The Art of Naming

Jones, Smith, Miller, Davis, Johnson, Williams, Brown, Moore, Taylor, Anderson... At least in America, these are some of the most common surnames.  There's no right or wrong in naming, but you definitely have a variety of options. In fact, you could choose anywhere from an incredibly popular name, to something nobody's ever heard of.  That's up to you! But here are some ideas for each of the surnames I listed above.  I am basing this on the presumption that we are naming a baby in 2020 and want to follow modern styles and popularity. Popular Names: Your surname is super popular, might as well go the whole nine yards and choose a super popular first name, too. There's nothing wrong with that. It happens often. There's something about the anonymity of being one of many if you value your privacy.  Here's some ideas for the ten surnames I listed. Mason Jones Liam Smith Noah Miller Oliver Davis Ethan Johnson Aiden Williams Sebastian Brown Lucas Moore

Today we will take a look at one of the interesting boy names from our list of " Baby Names Ending With The Letters -ry ".   Destry is the English form of Destrier, a French surname derived from the Anglo-Norman word destrer meaning "warhorse".  The destrier is the best-known war horse of the medieval era. It carried knights in battles, tournaments, and jousts. Sources of its time called it the "Great Horse" due to its significance. In 1930, "Destry Rides Again" was published by Max Brand. This western novel introduced the name Destry to America, and brought forth films in 1939 and 1954, and a short-lived TV series in 1964.  Interestingly, according to Social Security records in the US, the name Destry was not in use until 1955, the year after that second movie was released. This name's most popular year coincided with that brief TV series in 1964 when 149 boys (and 5 girls) were named Destry. You could label this year as D

While there are quite possibly hundreds of other companies around the world that produce candy, these are some of the ones whose names could work on a human as well. If you're looking for a sweet name for your little one, perhaps you'd draw inspiration from one of these brands. The following list is comprised of companies that manufacture candy and chocolate. Adams & Brooks - Adam is a classic, but Brooks is an up-and-coming surname name that ends with the trendy letter "-s" and ranks up at #232 in 2015. Either name would be a non-obvious nod to the makers of the "whirly pop". Albert's Candy -   If you're a fan of fruit chews and splash pops, you may like this name.   The company was started by Robert Lawrence Albert in 1916, which checks out since the name   Albert ranked the best back around 1920. There are still plenty of little Alberts being born today. Nearly 700 in 2015, to be exact. Allan Candy - Well known across Canada for their

Today's featured boy name is pulled from the list of names ending with the letters -cy. Percy is is male given name that comes from an English surname. There is a commune in Normandy in Northwestern France called Percy-en-Auge from which the surname was derived.  The House of Percy (or Perci in Old French) was one of the most powerful noble families in northern England. There are still members of the Percy family to this day who are Dukes of Northumberland. Their surname comes from the manor of Percy-en-Auge in Normandy which was their home during the Norman Conquest. The name Percy started out being used as a given name in their honor. The Greek Perseus is similar in sound and could be assigned the nickname Percy. It means "to destroy" in Greek and was the name of a mythological hero who killed Medusa and founded the ancient city of Mycenae. Percy can also be considered a short form of the name Percival. The name Perceval, with this spelling, was created by a

From our new series, Darby is today's featured "-by" name. Darby is both a masculine and a feminine name. It originally comes from the name Derby which is an Old Norse name meaning "deer town". Derby is the name of a town in England which lent itself to becoming an English surname as well. That's where Darby comes from. There is an interesting proverbial phrase used by the British called "Darby and Joan" which refers to a married couple who are celebrated for their mutual devotion to one another. It is used to describe a couple that are content to share a quiet life together. This saying was first mentioned in print as a poem by Henry Woodfall in 1735 which featured John Darby and his wife Joan as the main characters. Another poet named St. John Honeywood wrote something similar as well shortly after. These two poems aren't the only mentions for Darby and Joan since it is a common phrase. As a name, Darby was first used in the US o

