Names That Mean Stream

This British last-name-first-name could make a more masculine alternative to Shelby.

English surname most notably used by Ashley Hebert for her son in 2014.

Dark.

Gender-neutral nickname typically used for Yuval, the modern Hebrew form of Jubal.

For die-hard Fleetwood Mac fans, though Fleet is definitely a cool short form.

As passé as Hilton and Milton.

Hopewell feels like it could be a Puritan-era virtue name, but it is actually a habitational surname. It is derived from Hopwell, from the Old English elements hop, meaning "valley," and well, "stream." Hopewell could easily be adapted into a first name, with Hope or Wells as nickname possibilities.

This Hebrew version of Jubal, a traditionally masculine name, is used for both boys and girls in modern Israel.

If you want a nature name with surname style that speaks to your love of basketball, we suggest Laker.

Yarrow is a flowering herb that grows wild in Europe and North America, and has long been used in several Native American and European cultures as a healing plant. Named for the mythical god Achille, Yarrow is a symbol of enduring love.

Smoking jacket-wearing British surname, with artistic ties to Sir Henry Raeburn, Scottish romantic painter.

Irish name with an intriguing lilt.

Brooke variation – or is the other way around? – that makes it more a nature name, less an eighties-style androgynous name.

Irrevocably tied to long-lived, controversial South Carolina senator Strom (born James) Thurman; Strom, which sounds like an anagram of Storm, was his mother's maiden name. With a stretch, you might consider this one of the German names for boysthat's also a nature name.

A male character in The Chronicles of Narnia, but could conceivably be used for a girl.

A surname with more force than most.

Beekman is derived from the Dutch element beke, meaning "stream" or "creek."

A surname that sounds stylish — given the soaring popularity of Brooks — but is surprisingly rare.

A modern alternative to Shelby.