Names That Mean Son

Not your typical jovial Irish surname; but has a dark, craggy appeal, and Tag as a nickname.

Sonny is one of the term of endearment names on the rise, and it feels like a fresh option for girls as an alternative spelling of bright nature name Sunny or a cute gender-bending nickname name.

Perfect name for TV Frasier's effete brother. In the 2020 film Palm Springs, Andy Samberg plays a character with the updated spelling Nyles.

Morrison is one of the more uncommon patronymics; it could be used to honor an ancestral Morris, or one of the well-known surnamed Morrisons: Toni, Jim or Van.

Moshe is the original Hebrew form of Moses, also spelled Mosheh. In the past it was changed to names like Morris, Moe and Maurice.

Popular Dutch name that reflects the short, clipped style in vogue in that country. Another Bartholomeus or Bartholomew short form also popular there is Bart.

The possibility of the nickname Maddy (or the even spunkier Moxie) makes this have some potential as a modern, unisex name for a girl - if you can get past the strongly masculine meaning.

Commonly used Japanese name -- and not only for a second son.

More familiar and melodic to the American ear than either Hans or Hansen, and some might attach it to the three-brother pop-rock band called Hanson.

In the US, the multicultural surname Roe is primarily associated with the landmark Supreme Court case Roe vs. Wade, which granted the federal right to abortion, though elsewhere it might be associated with fish eggs or a small breed of reddish deer.

Apt choice for an architect's child, honoring German-born Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, a central figure in modern design, and universally referred to as Mies.

Gibson is an undiscovered patronymic surname, with some appealing nicknames. It also brings to mind the popular brand of guitars.

An attractive Irish surname that is used more often among girls — likely due to the feminine associations with Kerry.

Widespread popularity in the Latino community has propelled this name up the charts in the US. Ximena is the more popular version, given to about three times as many baby girls as Jimena, maybe because of that edgy initial X.

New Presidential name, if you're ready to move beyond Lincoln and Jefferson. At the turn of the last century, during the original McKinley's heyday, as a first name it almost reached the Top 100.

Another two-syllable surname zooming up the ladder for boys, and poised to be grabbed by the girls.

Stylish surname way to go if you want to name a girl after a James, and is more substantial than the passé Jamie; it was chosen for their daughter by Chynna Phillips and Billy Baldwin.

Protagonist of the manga and anime series Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba. The kanji used to spell his name give it the meaning of "coal + calm son," which describe his former profession as a coal worker.

Damek, which you might think of as Adam with a Slavic accent, considerably freshens up the original.

Popular in the African American community, the De- prefix makes this a choice for sons of Marcuses.