alyshadragonfriend's list "Potential Character Surnames " of 20 great name ideas: Rogan - Price!

Potential Character Surnames 

A list of names that could possibly be surnames for book/movie/etc. characters. Remember, potential is in the eye of the beholder.

Rogan makes a great, roguish alternative for the more popular Logan, Ronan and Rowan.


Rogan

Kaiser, Rex, Kingsley, and Prince have become increasingly popular in recent years and Pharaoh is one of the more unexpected members of this regal family of names. Used as the title of ancient Egyptian rulers, it was also given to more than 200 babies in 2019. 

The word pharaoh actually derives from Egyptian compound pr, meaning "great house" and well before it was used for address a person, it was used as the title of the royal palace. It wasn't until the 18th or 19th Dynasty that pharaoh was used as alternative to 'majesty', but by the 25th Dynasty, it was the most common epithet for the ruler. The pronunciation and transcription we know today however, was eventually reached after the Egyptian term was adapted into Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. 
 
As a given name, it has been used occasionally since the late 70s, with famous jazz saxophonist Pharoah [sic] Saunders (really named Ferrell) being a notable bearer. It wasn't until the mid 2010s however that it really began to gain traction. Football player Pharoh Cooper might have inspired some parents to use the name, while Nameberry writer Summer Richardson suggests its rise could be explained by the <a href="https://nameberry.com/blog/black-american-baby-name-trends">shift from virtue names to title names</a> within the Black American community.

Pharaoh

Santana is a saintly name...or Latin rock band. While traditionally masculine, character Santana Lopez on the show Glee showed the name's potential for a girl as well. Sound-wise, it feels like Savannah with a twist.

Santana

With Henley and Kinsley two of the most popular new ley-ending <a href="https://nameberry.com/girls-names">baby names for girls</a>, why not Hensley? We can think of several reasons, but if you like this style of name, Hensley is as attractive as any.

Hensley

Once a popular choice in for boys in the Middle Ages and again during the 19th century, Aubrey has mostly been used for girls in the US since the 1970's. With its arty, surname-y, and sophisticated feel, however, it is rising up the UK charts for both boys and girls. 
Derived from the Auberi, an Old French variant of Alberich, Aubrey means "elf ruler". Up until the 50's, it was relatively well known for boys in the US, but with the release of the song "Aubrey" by Bread in 1972, the scales tipped. 
Despite this, there are still memorable male bearers of the name, including rapper Drake, whose full name is Aubrey Drake Graham; the 19th century illustrator Aubrey Beardsley; and the central character of John Polidori's novel The Vampyre. 
Used on only a tiny handful of boys each year in the US, in the UK, Aubrey is currently in the Top 250 for girls, but also the Top 600 for boys. This means it is given to boys 5 times more often in the UK, than it is the US. 
Gentle, cool and handsome, Aubrey fits in with the recent interest in softer boys names and in surnames-as-given-names. Plus, with Ellis, Mckenzie, Hadley, Casey, and Oakley in use, Aubrey might see further gains.

Aubrey

An invented name that fits in with classmates Brayden and Jaylen.

Braylin

Windswept and dramatic, but perhaps asking for trouble. Quite popular in Denmark and Sweden, where it derives from Stromr, which is a fairly common surname. Storm Thorgerson is a famous bearer of the name - he designed iconic album covers for Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, the Cranberries, Anthrax, and Pink Floyd.

Storm

As Legacy heats up for girls, new variations are being put into play — chief among them is Legaci.

Legaci

Carsen is a modern unisex name that leans slightly masculine in usage. It represents a contemporary spelling variation of Carson, which originated as an English and Scottish surname derived from 'carr' meaning 'marsh' or 'wetland' and 'son,' literally 'son of the marsh-dweller.' The name gained popularity in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, part of the trend toward using surnames as first names. The variation with 'e' instead of 'o' gives it a softer, slightly more modern feel. Carsen projects a strong yet approachable image, balancing traditional roots with contemporary style. It has been moderately popular in North America but rarely reaches the top rankings, appealing to parents seeking something recognizable yet not overly common. The name works well professionally while still feeling youthful.

Carsen

Addalyn is a modern feminine name that emerged in the United States in the early 2000s. It appears to be a creative variant of Adeline or Madelyn, combining elements of popular names with the trendy '-lyn' suffix. The root 'Adal' comes from Germanic origins meaning 'noble' or 'nobility.' Addalyn gained modest popularity in the 2010s, particularly in the southern United States, as part of the trend toward elaborate versions of classic names. The name appeals to parents seeking something familiar yet distinctive. Though still relatively uncommon compared to similar names like Addison or Madelyn, Addalyn offers a sweet, feminine sound while maintaining the vintage charm of its root names, with a contemporary spelling that sets it apart.

