User-created list
Good Surnames
Across 15 pages
of 15
Mende
Mende is a masculine name with multiple possible origins. In some West African cultures, particularly among the Mende people of Sierra Leone, it serves as both an ethnic identifier and personal name.…
Mendele
Mendele is a masculine name with Yiddish origins, functioning as a diminutive or affectionate form of Mendel, which itself derives from the Hebrew name Menachem, meaning 'comforter' or 'consoler.'…
Noble
Latin
"aristocratic"
With parents beginning to show an interest in virtue names for boys, this Puritan favorite just might be revived, for what could be more admirable than nobility in terms of having strength of…
Northcliff
English
"northern cliff"
Stick with North.
Norvell
Norvell is a masculine name with French and Norman origins, derived from Old French "Norvile" meaning "north town" or "northern village." It began as a surname indicating geographic origin before…
Novak
Serbian
"new"
Tennis star Novak Djokovic introduced this new first name to the English-speaking world, though it had long been familiar as a surname. The celebrity Novak, one of the greatest tennis players of all…
O'shea
Irish
"hawklike, stately"
One of the jauntiest o' the O' names, the birth name of actor/ rapper Ice Cube.
Oakes
English
"near the oaks"
One part nature name, one part surname name. Oakes gives you the best of both worlds.
Osgood
Teutonic
"divine creator"
This name seems to foresee a future CFO. Not a bad thing. Osgood Perkins is the name of both the father and son of actor Anthony. Oz is the enlivening nickname.
Padgett
Variation of Page, French
"page, attendant"
Padgett is a last name turned first name, from the occupational term for a page or attendant. No babies of either sex were given the name in the US last year.
Pembroke
English
"bluff, headland"
Better suited to a stuffy school than a little boy, but it nevertheless has a preppy air that may appeal to some.
Penley
English
"enclosed meadow"
And if it's triplets: Pembroke, Pendleton, and Penley.
Piers
Greek
"rock"
Piers was the first version of Peter to reach the English-speaking world, via the Normans, but it's never made it in the US, despite its large measure of understated panache. This might change due to…
Pollock
Scottish
"pit"
If used at all these days, it would be to honor artist Jackson, whose first name would be far preferable.
Prosper
Latin
"favorable, prosperous"
In France, pronounced PRO-spare, Prosper is a fairly common name; here it presents a worthy aspirational message for a child. Prosper was the name of several early saints, including a noted fifth…
Radburne
Radburne is a masculine name with Old English origins, combining elements that likely mean 'red stream' or 'counsel stream' ('rad' potentially relating to counsel or advice, and 'burne' referring to…
Radford
Radford is a masculine name of English origin derived from Old English elements meaning 'red ford' or 'reedy ford,' initially referring to a river crossing that was either reddish in color or lined…
Radley
English
"red meadow"
Radical Bradley. Radley is also the surname of one of the heroes of To Kill a Mockingbird . Boo Radley is a reclusive and mentally challenged neighbor who saves the Finch children.
Redding
Redding is an uncommon masculine name with English origins, primarily derived from a surname and place name. It historically referred to someone from the town of Reading in Berkshire, England, whose…
Redmond
Irish variation of Raymond
"wise protector"
We love this partly for purely personal reasons, since it is one of our surnames. We used it as the middle name of a son –and it can make a good first choice too. Redmond – also found as Reamann or…