User-created list
By alyshadragonfriend · Updated August 2023
Across 24 pages
of 24
English surname, English word name
"dear"
Darling has history as an English surname, but it would most likely be read as a quirky and loving word name, a la Sweetheart or Honey.
English surname
"edge of town"
An English locational surname originally denoting someone who lived at the town's outer limits, Townsend now has a solid, aristocratic air and could make an interesting choice if it's a family name.…
Finnish short form of Mikael
"who is like God"
This short form of Mikael, a variation of Michael, may originate in Finland but it's most popular in Germany and The Netherlands. Mika can make a cute and original way to honor a Michael in the…
Irish
"youth"
Logan came from nowhere in the past few decades to break the Top 25, and Hogan is a good bet to follow, now that "Hogan's Heroes" has faded from memory.
English or Gaelic surname
"descendent of the champion"
Rooney is one of many bouncy Irish surnames that could make an agreeable first, once tied to Mickey Rooney (who was actually born Joseph Yule) in his young and spunky Andy Hardy period. Young "Girl…
Italian variation of Leo or Leon
"lion"
An Italian spin on the current European darling Leon, though the final e makes it a tad feminine to the American sensibility.
Color name
Grey is the more common spelling in Britain and Australia. This color name has a softness and ambiguity which makes it equally lovely for a boy or a girl.
Latvian or English variation of Alice
About 60 girls were named Alise in the US last year, making it an uncommon but not truly rare name. While it's pretty and intriguing as a spin on the very popular Alice, it's pronounced more like…
Variation of Rhea
Short but substantial.
"searcher"
Upper crust-y surname Sheridan gains some energy when used for a girl.
English
"path hill"
This could be a new variation on the megapopular Braden-Caden-Haden bunch, or a nonmilitaristic form of Patton.
This color name, spelled either Gray or Grey is rapidly catching on. Actress Jenny von Oy recently called her daughter Gray Audrey.
Welsh
"strong lord"
Popular for boys, Griffin is both a Latinized form of the Welsh Gruffudd and the English name for a mythological creature, half eagle, half lion. Sleek and stylish with a rugged edge, Griffin was…
Spelling variation of Roland, German
"famous throughout the land"
Rowland is more usually the surname spelling of Roland, as in Kelly Rowland.
"leader"
Fallon was one of the first of the unisex surname names, but thanks to "Dynasty" in the 1980s it now has a feminine image. For a boy, try Phelan instead.
Place name, English, Spanish, French, Latin "worth; valley"
"worth; valley"
A distinctive and unusual choice, Vail may stem from the Latin, French, and Spanish valor and valeur , denoting worth, merit, and value: a perfect meaning for a baby. There is the possibility however…
Diminutive of Ashley, English
"ash tree"
Ash is a gender-neutral choice that calls to mind the '80s favorite: Ashley. But view it as a nature name -- as in the tree, not the charred bit of soot in the fireplace -- and it makes a cool choice…
French
"new town"
More often used in Britain than here, where most names ending in ville fall into the unthinkable class, this might make an exception via fans of the musical Neville Brothers. Charles Dickens used the…
Kelley is primarily a feminine name in modern usage, though it originated as an Irish surname derived from the Gaelic 'Ó Ceallaigh' meaning 'descendant of Ceallach' (bright-headed or troublesome). As…
Nature name and surname, English
"rivers"
Rivers is an indisputably unisex surname with is strong nature connotation and its connection to the character Diana Rivers from Charlotte Bronte's novel Jane Eyre . Rivers is also the first name of…
