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Preppy Names
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Grantland
Grantland is a masculine name with English origins, combining 'grant,' meaning 'great' or 'large' (from Old French 'grand'), with 'land.' It has the character of a traditional English surname that…
Gray
Color name, also diminutive of Grayson
The girls have Violet and Scarlet and Ruby and Rose, but for the boys there's a much more limited palette of color names. Gray (or Grey), is one exception, which could make for a soft and…
Graydon
English
"son of the gray-haired one"
Waspy surname-name most closely associated with visionary magazine editor (Edward) Graydon Carter, who created Spy and Air Mail and was the longime editor of Vanity Fair . More substantial than Gray,…
Greeley
English
"pock-marked face, scarred"
English surname that's very rarely found as a first name. The Colorado city was named after Horace Greeley, the nineteenth-century congressman and founder of the New-York Tribune .
Greene
English
"green"
Greene is a masculine name that originated as an English surname derived from the Old English word 'grene,' meaning 'green.' It was typically given to families who lived near a village green or in…
Guilford
Guilford is a masculine name of English origin, derived from an Old English place name meaning 'golden ford' (where 'guil' refers to gold and 'ford' indicates a river crossing). Originally a surname…
Hadley
English
"heathery field"
Hemingway readers will recognize this as the name of Papa's first wife (and, eventually, actress Mariel's grandmother). But in Victorian times, Hadley and Hedley were actually more popular for boys.
Hale
English
"someone who lives in a hollow; strong and hearty"
This name projects a sense of well-being, as in "hale and hearty", while also having a nature-adjacent meaning, referring to someone who lives near a hollow, a nook, or a remote area of land. Rhyming…
Hall
English occupational name
"worker at the hall"
A simple, self-possessed, somewhat serious surname, which might work better as a middle.
Hamilton
English and Scottish
"treeless hill"
Unless it runs in your family, or Alexander Hamilton is your particular hero, you might consider something less imposing -- and without the teasable nickname Ham. Scottish curler Hamilton McMillan Jr…
Hammond
English from German
"mountain home"
A cross-cultural possibility, but a bit heavy and somber.
Hannah
Harden
English
"valley of the hares"
While teasing about names is not as bad as it once was, the possibilities presented by this name would be difficult for any pubescent boy to resist.
Harper
English
"harp player"
Harper got its start as a celebrity baby name when Paul Simon chose it for his now-grown son. Since then, other famous parents have followed suit: musician Tim Finn and actor Cecilia Peck both have…
Harris
English
"son of Harry"
When Harrison is too much, but Harry isn't enough, try this stylish surname name with a touch of British flair. It briefly reentered the US Top 1000 for the first time since 1988 in 2016, but has…
Hart
English
"stag"
Hart could be the hero of a romantic novel, but on the other hand, it's short, straightforward, and strong sounding. The most famous bearer of the name was tragic poet Hart (born Harold) Crane, but…
Hartley
English
"stag meadow"
Smart and sharp but with a touch of heart and charm, Hartley is a surname style name that could work as an alternative to Harley, Harvey, Artie, or Harry. Quietly used as a masculine name throughout…
Hartwell
English surname
"stag stream"
Lovers of Maxwell might like this more unusual – but no less distinguished – surname name, with its adorable nickname of Hart.
Hays
Hays is a masculine name that originated as a surname derived from geographical locations, particularly places with hedges or enclosures (from the Old English 'hæg'). As a first name, Hays carries a…
Hazard
French
"chance, luck"
Chance has risen far on the baby-naming charts, but Hazard has a considerably more dangerous edge. It was the middle name of famed US naval commander Oliver Hazard Perry.