English Last Names

An appealing alternative to Hayden and Hayes, perhaps in homage to Old Hollywood actress Rita Hayward.

Skeat is a rare surname name that, like virtually every surname these days, is ripe for importation as a first.

Friendly-sounding name with big "Sweeney Todd" downside.

Medieval nickname for Mary that became a surname, and could now be a rare but in-trend first name for both sexes.

Holder, part occupational name and part Holden, is a rare word name. It brings to mind holding onto someone or something, which itself suggests a love for or connection to whatever is being held on to.

A surname style name of Dutch and Anglo-Saxon origin, which could make an interesting alternative to Ben or Bennett.

Briggs, Riggs, Hayes, and Collins are all in style, and Higgins feels like it could fit into this category of cool, rugged last names. Derived from an Irish surname, it is the anglicized form of O Huginn, meaning "descendant of Vikings". As an English surname however, it possibly comes the given name Hugh, or from the nickname Hicke (a diminutive of Richard). In this case it could more figuratively mean "son of mind and spirit" or "son of the brave ruler".