Middle Names, Surnames, and Nicknames
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 46 pages
of 46
Literary name, Greek
"angel"
If you want to move beyond Maya, you might consider this distinctive last name of poet Maya Angelou. Born Marguerite Annie Johnson, Angelou was given the nickname Maya by her brother and adopted…
Word name
Stricter than Peace or Justice.
Nature name
We once dismissed Bird as "too flighty", but with the rise of avian names from Lark to Robin to, well, Birdie, we don't see why Bird can't be a fine choice, especially as a middle name.
Latin
"peace"
A cool name, representing the Roman goddess of peace and offering a positive message to bestow upon a child. Pax is one of the most stylish new names that mean peace .
Literary name
Puck was Shakespeare's mischievous pixie who'a had a few television incarnations in more recent years. A popular name in The Netherlands but nowhere else, from what we can tell. We love Puck for its…
Puck, the mischievous sprite of Shakespeare, is a unisex name given more often to girls in The Netherlands and is also the name of one of the moons of Uranus, discovered in 1985 and named Puck for…
"applelike fruit"
'Q' names are hot, and this is an intriguing fruit name that could be used for a girl or boy. The quince often appears in Greek myth, in tales of Aphrodite, Paris and Atalanta. Can also be a nickname…
Garland is fragrant and celebratory, and also has a celebrity-tribute tie to the star of The Wizard of Oz .
If you live in a state where marijuana is legal (or maybe even if you don't), you might know that Sativa is one of the major strains of weed. And yes, 10 baby girls were named Sativa in the US in one…
English word name
"someone who dances"
A word name that's appealing when applied to a person boogying or doing ballet; a different story in the context of Santa's reindeer.
"knowledge"
Actress Shannyn Sossamon used this as the middle name for her son Audio; one of the most do-not-try-this-at-home combos we've heard.
English
"unexpected good fortune"
A unique virtue name with a sound as happy and lively as its meaning.
Food name and word name
Poppy is the most widely-used seed name, opening the door for Sesame. While Sesame has a pretty sound, it is not often used as a name -- fewer than five baby girls were given the name in the US in…
Word name or diminutive of Landon
"long hill"
One of the simplest, most down-to-earth yet evocative of the word names, which could work — especially as a middle.
Slate, Stone and Steel are on the rise, so why not Shale?
"free"
A sixties-style name that might work best as a middle.
English nature name
Until now, most girls called Shell used it as a nickname for Shelley or Michelle. Today's Shell is much more likely to be a nature name, cool and beachy, fit for all genders.
The Puritans used it as a virtue name -- but today it would just be considered weird: silence is no longer golden.
Smooth and evocative, but not very namelike.
"freezing"
Frost is a name parents are beginning to warm to, appreciating its icy simplicity and connection with the venerable poet Robert. Frost, along with Winter, Snow, and January, are also perfect names…
