Celebrity Names · Middle Names, Surnames, and Nicknames
Celebrity Last Names as First Names
Across 7 pages
of 7
Aniston
English Surname
"town of Anis; Annie's town"
Actor couple Chyler Leigh and Nathan West added this one to the lexicon when they adapted the surname of actress Jennifer Aniston as their daughter's first name, Anniston. With its similarity to both…
Willis
Diminutive of William, German
"resolute protection"
A common surname that was popular as a given name in the late 19th and early 20th century, Willis dropped off the US Top 1000 back in the early 90s, just as alternative William diminutive, Liam,…
Winslet
English surname and place-name
"Wynn's channel or stream"
Winslet is one of a legion of surnames newly considered fair game as first names. The inspiration may be British star Kate, but she's not the only reason parents are attracted to Winslet, one of…
Hathaway
English surname
"one who lives near the heath"
Before there was esteemed actress Anne Hathaway, there was Anne Hathaway, wife of Shakespeare — the former being named after the latter. Either Anne Hathaway would be appropriate to honor with this…
Winfrey
Variation of Winfrith, English
"peaceful friend"
Oprah's almost mononymic first name is too closely tied to her personality (and brand) for us to recommend it as a baby name in good faith. Her surname, however, is definitely name-worthy. Winfrey…
Teigen
Norwegian
"strip of land; the farmland"
Teigen is rising in popularity now that model and TV personality Chrissy Teigen has made it more visible. Although Chrissy pronounces it to rhyme with Teagan, the traditional pronunciation is close…
Lively
English word name
"full of life, energy"
Spirited and sassy, Lively could be a feminine leaning counterpart to the trending boy name Wilder. A modern virtue of sorts, it has more energy that Patience, Prudence, and Temperance, and is far…
Velzy
Modern invention
"fields; from Velsen"
Party Velma, part Daisy, part Elsie with a little bit of Wesley thrown in too, Velzy is a surprisingly popular choice among TikTok parents. Possibly inspired by the surfer Dale Velzy and by the…
Mccall
Irish
"son of Cathal"
Effortlessly cool and preppy, but with a touch of outdoorsy ruggedness, McCall is a yet to be discovered last name choice. Unexpected, but enough like McKenzie, Mckinley, Nicole, and Callie that it…
Farrow
English surname
"smith, iron worker, to shoe horses"
With Marlowe, Harlowe, Milo, and Arlo in the charts, this occupational surname with its strong -o ending might hold appeal. Derived from ferrum meaning "iron" or "horseshoe", it has a solid yet…
Rashford
English
"fast moving, shallow river"
With the cool sounds of Dashiell, Nash, Ford, and Ashton, Rashford is a surname style choice, Currently undiscovered as a first name, footballer Marcus Rashford, known for sporting achievements, his…
Tisdale
English
"valley of the River Tees"
A sassy and sparky, celeb-inspired surname choice, Tisdale is reminiscent of Tinsley, Tenley, Taisley, and Daley. Associated with actress and singer Ashley Tisdale, along with guitarist and…
Electra
Greek
"amber, shining, bright"
Though the plays by Sophocles and Eugene O'Neill and via the "Electra Complex" proposed by psychoanalyst Carl Jung, this name has, unfortunately, become associated with incest and murder.…
Ellington
English place-name and surname
"Ellis' town"
Ellington's popularity may be inspired by jazz great Duke, but the name is used slightly more often for girls today, perhaps because of its trendy El- beginning. Like a host of other El- names, from…
Dion
Diminutive of Dionysius, Greek
"child of heaven and earth; of Zeus"
A variation of Greek Dionysius, itself derived from the name of the god of wine, revelry, and dance, Dion gives a nod to mythology while also having historical ties to a student of Plato, to a Greek…
Fox
Animal name
Fox is one animal name backed by a longish tradition, and then popularized via the lead character Fox Mulder on X Files . Fox is simple, sleek, and a little bit wild, and could make an interesting…
Gable
French
"triangular feature in architecture"
The iconic Gone With the Wind star Clark's surname was brought into the first-name mix when Weeds ' Kevin Nealon picked it for his son. Gable makes a strong and unusual possibility, a rhyming cousin…
Gardner
English
"keeper of the garden"
Surely one of the most pleasant and evocative of the occupational options.
Garland
Word name
Garland is fragrant and celebratory, and also has a celebrity-tribute tie to the star of The Wizard of Oz .
Garner
English surname
"granary"
Garner is an unncommon word and surname with some prospect of garnering popularity, especially now that Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck have given it to son Samuel as his middle name, and Jessica…