This featured name is brought to you by the letter W and  the very best W names for boys and girls . We recently talked about how one of the biggest boy name trends is to use surnames as first names . As an English surname, Wesley is no exception. It fits right in with other surname names for boys. As a name, Wesley could be considered more on the gentle side of boy names. This could be partly because many of the other -ley names are rather unisex like Bailey or conquered by the girls like Ashley. However, there are many who also consider Wesley to be a tough guy name due to pop culture associations such as actor Wesley Snipes. Another major association is John Wesley, an 18th century theologian who founded the evangelical movement known as Methodism. Wesley  is short for "Wesleydale" which is Anglo-Norman in origin. The "wes" part refers to the direction "west" while "lea" is an open grassy area. Therefore, Wesley refers to a wester

Surname names aren't anything new. There are countless surnames that could work as a given name for a boy, but did you know that there is also an increasing amount of surname names for girls? This list ranges from the more unisex options like Morgan, Parker and Carson that are also popular for boys to the interesting, feminine ones like Ayala, Miranda and Valencia. Do you have a favorite surname to use as a girl's given name? Perhaps you'd use your maiden name or your grandmother's maiden name for a daughter. Browse the list below and let me know in the comments if there are any other surname names that you can think of that I've missed. Adair Addison Ainsley Aniston Arden Arlington Ashley Astor Avery Avila Ayala Bailey Bardot Bell Bellamy Bettany Blair Blakely Caldwell Callan Cameron Campbell Carlisle Carrigan Carrington Carroll Carson Carter Chandler Connelly Darby Darcy Delaney Ellery Ellington Elliott Ellis

Surname names for boys is one of the largest trends in baby names today, so much so that it is sometimes happening under the radar. Many of the names on this list have become so well-used and well-known as first names over the years that we don't really think about them also being surnames, we know that they are but the connection may not be immediately made. That isn't always the case though. Some names are obviously more reminiscent of a surname than others like Smith or Nicholson or Campbell but many parents are increasingly using these surnames for first names. This especially occurs in relation to maiden names. Mothers like to pass down their surnames by giving them to their sons as firsts or middles. This can also happen through wanting to honor a whole branch of the family tree. Whatever the reason, many of the following names are hot these days while others are waiting to be discovered. Which of these do you like most? Anderson Bauer Baxter Bennett B

Quincy was hand-chosen from our article that featured The Very Best Q Names for Boys and Girls. We'll take a closer look at it now. Quincy is a surname that came from the place name Cuinchy which is a village in France. Cuinchy was originally derived from the Ancient Roman praenomen, or given name, Quintus which means "fifth" in Latin. Typically, Quintus was only given to the fifth born son but this isn't a necessary requirement for a modern boy named Quincy. Perhaps the most famous bearer of this name is the sixth president of the United States, John Quincy Adams, who happened to be born in the town Quincy, Massachusetts which was named after his mother's grandfather Colonel John Quincy. This interesting, quirky name has been in regular usage since name records were first kept in 1880 in the US. It was never all that popular until the mid 1970s. At its peak, Quincy ranked at #273 in 1977 with a total of 717 male births. Usage has now fallen to a steady 4

Today's featured name comes straight from our list of The Very Best G Names for Boys and Girls. It is a handsome choice that feels somewhat under-the-radar but is certainly climbing up the charts. Graham is a Scottish surname which was derived from the English place name Grantham. This name is likely to  mean "gravelly homestead" in Old English.  There is a bit of a debate surrounding the pronunciation of this name but this mostly differs based on accents. Americans tend to say "gram" whereas those in the UK and elsewhere might say "gray-um". Both are correct, it just depends on where you live and what you prefer. How do you say it? Graham first appeared as a surname in Scotland in the 12th century. It was worn by Baron William de Graham of Norway. Another famous Graham was Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922) who is credited with inventing the telephone. While the name Graham has been in use since name statistics were first recorded in the US,

