A novel way to get to the nicknames Ash or Ford

Ashford

Callahan, the simpler spelling of Callaghan, is a rhythmic jig of a name whose history harks back to the ancient King of Munster. In the Dirty Harry movies, the Clint Eastwood character is Harry Callahan.

Callahan

The name of three hundred saints, a mustard, and your own baby boy. Coleman was off the US Top 1000 list for much of the 1960s and 1970s, but it was a mainstay before and has been for most years since. It could be an interesting way to honor a Colin or Cole.

Coleman

Costa

Creed appeared on the US Top 1000 for the first time in over a century in 2016; it was the year's second-fastest-rising boys' name. It probably got a bump from the seventh movie in the Rocky series, called simply Creed. Some may know it from the character on the popular television show The Office.

Creed

Carmichael 

Croft

One of the first of the appealing Irish surnames to take off in this country, this <a href="https://nameberry.com/boys-names">boys’ name</a> has long outgrown its "Mellow Yellow" association, which came via the single from a sixties singer-songwriter named Donovan. 
 Donovan was Scottish-born Donovan Leitch, whose name was probably inspired by his father Donald's. He proved to be an adventurous, celestial namer himself--three of his children are Astrella Celeste, Oriole Nebula and Ione Skye.
 Another potential namesake is retired pro bowl quarterback Donovan McNabb.
 Donovan was in the USA Top 1000 as early as 1900.
 Related options are surname Donegan and place name Donegal.

Donovan

Easton is a stylish Ivy League-ish place and surname name, more modern than Weston, on its way up for both sexes as part of the new direction baby names are taking, as in North and West. Easton was used for her son by Jenna Elfman--and by Elizabeth Rohm for her daughter.
 Easton came onto the popularity list at Number 921 in 1995, and is now solidly in the Top 100.

Easton

Ebersol

Fontana

Gallagher is, like so many of its genre, friendly, open, and optimistic. Some might associate it with the fraternal members of the band Oasis, Noel and Liam Gallagher.


Gallagher

Grayson, which you might think of as a Jason-Mason substitute, has been rising through the US Top 1000 since 1984 and has ranked in the Top 100 since 2011. 

That makes Grayson a modern classic boys' name, with both a sober buttoned-up feel as well as an unconventional masculine vibe. Grayson might plausibly be a banker or an artist, and its resemblance to its female counterpart Grace gives it a feminist gloss.
 
Grayson's biggest problem, if you consider it one, is its persistent, widespread popularity. The Greyson spelling also ranks highly in the US and throughout the English-speaking world, and a wide range of alternative spellings including Gracen, Gracyn, and Greysun have sprung up for baby girls and boys.
 
Last year, about 11,000 baby boys in the US were named Grayson and Greyson alone, as many s were named William or Henry, making it a solidly Top 10 name.

Grayson

This name projects a sense of well-being - hale and hearty - is unusual but accessible, with a clear simple sound, and a worthy namesake, Revolutionary War hero Nathan Hale, as an added bonus. 

Hale

Harrington

The surname Hatton has three primary origins — English, French, and Irish/Scottish Gaelic. The English variation is a combination of compounds meaning "heather" and "settlement," while the French is derived from Germanic given names beginning with Hadu-, meaning "battle." 
 
The Gaelic surname comes from McHatton, the Anglicization of the Irish Gaelic Mac Giolla Chatáin or Scottish Gaelic Mac Gille Chatain. These surnames translate to "servant of Saint Catan," who was revered in the Scottish Hebrides. Saint Catan (or Cathan) was an Irish missionary who came to the Isle of Bute in the 6th century.

Hatton

Do you really want to name your baby after a hotel? Or a famous-for-being-famous starlet?

Hilton

Has that blunt masculine feel -- à la Cole and Kyle -- that many modern parents are drawn to. 

Holt

Looking for a Texas name more distinctive than Austin and Dallas?  Houston is a lanky, roguish place-name, right in style with its Texas accent and cowboy image.

