Last Names First

Conventional surnames have arrived with a splash as first names. Theyappeal to creative namers with their freshness, while their familiarity and

Style Families 249

ClariceClementineCoraCordeliaCorneliaDeliaDelphiaDoraDorotheaEdithEleanorEleanoraEloiseEmelineEstellaEstelleEsther

EudoraEugeniaEvangelineFloraFlorenceFrancesFriedaGenevaGenevieveGoldaGretaHarrietHelenHeloiseHenriettaHesterIda

ImogeneInezIonaIvaJosefaLaviniaLenoraLeonaLeonorLeontineLeoraLouisaLouiseLucilleMagdaleneMaidaMarguerite

MarionMarthaMatildaMaudeMillicentMinervaMurielNolaOliveOpheliaPetraPhilomenaRafaelaRenaRheaRosaRosamond

RowenaSybilSylviaTheaThedaTheodoraThoraTildaVeraViolaVioletteVirginiaWilhelminaWillaWinifredZelda

AlbertAlfredAmbroseAnselArchibaldArmandArthurAugustAugustusBasilBernardBertramCasperCecil

ChesterClarenceClaudeClementCliffordConradCorneliusCyrusEdmundEdwinEldenElginEmersonEmil

EmmettEmoryErnestEugeneEverettFerdinandForestFosterFrancisFrederickGeorgeGilbertGodfreyHarold

HenryHerbertHermanHiramHoraceHubertHughHugoJulesJuliusLeopoldLouisLutherMerritt

MiloPercyPhiloRandolphRudolphRupertSylvesterTheodoreVirgilWallaceWalterWillis

B O Y S

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heritage keep them down-to-earth. Creative-rustic: theperfect new-millennium combo. No wonder theyrejust catching on now . . . right?

Actually, what were seeing today is only the latestwave of last-name crossovers. Starting at the turn of thelast century, American parents flocked to classic surnames of English lit-erature and aristocracy. Those parents, including many poor immi-grants, had grand dreams for their sons. They wanted to send them intothe world with sophisticated names ready to take their places in highsociety. Thus they turned to such historical icons as (John) Milton and(Sir Philip) Sidney. Unfortunately for poor Milt and Sid, the actual aris-tocrats continued to give their sons names like John and Philip, and theelegant image of their surnames quickly faded.

So how are the newly popular surnames different? The new favoritesstill lean on their British Isles heritage to conjure up a lifestyle, but thatstyle is a far cry from the Oxbridge world of Milton and Sidney. Insteadof nobility, were seeing hardy tradesmen: Coopers, Tanners, andMasons. And parents have turned away from England to focus on Irishand Scottish traditions: Riley, Mackenzie, Brennan. These new namesare rugged and rakishand theyre used for boys and girls.

Parents of boys delight in a new field of names with classically mas-culine features. The trade names in particular are brisk, direct, andstocked with hard consonants. For parents of girls, surnames present anopportunity to start afresh with lively names that carry no gender baggage.

So will these names escape the fate of Sid and Milt? Certainly, someportion of the new names will hold their ground over time to join theranks of the perennials. Russell, for example, is an old surname that wenow accept as a classic first name. Yet with any surgingly popular namegroup comes the risk of a freshness date that soon passes. To avoid atrendy name with a short shelf life, consider some of the similar but lesspopular alternatives below. Better yet, search your own family tree forsurnames that might be revived. When a names significance is person-al, it has roots that shifting fashions cant sweep away.

T R A D E N A M E S

Archer BowmanBailey Bailiff, county officerBarker Tanner or shepherdBaxter BakerBridger Builder of bridges

250 The Baby Name Wizard

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Carter Transporter of goodsCarver Carver of wood or stoneChancellor Administrative officerChandler Candle makerChapman Merchant or peddlerCooper Barrel makerCoster Fruit seller or growerCurrier Leather finisherCutler Knife makerDexter DyerDraper Maker or seller of clothFarrier IronworkerFaulkner FalconerFletcher Arrow makerForester Forest wardenFoster ShearerGardner GardenerGarner Keeper of the granaryGlover Maker or seller of glovesGunner Artillery operatorHarper Harp playerHooper One who fits hoops on barrelsHunter HunterJagger PeddlerKeeler Boat builder or pilotMarshall Tender of horses/military officerMason StonemasonMercer Fabric merchantMiller Miller of grainPacker Wool packerParker GamekeeperPiper PiperPorter Gatekeeper or load carrierPotter Pot makerRanger Game wardenRyder Mounted soldier or messengerSadler Saddle makerSailor SailorSawyer One who saws woodSlater Slate roof maker

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Smith MetalworkerSpencer Pantry servantSumner Court summonerTanner Preparer of hides for leatherTaylor TailorThane Freeman or feudal baronThatcher Straw roof makerTillman FarmerTucker Dresser of clothTurner Lathe operatorTyler Tile makerWalker Dresser of clothWeaver WeaverWebster WeaverWheeler Wheel makerWright Builder or machinist

B R I T I S H I S L E S S U R N A M E S

252 The Baby Name Wizard

AddisonAinsleyAldenAltonAndersonArdenArleyAshtonAubreyAustinAveryBaldwinBannonBarclayBarrettBarronBartonBeckBeckettBennettBerkeley

BradfordBradleyBradyBrannonBransonBraxtonBrennanBrighamBrockBroderickBrodyBroganBryantBrysonBuckleyBurkeCabotCallahanCampbellCareyCarlton

CarsonCassidyChaunceyClancyCliftonClintonCodyColbyColemanColtonConnollyCourtneyDaltonDalyDarbyDarcyDarnellDarwinDavisDawsonDayton

DelaneyDennisonDillonDixonDonovanDoyleDrakeEastonEdgertonEdisonEllisEltonEmersonEverettEverlyFinleyFlynnFordForrestFraserFreeman

GannonGarrickGarrisonGibsonGradyGrantGraysonGreerGriffithHadleyHaileyHamiltonHardyHarlanHarleyHarmonHarrisHarrisonHartleyHaskellHayden

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Latino/Latina

Luis. Juan. Jesus. Just look through the top-100 boysnames in America, and youll see it plainly: Spanishnames are American names, and theyre more popularthan ever before.

When we talk about Latino names, of course, itsnot just a matter of Spanish. Families of Caribbean descent may have dif-ferent tastes from Mexican-Americans or South Americans. Braziliansadd Portuguese variations to the mix. Names of reverence, such as titlesof the Virgin Mary (Guadalupe, Dolores), are popular choices. And pop

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HayesHillaryHiltonHoganHoldenHollisHoltHoustonHudsonHughes JacksonJamesonJarrettJarrodJeffersonJordanJudsonKaneKeaneKeatonKeeganKelseyKendallKendrick

KennedyKentonKileyKinseyKylerLaceyLandonLaneLaneyLangstonLarkinLarsonLawsonLelandLennoxLindsayLoganLoudonLowellLymanMackenzieMackinney MacleanMacy

MaddoxMadisonMaguireMalloryMarleyMaxwellMcKayMckennaMckinleyMerrickMerrittMitchellMontagueMontgomeryMurphyNeilsonNelsonNewtonNicholsonOakleyParrishPaxtonPaytonPresley

PrestonQuincyQuinlanQuinnRamsayReaganReidRemingtonRichmondRidleyRileyRobinsonRooseveltRossRowanRowlandSchuylerSheaShelbySheridanShermanSidneySimpsonSpencer

StanfordStantonSullivanTateTatumTerrellThurmanTierneyTobinTracyTrumanTysonVaughnWaldenWaltonWatsonWattWaverlyWesleyWestonWhitneyWillisWilsonWinston

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