Preppy Prep School Names

It may surprise you to know that surname name Porter was fairly popular in the US in the 19th and early 20th centuries, then went underground for 40 years only to reemerge at the turn of this century and climb the ladder again.

This uppity name has been a fast climber in recent years, but we still think it's a bit much. Even abroad, where the connection to the prestigious university will be weaker, any name beginning with "Prince" will sound pretentious.

The x gives it some modern cool, but the bury part buries it.

Spence is occasionally used as a name all on its own and it has more of a sense of completeness than many nickname-names.

A solid, brief but not brusque single-syllable surname with a presidential pedigree.

Trinity bounded up the charts after the release of The Matrix, whose heroine was named Trinity. Country singer Trace Adkins used it for his daughter.