Addalyn

In the early eighties, Lindsay, in tandem with Courtney, approached the Top 10. 
Lindsey is one of the few truly unisex names (rather than being a name that has changed genders). Over time the ey ending was usually reserved for women and the ay ending reserved for men. This tradition continues in the 2014 Top 1000 rankings, with Lindsey retaining a considerable lead over Lindsay among girls in the USA.
In the UK, however, Lindsey makes no appearance in the Top 3000 at all, and Lindsay was only given to 6 girls in 2013, ranking at Number 2443.

Lindsay

The name of a historic Irish leader, Gannon has a solid, yet spirited feel. It was one of the fastest-rising names of 2014, but that trend didn't continue. One pop culture influence was the name of Teen Mom 3 son Gannon Dewayne McKee.

Gannon

Queen has seen a revival in recent times, reaching its record high in 2018 with 280 births — it has remained steady since then. Previously, Queen saw a peak in the 1920s, but its origins go back even further than that. Queen was a noted name among enslaved people in America, along with other royal choices such as Duke, Squire, and Prince.


Queen

Brexton is a strong, modern masculine name that emerged in American naming patterns during the early 21st century. Likely derived as a blend of popular elements like Braxton and Brixton, or possibly adapted from an English surname or place name, Brexton carries a contemporary, sophisticated sound. The name began gaining modest attention in the 2010s as parents sought distinctive alternatives to more common 'Br-' names like Brandon or Bradley. Brexton projects qualities of strength and masculinity while maintaining a polished, upscale feel. Its structure follows the popular trend of two-syllable surnames ending in '-ton' becoming given names. Though still relatively uncommon, Brexton appeals particularly to parents drawn to names with a contemporary edge and subtle British connotations.

Brexton

Corbyn is a modern masculine name with Old French and English roots. Derived from "corbeau" meaning "raven" or possibly from a place name meaning "settlement in a deep valley." 

The name gained notable attention in the UK through politician Jeremy Corbyn. As a given name, Corbyn has a contemporary feel with its trendy "yn" ending, similar to popular names like Robyn and Jordyn. The name has seen modest but steady usage since the early 2000s, particularly in English-speaking countries. 

Nearly 100 baby boys were named Corbyn in the US last year, along with almost 700 named Corbin.

Parents are drawn to Corbyn for its distinctive sound, strong consonants, and relative uniqueness compared to more common boys' names. The name projects strength and individuality while remaining accessible and easy to pronounce, making it appealing to parents seeking something modern yet grounded in historical roots.

Corbyn

Tailored Tegan is a Welsh name, developed from the element teg meaning "beautiful, pretty". Sweet but tough, is interpreted to mean "darling, or favorite", and is also the Welsh word for toy.
 
Pronounced as TEH-gan in Welsh, but TEE-gun in English, Tegan is outranked in the US by the similar Teagan, which is both a variant of Tegan and has its origins in an Irish surname.
 Musicians and twin sisters Tegan & Sara helped popularize the name, as did a character in Doctor Who back in the 80s.

Tegan

Avion is a distinctive masculine name with multiple possible origins. Most directly, it connects to the French word 'avion' meaning 'airplane' or 'aircraft,' giving it associations with flight, freedom, and modernity. It may also relate to the Latin 'avis' meaning 'bird.' The name has a contemporary feel with its smooth, flowing sound and aviation connections. While uncommon in most naming statistics, Avion has seen limited usage in the United States since the late 20th century, appealing to parents seeking a unique name with positive connotations. Its streamlined sound fits with modern naming trends favoring vowel-rich, two-syllable names for boys. The name's implications of soaring and ascension give it a dynamic, aspirational quality that appeals to parents envisioning limitless possibilities for their child.

Avion

Bayleigh

Echo, the pretty, resonant name of a legendary nymph, was the heroine of Joss Whedon's sci-fi series Dollhouse. Nick Hexum, of the band 311, named his daughter Echo Love.
 In the Greek myth, Echo was a nymph whose unrequited love for Narcissus caused her to fade away until all that was left was the sound of her voice. Obviously, a name with a lot of reverberations.

Echo

Some names referring to expensive things -- Tiffany, Armani, Porsche -- are in fact declasse, but Price transcends that label with its simplicity and strength. 