Unexpected Surname for a First Name

Braxton

English

"Brock's settlement"

Braxton entered the popularity ranks in 1985 and has been climbing steadily ever since. It has gained from the all-powerful X-factor, and perhaps also from the reality TV show, Braxton Family Values…

Sullivan

Irish surname

"black-eyed one"

Sullivan is a jaunty Celtic three-syllable name, with a real twinkle in its eye. It was immortalized in the 1930s classic film Sullivan's Travels and was chosen for one of Patrick Dempsey's twin…

Anderson

English from Scandinavian

"son of Anders"

Rugged and tough, Anderson shot up quite a bit on the pop list in the 2000's, no doubt in large part due to the prominence of white-haired cable newsman Anderson Coopers, more recently, it has…

Oakley

English

"oak wood or clearing"

As sturdy as Oak, but with stronger roots as a first name, Oakley ticks lots of boxes for modern trends. With its unisex vibe, its nature-based meaning, its surname-y feel, and its popular -lee…

Fisher

Occupational name

"fisherman"

As a member of two trendy name categories, animal and occupational, this name broke into the Top 1000 in 2004 and would make a nice tribute to an angler Grandpa. The best known bearer, Fisher…

Banner

English occupational name

"flag bearer"

An undiscovered option among occupational names, as of 2023, Banner has never been used for more than 100 baby boys in a single year. It does have charm however, much due to its associations with…

Branson

English

"son of the raven"

Branson is a fairly recent addition to the Top 1000, first breaking in at Number 988 in 1995. While it may not be a common sighting yet, it fits the trend of more popular cousins Mason, Grayson,…

Larson

Larson originated as a patronymic surname meaning 'son of Lars' in Scandinavian cultures, particularly Swedish and Norwegian. Lars itself is a Scandinavian form of Lawrence, derived from the Latin…

Meyer

German, Dutch, Hebrew, "tenant, farmer, leader; great; bringer of light, shining"

"tenant, farmer, leader; great; bringer of light, shining"

Old-fashioned but right on trend with the likes of Miller, Baker, Sawyer, and Major, Meyer has been borne by gangsters, businessman, sculptors, composers, and writers alike. A versatile choice in…

Poe

English

"peacock"

An evocative unisex one-syllable name, Poe is most distinguished by its literary reference. Edgar Allan Poe was an influential American author and poet, credited with inventing the genres of…

Watson

English and Scottish surname related to Walter

"son of Wat"

What with the resurgence of W names like Weston and Walter, the prominence of high profile actress Emma and golfer Bubba, and even the attention paid to Watson, the IBM computer on "Jeopardy" (named…