User-created list
Good Surnames
Across 15 pages
of 15
Fielder
English
"dweller in open country"
An uncommon surname name with that energetic -er ending. Might appeal especially to baseball fans.
Newland
English
"new land"
Some will see this as spirited, others stuffy. The protagonist of the Edith Wharton novel The Age of Innocence was a popular and successful lawyer named Newbold Archer.
Lon
Diminutive of Alonzo
"noble, ready"
For older generations this still summons silent horror star Chaney; for others it's a pleasant if slight nickname name.
Macon
French place-name
What with Mason scooting up the charts, this attractive place-name, with its thick Georgia accent, could make a more distinctive alternative. Macon has played major roles in two novels, Anne Tyler's…
Bauer
German
"farmer, tiller of the soil"
A surname name with an occupational background, but although it derives from the German language it is not used as a first name there as it has pejorative connotations – sometimes used as slag for an…
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.
Descartes
French surname
"dweller at the outskirts of town"
Highly unlikely philosophical choice.
Dahy
Irish
"quick-footed"
A long shot, but it could join the crop of dashing Irish surname names.
Alger
English
"clever warrior"
This name has been off the USA Top 1000 list since before 1900, but it has some great musical credentials: consider American blues singer Alger "Texas" Alexander and country music legend Pat Alger.
Acker
English
"meadow of oak trees"
Acker is a surname name that has not seen much use to date, but given it's lush nature meaning (and the fact that it also means "friend" in Somerset slang) this could be a cute choice for parents…
Walther
Walther is a masculine name of Germanic origin, representing a variant spelling of Walter. The name derives from the Old German elements 'wald' meaning 'rule' or 'power' and 'hari' meaning 'army,'…
Riordan
Irish
"bard, royal poet"
Has a legitimate first name history in its native land and an appealing meaning, but pronunciation is far from obvious.
Wilhelm
German variation of William
"resolute protection"
This dignified German form of William belonged to two German Emperors and Kings of Prussia, as well as a host of other important historical figures. These include composer (Wilhelm) Richard Wagner,…
Portwood
English Surname
Chosen by Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher as the middle name of their son Dimitri.
Leith
Scottish river name
"wet"
This is an unusual surname and geographical name of medieval Scottish origin that might serve as a possible alternative to the aging Keith, though it's a bit tough on the tongue. More popularly spelt…
Garland
English word name
A surprisingly wearable floral name for a boy.
Lockwood
Lockwood is an English surname turned first name with Old English roots, derived from 'loc' meaning enclosure and 'wudu' meaning wood, essentially describing someone who lived near an enclosed…
Newcomb
English Surname
"newly come"
Julia Styles used Newcomb as the middle name for her son Strummer.
Kipling
English surname and place name
Kipling calls to mind writer Rudyard (b. Joseph) Kipling, author of the stories familiar to schoolchildren Gunga Din and The Jungle Story. Certainly, Kipling is a friendlier name than Rudyard these…
Hawkins
English
"hawk"
A surname that originated as a diminutive of Hawk.