Houston

Huxley is definitely rising as a surname name, with its X that makes almost any name cooler. It debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2015. The modern nicknames Hux and Huck certainly don't hurt.
 Huxley honors writer Aldous, author of Brave New World, and other members of his distinguished family.

Huxley

Hathaway

Hawthorne 

Kaiser, as in roll and Wilhelm, appeared for the first time on the US Top 1000 in 2017.  It fits the two-syllable -er ending style that's all the rage, and it lends itself to the short form Kai.  But we hope this Germanic version of what is essentially a title rather than a name doesn't keep rising on the charts.

Kaiser

Keller is a German surname that originated as an occupational name for a cellar or store master, which seems to be the background of several of the most stylish new <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/494/german-names-for-boys">German names for boys</a>. One of the stylish new two-syllable -er ending names for boys, Keller is rising up the ranks heading for the Top 1000. It may be an honorific for Helen Keller.

Keller

Another name fallen to the plague of the K. Nonetheless, it has risen a bit in the charts since entering the US Top 1000 in 2011.

Kohen

British place-name unlikely to evoke much passion in any baby namer. 

Lancaster

Lopez

Martinez

Montogmery

An increasingly viable option for girls, perhaps influenced by the rise of similar-sounding Nola and unisex names more generally.

Nolan

Nixon

Indie actress Parker Posey put a female imprint on this sophisticated surname that's still about three times as common for boys but rising for both sexes. Parker has the advantage of its nature connection, relating it to such occupational names as Gardener and Forester.

Parker

Pembrooke

Portland

Powell

An appealing Spanish surname that also works as an elaboration of cool nature name River.

Rivera

Romanoff

Rosenbloom

The most famous Sinclair was the (male) writer Lewis, but these days the name works at least as well for a girl. 

Sinclair

A name with some sterling qualities, most associated with the British currency and silver markets. Sterling is more commonly a male name or surname, but is occasionally used for girls as well. 

Sterling

Stylish and boyish but could work for a girl -- especially one with brown eyes -- and Sully is a quirky and jaunty nickname.

Sullivan

Sanders

Appealingly boyish a decade ago, less so now. 

Tyson

This waspy name on the rise for boys, hasn't hit yet for girls, but could join others, like Sawyer, that have.


Walker

A patronymic surname deriving from the traditional nickname Wat, from Walter. Watson appeared on the female baby name list for the first time in 2020, when it was given to 5 baby girls in the US. Actor Emma Watson is a famous surname bearer.

Watson

Windsor may have male references, such as Britain's royal House of Windsor and a tie's windsor knot, but this name also has a definite feminine feel, as in Windsor Rose. That seems appropriate, as Windsor is used equally these days for boys and girls.  Nicknames might include Win, Wind, Windy, and Winnie.

Windsor

Winslet is one of a legion of surnames newly considered fair game as first names. The inspiration may be British star Kate, but she's not the only reason parents are attracted to Winslet, one of those <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/195/british-girl-names-">British girl names</a> that sounds at once classy and winning. Yet be warned that if you choose this, people will forever assume you are major fans of the actress. Other Win- beginning names up for new consideration: Winslow, Winston, Wynton, Winifred and Winnie, along with just plain Win or Wyn or Wynn.

Winslet

Winslow's most famous reference may be male painter Winslow Homer, but as a name it's beginning to be on the rise for girls. Adorable nickname Winnie may be the reason. Other unusual painterly possibilities for either sex: O'Keeffe, Hopper, and just plain Painter.


Winslow

Wayne

Westwood

Winston

Yaeger

Arcane 's list "Uncommon Surname-Last Names as Baby names" of 52 great name ideas: Ashford - Yaeger!

Uncommon Surname-Last Names as Baby names

A list of more uncommon surnames as first names/middle names I came up with. Some do lowkey slap
