1450+ English Names (with Meanings & Popularity)

Forever the hapless cartoon husband of Blondie.

Paterson is a surname-name to continue a line of Peters and also the name of a city in New Jersey, hometown of poets William Carlos Williams and Allen Ginsberg.

Writer Anne Tyler gave this apt name to the hippie child in her novel Amateur Marriage, but she wasn't the first -- it was also used by the Puritans. Today it would be quite a loaded choice.

Name of a poet, this will be one for consideration by literary parents. The name fits well with the current trend towards surnames as given names, but beware the three syllable pronunciation, which may be a trap for the poetically disinclined.

Fresh choice in the vein of Carly and Harley.

One occupational name unlikely to find a single taker.

Blakesley is the name of a village in England, also sometimes found as a surname along with Blakely and Blakeley, turned into a first name for their daughter by reality stars Trista and Ryan Sutter. Blakesley joins other -ley ending names -- Hadley, Finley -- as one of the most popular forms of unisex names with a girlish spin.

Even more uppity than Upton.

Yeats, the strong name of the great Irish poet, would work better for a boy. Also has possible pronunciation problem with people who might think it rhymes with Keats. Yeats rhymes with the word from which it's derived: gates.

A Robert nickname out of use for hundreds of years, but now sounds cooler than Bob or Rob for a modern boy.

Bernie, with airs.

A secret nature name for boys.

Inevitable circus association.

Saint Swithin or Swithun is best known for his feast day, July 15, which according to legend will determine the weather for the next 40 days.

One of the rare English surname names originally derived from a female given name: Eoforhild (Everild), meaning "boar battle". Also spelled Averill, it's an extremely rare choice today, but shares sounds with fashionable Ava and Avery.

A more modern- sounding alternative to Harman.

Slightly less stiff and small if spelled Lytton.

A dignified yet gentle surname name occasionally heard in England and the West Indies.

Vibrant and vital noun name chosen by actress Shawnee Smith for her daughter.

Unusual, serious, no-nonsense occupational surname that could be borrowed from the boys.