English Last Names

Meet my sibling, Sibley. Joking aside, Sibley sounds more possible than ever thanks to its trendy -ley ending and the new stylishness of big sister name Sybil.

Spence is occasionally used as a name all on its own and it has more of a sense of completeness than many nickname-names.

Painter is among the most creative choices in this very fashionable category of names, with a particularly pleasant sound. Whereas most occupational names conjure up physical labor, this one feels like a gateway to the arts.

Selby, a rarely heard British surname, feels sleeker and more distinctive than Shelby. Todd Selby, known primarily by his last name, is a hip photographer of interiors.

Rigby is a rather stiff British surname, which might call to mind the Beatles "Eleanor Rigby" or, from the recent past, Cathy Rigby, the first American woman to win a medal in World Gymnastics competition. The problem with Rigby may be its similarity to the word "rigid."

Severe surname choice.

An old money surname passed down in notable American families. Christopher Plummer's middle name was Orme.

A well-to-do English surname with a comedic undertone, thanks to the Griswold family of National Lampoon's Vacation.

A surname name, most popularly associated with actor Heston, has a blue-blooded ring to it. Charlton is also a more unusual pathway to evergreen nickname Charlie.

A surname style choice that could get you nicknames Bear and Ozzy, which is pretty cool. It comes from the Old English variant of the Old Norse Ásbjǫrn, which was introduced to England after the Norman conquest and used occasionally as a given name ever since. Victorian author Elizabeth Gaskell used Osborne for a character in her final novel, Wives and Daughters while it is also famously associated with Osborne House, the former royal residence of Queen Victoria on the Isle of Wight, and with musician Ozzy Osbourne.

This English surname turned girls' first name owes its rise to supermodel Christie Brinkley, who first rose to fame in the late 70s and early 80s. Brinkley appeared on the charts for the first time in 1985, peaking at 90 births in 2012 and 2013. It probably derives from the Old English masculine name Brynca + "ley" (woodland clearing).

Peabody is a quintessentially Waspy surname that your child won't thank you for -- either the pea part or the body part, or the meaning part.

With its slightly cocky feel, this well-used surname is not often heard as a first.

This is a both fresher and cooler spin on David.

For 007 fans, a great middle name choice -- or even a first.

A softer take on Hunter. Huntley is evenly distributed between girls and boys, coming in at 47% female and 53% male at last count.

This can be a cool and unusual way to honor your family Robert, conjuring up memories of Robinson Crusoe and Swiss Family Robinson, as well as narrative poet Robinson Jeffers, born John Robinson, who shared his mother's middle name.

This habitational surname works as a modern way to honor a Carrie, Carolyn, or Caroline.

If you find West not substantial enough, this would make a more solid path to it.

Carleton has a great meaning behind it, and should really have more popularity than it has found to date. You can shorten it to Carl or keep it upscale and formal in the longer form. Baseball Hall of Fame catcher Carlton Fisk lends the name some sporty credentials, while American artist Carleton Wiggins confirms this name's Victorian earnestness.