1450+ English Names
- Winton
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"friend's farm"Description:
See WYNTON.
- Vinny
Origin:
Diminutive of VincentDescription:
Best left at the Jersey Shore.
- Joss
Origin:
English, diminutive of JocelynDescription:
A short form that could be used independently, a la the singer Joss Stone.
- Deforest
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"living near the forest"Description:
Nature surname with an aristocratic edge. Spelling it DeForest distances it from deforestation.
- Loyal
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"faithful, loyal"Description:
Loyal is one of the few virtue names suitable for boys, an honorable and principled Boy Scout-esque appellation with a surprisingly long and distinguished history.
- Quint
Origin:
English from Quintus; diminutive of QuintonDescription:
Clint with a glint; used for flinty characters in old TV westerns and soap operas.
- Marsh
Origin:
English nature nameDescription:
Soft and mellifluous nature-surname name, situated miles away from the dated Marshall.
- Collier
Origin:
English occupational nameMeaning:
"coal miner"Description:
This occupational surname could find new life with those wishing to honor someone in their heritage who was connected to the tough-as-nails breed that was the pre-modern coal miner. Coll and Collie are some sweet nickname options to tone down the formality of this name.
- Worth
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"enclosure, homestead"Description:
No low self-esteem for this kid, or so his parents hope.
- Colby
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"from a coal town"Description:
One of the first reality show-inspired names (he was a Texas hunk on an early season of "Survivor"); hugely trendy for boys but just starting for girls.
- Brand
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"firebrand, sword"Description:
Rugged and straightforward brand-new name, though you might not like the idea of branding your son.
- Dayton
Origin:
English, variation of DeightonMeaning:
"place with a dike"Description:
If Dayton, like Trenton and Camden, is finding favor with parents, it's more because of its popular two-syllable surname feel and -on ending than the industrial city in Ohio.
- Bliss
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"intense happiness"Description:
If you use this for a boy, it had better be a family name, hidden away in the middle.
- Embry
Origin:
English surnameMeaning:
"flat-topped hill"Description:
Though Embry became famous as the name of a boy werewolf in Twilight, we think its Em- beginning and -y ending make it perfectly appropriate for a girl. You might consider it as an alternative to Emma, Emily, or Aubrey. Embry or Embury is an established English surname.
- Tessie
Origin:
English, diminutive of Theresa, GreekMeaning:
"to reap, gather"Description:
With Tillie a new favorite of avant-garde parents, the British music-hall Tessie might conceivably follow.
- Elfrida
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"elf power"Description:
The name of the mother of Aethelred the Unready was once common among the Anglo-Saxon nobility, and was briefly revived during the 19th century, only to be lost once again to history.
- Beacon
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"signal light"Description:
A word name with an appealing and illuminating meaning.
- Halsey
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"hallowed island"Description:
Name of World War II hero that sounds feminine today. Worth update of Holly, Hallie, or cousins.
- Brenton
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"town near the burnt land"Description:
Name hovering near the bottom of the Top 1000 that may move higher with the fashion for two-syllable surnames. You could do worse...but you probably could also do better.
- Barlow
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"bare hillside"Description:
A friendly sounding surname name reminiscent of the increasingly popular Marlow and Harlow. British musician Gary Barlow is a notable namesake.