User-created list
Potential Character Surnames
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of 34
Estella
Latinate form of Estelle
"star"
Estella is a pretty Latin name, most notably associated with the character in Dickens's Great Expectations , adopted and raised to reek Miss Haversham's revenge on men. With the popularity of Stella,…
Frank
Diminutive of Francis or Franklin
"Frenchman or free man"
A Top 10 name from the 1880s until the 1920s, Frank has been falling for decades but last year reversed course for the first time in a century, edging up the popularity list a few notches. And Frank…
Clover
Flower name, from Old English
"key"
Clover is a charming, perky choice if you want to move beyond hothouse blooms like Rose and Lily, and it's recently become a new celeb favorite, chosen by both Neal McDonough and Natasha Gregson…
Chosen
English word name
"one who is the object of choice or of divine favor"
Chosen is officially a baby name thanks to Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton, who chose (can't resist) the word as the name of his newborn son. While it may inspire bad puns, Chosen is…
Miller
English occupational surname
"grinder of grain"
Miller is the third-most common surname in the United States and was one of the fastest-rising first names for both girls and boys in 2023. Miller rose nearly 300 places on the girls' side to vault…
Rhodes
Greek
"where roses grow"
This is a name we've seen the potential of for some time now — A Greek island and a prestigious scholarship make for a preppy first name with the uber-stylish S ending. Needless to say we were not…
Imani
Arabic, Swahili
"faith"
Another strong Arabic name, related to Iman. Imani one is popular throughout the Muslim world but especially East Africa. It was chosen for her daughter by actress Jasmine Guy.
Kailany
Portuguese variation of Kailani, Hawaiian
"sea and sky"
Used in Puerto Rico, Brazil, and the US, this variation of the Hawaiian Kailani follows the pattern among Portuguese and Spanish speakers of using -y endings over -i endings, as in the case of Ailany…
Kyren
Persian, Irish
"king, ruler; little dark one"
With its cool, modern sound, Kyren is one of the fastest-rising boy names. It was a newcomer to the US Top 1000 in 2023 and climbed over 130 spots in 2024. It appeals thanks to its short form Ky, its…
Mara
Hebrew
"bitter"
Mara is the evocative ancient root of Mary, appearing in the Book of Ruth, in which Naomi, devastated after the death of her two sons, says "Call me not Naomi, call me Mara." It's one of the girl…
Marigold
Flower name, from English
"golden flower"
Marigold, once found almost exclusively in English novels and aristocratic nurseries, is beginning to be talked about and considered here. It has a sweet, sunny, quirky feel. The marigold was the…
Estrella
Spanish
"star"
Bright and vibrant but elegant too, Estrella is a rising star among Hispanic families that would make a good cross-cultural choice too. A Spanish word name that literally means "star", it is similar…
Memphis
Greek and Coptic place-name
"Enduring and beautiful"
A place name with plenty of history, Memphis is associated with the place in Ancient Egypt where many of the pyramids were built, and with the bluesy US city that was named after it. With its lovely…
Anakin
American invented name
Anakin Skywalker, aka Darth Vader, is the antagonist in the original Star Wars trilogy. The name Anakin first entered the US Top 1000 in 2014. Its meaning is unknown but is thought to be an homage to…
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…
Major
Latin
"greater; or, a military rank"
This bold choice soared in popularity from 2008 to 2013, and now seems to have plateaued. But watch out—the character Major Major Major Major in the classic absurdist novel Catch-22 had a terrible…
Amani
Variation of Imani, Arabic
"faith"
Popular with Muslim and African-American parents, this virtue name also fits in with the trendy i ending names being seen at the moment. It debuted on the US Top 1000 in 1996. Kenyan…
Aurelio
Italian; Spanish, variation of Aurelius
"the golden one"
Aurelio is an energetic Italian and Spanish name, with an attractive golden aura. Derived from the Latin aureus , it's a relative of rising star Aurelia and the Roman Aurelius. A Top 200 name in…
Jasiel
Hebrew
"whom God made"
Jasiel and its alternate spelling Yasiel are gaining a following thanks to superstar baseball player Yasiel Puig, a Cuban native who plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Biblical Jasiel was a…
Baylor
English
"horse trainer"
Baylor is a possible occupational alternative to the tired Taylor, especially for a horse lover.