Medieval Occupations and Titles

Barber

French occupational name

"beard"

This name's all-male occupational roots help it break the Barbara bonds, but still not the most inspiring surname choice.

Bard

English, Gaelic

"minstrel, poet"

A literary word name, now synonymous with Shakespeare, Bard also refers more generally to a poet, particularly one who recited epics and traditional poems out loud. Similar in sound to Bernard,…

Barker

English occupational name

"tanner"

Barker may be appealing to parents looking for a name with many layers - not only does it share a meaning with the more common Shepherd and Tanner, it also brings to mind the bark of a tree, making…

Baron

English word name

"a lord of the realm"

If you're going to choose a noble word name, why not aim higher and pick Duke, Prince...or King. The Donald Trumps picked the Barron spelling for their little princeling.

Baronet

Baronet is an extremely rare masculine name derived from the hereditary title in the British honors system, ranking below Baron but above Knight. The title was created in 1611 by King James I as a…

Bishop

English occupational name

"senior member of the church"

Occupation names and spiritual names are in style, so it's hardly surprising that Bishop has been making appearances in the Top 1000. Popular back in the late 19th and early 20th century, it…