Today's featured name is a strong, handsome Irish name that I hand-picked from this week's blog about boy names that contain the letter V! The masculine name Donovan comes from an Irish surname which ultimately came from the Irish Ó Donndubháin which means "descendent of Donndubhán". That name is basically Gaelic for "dark brown". Donovan has been in use in the US since 1900 and it has nearly always been in the Top 1000, save a few years early on. It peaked in 2003 with 2,210 births and a ranking of #176. Now in 2013, it has fallen to a respectable #281 with 1,224 births.  It also ranks at #380 in France. Since this name is on the decline, it'll only become more and more unique. There probably isn't a danger of it sounding dated since it has been solidly established since 1900. It also wasn't incredibly popular. If it had peaked in the Top 50 and then immediately declined, it would be a different story. As it sits, it's still receivi

Since this is "car week", we'll look at the boy name Ford. The Ford Motor Company has been around since 1903 and was founded by Henry Ford. Clearly, the name comes from a surname but it was originally derived from a place name meaning "ford" in Old English. Nameberry says that it means "dweller at the ford". A ford is defined as "a shallow place in a river or stream allowing one to walk or drive across." That makes Ford a nature place name and a surname. Famous namesakes include the aforementioned Henry Ford, former U.S. President Gerald Ford, popular actor Harrison Ford, writer Ford Madox Ford, Pre-Raphaelite painter Ford Madox Brown and sportswriter Ford Frick. Actor Owen Wilson named his baby boy Robert Ford. In pop-culture, there's James "Sawyer" Ford from the TV show Lost , and Nathan Ford on the TV show Leverage . There's a character in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy named Ford Prefect.  This name s

Dexter is one of the many occupational surnames to have a popularity boost lately. This name means "one who dyes" in Old English. It is also related to the Latin word dexter which refers to right-handedness, or one who is skilled with their right hand. Nameberry gives a very good rundown of famous Dexters here . They say: "Over the years, it's been attached to a number of diverse real and fictional personalities--C. K. Dexter Haven, the witty Cary Grant character in The Philadelphia Story , Dexter Green, the protagonist of the Scott Fitzgerald story Winter Dreams , great jazz tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon and--oops--the current TV Dexter, who just happens to be a genial but sociopathic serial killer."  As far as that last one goes, the TV show has now ended and most viewers were disappointed with the last couple seasons and hated the ending which means that it is quickly fading from their memories. It will be a strong association for a while but it shou

The name Ramsey was originally a surname. It comes from a place name meaning "wild-garlic island" in Old English. I came across this name as the name of a town on the Isle of Man. This month's World Wide Wednesday will focus on Manx names. Ramsey is also spelled as Rhumsaa in Manx. According to Behind the Name , Ramsay is a variant of Ramsey . It is used mostly in Scotland as a surname. According to Nameberry , Ramsay is English and means "low-lying land" but Babynames.com says that Ramsay refers to Raven's Island. Clearly there are some meaning discrepancies around the internet, but despite these two names being so similar, it does appear as though they have different meanings. The Baby Name Wizard says that Ramsay is a variant of Ramsey and that they are both Scottish surnames that originate from several different place-names. I already mentioned the town of Ramsey on the Isle of Man, but it is also said to come from either Hræm's Island, Ram&

Source There is something about the surname of poets that just happens to be, well, poetic. Not only do they have a way with words, but these poets have also left us some amazing baby name options to choose from!  Whether you studied poetry in school or just secretly love it, these names might just be what you're looking for!  There are also a few words included that are related to poetry. Below this list, I have chosen my Top 5 favorites that I'd love to see on a modern baby and listed out potential sibling names and middle names. If you'd like to share what your favorite names are (or if I've missed any that should be included) please do so in the comment section! Angelou Auden Baird Blake Bly Bogan Bronte Byron Campbell Carew Chaucer Corso Crane Cullen Dante Dickinson              Dove Dryden Dylan Eliot Emerson Fletcher Frost Giovanni Hardy Herrick Hugo Jarrell Keats Kenyon Kipling Lando

