User-created list
SURNAME BABY NAMES
Across 8 pages
of 8
Raymond
German
"wise protector"
Now that the show has gone into reruns, does anybody still love Raymond? Though it's been long dormant, some parents, including Jack Nicholson, are finding its cool name component, largely through…
Bradley
English
"wide meadow"
An English surname name, Bradley has a long history, dating way back to at least 1086, but as a first name it actually succeeded in the US before it reached England--though Dickens used it in his…
Harley
English
"the long field"
Once a macho biker name, Harley is now showing its softer side. In the UK, Harley is predominantly masculine, but it's currently more popular for girls than boys in the US. Along with Harper and…
Ford
English
"dweller at the ford"
The long association to the Ford Motor Company doesn't stand in the way of this being a strong, independent, single-syllable name. Owen Wilson named his son Robert Ford—although the baby's name was…
Tanner
English occupational name
"leather tanner"
One of the hot two-syllable T names of the nineties (along with Tyler, Trevor, and Taylor), and well represented on soap operas; Tanner is still widely used, but its popularity is declining.
Ainsley
Scottish
"one's own meadow"
While theoretically unisex, this surname name has been edging up the girls’ names list, perhaps originally as an Ashley substitute. One quality in Ainsley's favor: It's remained steadily popular --…
Cassidy
Irish
"curly-haired"
Has fallen off its Kathie Lee Gifford inspired peak in the 1990s, but since that notably celebrity baby is now a grownup and out of the limelight, Cassidy may once again reclaim its own Irish charm.
Colby
English
"coal town"
Combining the sounds of Colton and Toby, Colby has been in the US Top 1000 since the 70s. It peaked in 2021, entering the Top 100 thanks to Colby Davidson's appearance on reality TV show, Survivor…
Harlan
German and English
"rocky land"
Pleasant but uninspired surname name somewhat connected to writers Ellison and Coben. After three decades off the US Top 1000, it reentered in 2013, maybe because it's an unusual example of the…
Shelby
English
"estate on the ledge"
Though Shelby was trendier ten years ago, it's still a widely used choice.
Quincy
French
"estate of the fifth son"
Quirky in the way that all Q names are quirky, Quincy was once a buttoned-up, patrician New England name, an image countered in recent years by the talented and ultracool musician Quincy Jones…
Davis
Surname derived from David, Hebrew
"beloved"
Davis is a fresh way to say David. Some sources define it as "son of David," but we see it as a surname spin on the original. While David is an everyman name, Davis has some creative edge -- and…
Wilson
English
"son of Will"
Wilson is a substantive presidential choice far less prevalent than Taylor or Tyler, and with the advantage of being a new route to friendly nickname Will. We see Wilson growing in popularity as an…
Taylor
English occupational name
"tailor"
Taylor was much more popular throughout the 1990s for both genders than it is today. Close to the Top 50 boys' names in the mid-1990s, Taylor recently fell out of the Top 500 for boys and out of the…
Lee
English
"pasture, meadow"
A name that has a bit of a shouldn't-I-be-a-middle-name sound, though still in use as a first for both genders. Lee might be a good choice if you want something that sounds at once traditional yet…
Chandler
English from French occupational name
"candle maker"
For a generation, this name will always be linked to 1990s hit TV series Friends . Whether this is a positive or a negative will depend on your fondness for the show, and character Chandler Bing, but…
Murphy
Irish
"sea warrior"
This jaunty Celtic surname — one of the most common family names in both Ireland and the US — is totally viable as a first. The arguably most famous Murphy is TV's Murphy Brown, and indeed the name…
Campbell
Scottish
"crooked mouth"
The seventh most common surname in Scotland, for a time associated only with soup company and the Andy Warhol's iconic painting, Campbell is once again being considered as an accessible but rarer…
Douglas
Scottish
"black water"
Douglas, and more particularly its nickname, Doug, had a real romantic swagger in the 1950s and 1960s dating back to swashbuckling Douglas Fairbanks, but today is more likely to conjure up your mom's…
Lennon
Irish
"lover"
A growing number of high-profile (and other) parents are choosing to honor their musical idols, such as Hendrix, Presley, Jagger, and now Lennon. Lennon first came to notice when Liam Gallagher and…