means "son of Ive," while for the English-Norman Iveys, it means "person from Ivoy," a commune in the Cher department of France.
- Palin
Origin:
English surnameMeaning:
"wine bearer"Description:
Palin has suddenly become a hot new surname-name given usually to girls. The inspiration can only be former Alaska governor Sarah, though the name Palin is her husband's -- her original surname is Heath. Palin herself is no stranger to the adventurous baby name, as the mother of daughters Bristol, Piper, and Willow, and sons Track and Trig.
- Sander
Origin:
Dutch and Scandinavian, diminutive of AlexanderMeaning:
"defending men"Description:
Sander would be an unconventional short form of Alexandra, variation of Sandra, or surname-name for girls. It was given to 41 baby boys in the US last year but no girls, but it certainly can be a gender-neutral choice.
- Collier
Origin:
English occupational surnameMeaning:
"coal miner"Description:
An old-fashioned term for a coal miner, or nowadays, a sister to Harper and Piper.
- 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".
- Ames
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"friend"Description:
Ames is that jewel of a name that's simple and familiar while at the same time being unusual and rare. With gender neutral surname names ending in S trending today -- think Brooks, Wells, Oakes -- Ames can make a perfect update on Amy or Amanda.
- 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".
- Ensley
Origin:
English surname, variation of AinsleyMeaning:
"one's own meadow"Description:
A unisex surname now seeing some use for girls, as it fits right in with such trendy crossover girls' names as Everly. Ellery and Emery, and others with the popular ly/leigh/lea ending
- Landie
Origin:
English, South AfricanMeaning:
"land; violet; landowner; country"Description:
A unisex nickname style name, similar in sound and feel to Andie, Candy, Indy, or Danny, Landie could be a short form of any name including the land element. This includes Holland, Orlanda, Scotland, or Ireland.
- Sumner
Origin:
English occupational nameMeaning:
"summoner"Description:
This preppy alternative to Gen Z favorite Summer has the potential to be a big surname hit for girls. It recently gained media attention from Instagram model Sumner Stroh.
- Ellerbe
Origin:
English surnameMeaning:
"Aelfweard's land or farmstead; settlement of the elf guardian"Description:
The name of a town in North Carolina, Ellerbe is derived from the Old English surname Elwordebi, meaning "Aelfweard's farmstead". Contracted and altered overtime, it appears in various forms, including Elleby, Ellerby, Elerbie, and more.
- Lindley
Origin:
English and German surnameMeaning:
"from Lindley"Description:
Updates Lindsey for the 21st century.
- Baldwin
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"brave friend"Description:
Writer James Baldwin could make this an inspirational choice for a child of either sex.
- 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.
- 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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