Today I'm featuring my favorite boy name that I took from my upcoming World-Wide Wednesday post that features names from Australia!  This name is also used in other English-speaking nations but it is extremely rare in the US! The name is Rafferty. I can't help but love it. I think it is adorable, and yet, it really doesn't have your typical "American" feel. I love that Australians like it though! Over there, it is ranked at #292 with a total of 17 births for the year in Victoria. It is actually an Irish surname that originates from Ó Raifeartaigh which came from  O’Raithbheartaigh. It means "Abundance" or "Prosperity Wielder". It is still very much used as a surname today. Thanks to the rough sound of Rafferty, it works better on a boy than on a girl as a first name. Some surnames could go either way, but this one has a boyish vibe to it. In fact, the term "Raffish" means "unconventional and slightly disreputable, espec

Our first "Fan of the Week" contest winner was a woman named Kiira who chose two interesting European names! I will feature the girl's name next Thursday. The boy's name is Kinnon. It is a Scottish name that originated as a Gaelic surname. It comes from the name Mac Fhionghuin which means "son of the descendant of the well born".  The source was a bit confusing, but I believe it was first recorded in 728 a.d. as Mac Fhionghuin. Over time, the name has had many different spellings. One of the first recorded spellings of this family name was on a man named Lachlann Makfingane in 1409. After that came Fingonivs, and it evolved to M'Fynwyn around 1490, Makfingoun in 1560, and then Kynnane in 1587. The spelling McKynnoun was around in 1621, McKinin came in 1680, and by 1781 it was typically spelled MacKinnon. Other variations include McKinnon, MacKinning, MacInnon, MacKinnen and MacFingon. As a baby name, it is said to mean "fair born". In

Knight's Helmet by George Hodan Perhaps Knight is your favorite name? Long ago, people were known by their occupations. You'd have Joe the Blacksmith or Mary the Tailor. After a while, these job titles became their surnames and you'd have Joe Smith and Mary Taylor. In modern times, these "occupational names" that were sometimes initially a surname have become a trend and are used as first names. Most of these are better on boys, but there are a few that can be used on a girl or on both genders equally. I'll list them out and let you choose which gender you'd prefer: Abbott             Anchor Archer Bacchus Bailey Baird Baker Bandit Banner Barber Barker Baxter Bekker Bender Berger Bishop Booker Bowman Brenner Brewer Brewster Butler Cantrell Carbry Carpenter Carrin Carter Carver Cater Century Chafer Chaffer Challender Chamberlain Chambers Chandler Chaplin Chapman Chaucer Cherrier Clark Coldren Cole

In honor of my "One-Syllable Boy Names" post  from yesterday, I chose a one-syllable name to feature.  This Boy Name of the Week has had a very sharp increase in usage from one year to the next. The name is Flynn. You probably already know why it is suddenly more popular.  The Disney movie "Tangled"  was released in November 2010 starring a cool character called Flynn Ryder. In 2011,  the name landed on the Top 1000 chart for the first time at #940 (up from #1806) with a total of 210 baby boys born (up from just 86 in 2010.) Actor Orlando Bloom and his model wife Miranda Kerr recently named their son Flynn, which may or may not have had a lasting influence. Flynn is an Irish surname. It is an anglicized form of "Ó Floinn" meaning "descendant of Flann." It is also said to mean "son of the red-haired one."  Flynn has a casual charm to it with a very handsome appeal. In 2012, the name ranked #692 which is its highest ranking ev

Today's Name of the Day is the boy name Everett. This is an English variation of the German name Eberhard meaning "brave as a wild boar." This is a name that is quickly climbing back up the popularity charts. If you go by rank alone, Everett was at its peak in 1906 with a ranking of #81. In 2012 it ranked at #214 which is up from #534 in 2005. If you go by the number of babies born each year, there are two notable peaks in usage. The first is in 1912 when the name shot up with 424 births more than the previous year. Then it really spiked, averaging 1,500 or more babies every year from 1914 until the early 1930s. Then it started to decline until it started gaining momentum again in the mid 2000s. Its new highest peak is in 2012 when there were 1,724 boys named Everett. Source This name has cute nickname options such as Ever or Rhett. I believe Everett's rise in popularity in the past few years is because of similar trendy girl names Eva and Ava and their