User-created list
Surname Names For Boys
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Fenton
English
"marsh town"
Fenton is the kind of surname name that's starting to sound almost like a normal first name these days. While it made a brief appearance on the Top 1000 in the late 1800s, today it's distinctive but…
Baird
Scottish occupational name
"minstrel, poet"
Meaning bard, this is an original choice with poetic and melodic undertones. Bard itself has also come into consideration, both names bringing to mind Shakespeare and other literary lights. The…
Linton
English
"flax settlement"
In Wuthering Heights, Cathy's milquetoast husband; Heath is so much more appealing.
Keller
German occupational name
"cellar master"
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 German names for boys . One of the…
Benton
English surname and place name
"bent grass enclosure"
Benton is an old English surname of a type usually given to local landowners. It is also recorded in early records as Beneton and Bentune. Benton newly returned to the Social Security list in 2011…
Madigan
Irish
"little dog"
A jovial and jaunty Irish name, the title of a long-gone TV crime drama, this would make an appealing choice. Slight downside: Maddy is already a mega-popular nickname for Madeline/Madelyn and…
Abbott
English, Hebrew, Aramaic
"priest; father"
Abbott is a neglected masculine surname with religious overtones, used to describe the head of a monastery or a prominent church figure, such as a priest. Though the feminine nickname Abby could be…
Bronson
English
"son of brown-haired one"
This surname has a modern yet old New England feel, perhaps because of the association with the transcendental teacher and reformer Bronson (born Amos Bronson) Alcott, father of Louisa May. (One-time…
Henderson
English
"son of Henry"
Bulky surname honoring Grandpa Henry or Saul Bellow's Rain King.
Clarke
Variation of Clark
"scribe, clerk"
While Clark ranks in the Top 500 for boys, the Clarke spelling leans towards the girls' side. Regardless, the name works well for either sex.
Thompson
English
"son of Tom"
Thompson is not as popular as Jackson or Harrison, but a novel way to circumvent Junior for the son of a Thomas.
Everson
English surname
"son of Evert or Eve"
An established surname that fits well with today's trend for the "Ever" sound – and a similar-yet-different alternative to Emerson. Historically, it denoted a descendent of Evert, a form of Everard,…
Carlson
Carlson originated as a Scandinavian surname meaning 'son of Carl' (itself derived from the Old Norse 'karl,' meaning 'free man'). As a first name, it represents the modern trend of transforming…
Monroe
Scottish
"mouth of the Roe river"
Monroe is a presidential surname which feels fresher than Jackson, Lincoln and Taylor. Marilyn Monroe is a famous female namesake, but her smart Scottish surname feels equally usable for either sex.…
Keenan
Irish
"ancient"
This name of three ancient saints, one Wayans brother, and an NFL wide receiver makes an energetic choice.
Ashford
English Surname
A novel way to get to the nicknames Ash or Ford
Lowry
English and Scottish surname
"from Laurentum"
This artistic surname name derives from a diminutive of Laurence/Lawrence, and was famously borne by the English painter LS Lowry. Country singer Sam Hunt and his wife Hannah have a son named Lowry…
Nixon
English
"son of Nicholas"
A fresher spin on Jaxon, with built-in cool nickname Nix, and a great way to honor an ancestral Nick. But the association with disgraced former president Richard Nixon remains strong, which might…
Olson
Olson is primarily a surname of Scandinavian origin, derived from 'Olsen' which literally means 'son of Ole' or 'son of Olaf.' Ole and Olaf are ancient Norse names meaning 'ancestor's descendant' or…
Brenner
German
"to burn"
Brenner is an occupational surname for both a charcoal burner and a distiller of spirits. One of the least used of occupational surnames, it has that 'er' ending that definitely adds to its…