Surname Names for Baby Girls

Originally a Dutch surname, imported by the early Dutch colonists, has been all but overpowered by the phonetic spellings in the US -- Skyler for boys and Skylar for girls. With the surnames-as-first-names trend, however, and the popularity of the Lin-Manuel Miranda's musical Hamilton, which features the Schuyler sisters, perhaps Schuyler might receive some more interest in the coming years.

Keaton is an engaging surname name that's on the rise for both girls and boys. Some parents may use it to honor silent film star Buster Keaton or related to Diane Keaton, but others may see it as a stylish name in keeping with the Kardashian-influenced two-syllable n-ending surname names. Choices similar to Keaton include Keegan and Keenan.

This unusual surname name has been made famous by Pretty Little Liars actress Troian Bellisario. Troian is a family name on her father's maternal side, possibly meaning "of Troy", but more likely deriving from a Slavic name meaning "triad; trinity".

This Catalan and Spanish surname is derived from the Spanish word "rueda" from the Latin "rota," meaning "arched wood that forms a bow."

Traditionally a Scottish habitational surname, but today could be viewed as a mashup of Melanie or Melissa and Rose.

Triana is a Top 50 girls' name in Spain largely unknown and unused in the US: Only 10 baby girls in the US were given the name in 2017. Also a surname, Triana is the name of a distinctive neighborhood of Seville that's known for being home to artists, flamenco dancers, and bullfighters. Its name comes from the Roman emperor Trajan, which means "three rivers". Some sources list Triana as a short form of Katherine, a variation of Trina, and you can use it that way to honor an ancestral Katherine.

Auden is increasing in use for girls each year, and the feminized spelling Audyn is beginning to follow along. Parents are loving the gentle but unisex sound of this surname, associated with poet W.H., Auden.

Thomas Edison’s surname is an inventive take on Addison when used for girls. It's an English surname deriving from either Adam or Eda, a medieval diminutive of Edith.

Notable Wolfs like Blitzer, Mankowitz, and Kahn give this name a masculine bent, but nature names are inherently unisex, so we see no reason why Wolf can't be used on a baby girl.

Historically Wolf has been more common among German (where it's pronounced Vulf) and Jewish families, occasionally as a nickname for Wolfgang.

The nickname Wolfie softens and feminizes Wolf, while Wolfe turns it into a surname.

Darling has history as an English surname, but it would most likely be read as a quirky and loving word name, a la Sweetheart or Honey.

Though Embry became famous as the name of a boy werewolf in Twilight, we think its Em- beginning and -y ending make it perfectly appropriate for a girl. You might consider it as an alternative to Emma, Emily, or Aubrey. Embry or Embury is an established English surname. 

Used on a handful of girls every year since the 80s, Kyler provides an alternative for parents wanting something with the sounds or style of Skyler, Carter, Kaia, Kylie, and Kyla.

Lovejoy's use as a surname follows that as a nickname. In Medieval times, when many people shared names, nicknames were relied upon to distinguish individuals. Many of these nicknames later became surnames. Lovejoy, from the Middle English love(n) and joie, referred to someone who was affectionate and joyful — although the Oxford Dictionary of American Family Names notes that Lovejoy may have been bestowed ironically, at times.

Ames is that jewel of a name that's simple and familiar while at the same time being unusual and rare. With gender neutral surname names ending in S trending today -- think Brooks, Wells, Oakes -- Ames can make a perfect update on Amy or Amanda.

Sunny Italian surname name for a little girl. Solari was the name of a character on Xena: Warrior Princess.

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. It's never been popular as a given name for either sex but is seen as a nickname for names such as Monroe and Rowan.

This unusual English word name and surname was the middle name of American sci-fi writer Philip K. Dick, after his mother's maiden name. Its striking sound and appealing meaning make it a promising virtue name possibility for either gender.

Wylie is one Celtic surname with as much appeal for girls as for boys. Wylie is ripe for spelling variations: Wiley is as appropriate as Wylie but when you spell it Wylei, as Corey Parker did for his son, you're getting into yooneek naming territory.

Mosley, former best known as the surname of author Walter, has been put in play as a first name for girls by football great Peyton Manning, who used the name for his twin daughter, sister of Marshall. Alternate spellings are Moseley and Mosely and the first syllable rhymes with Rose.

A mash-up of popular name trends, French is all at once a place name, word name, and surname name. It's evocative of a favorite celebrity baby name fad of using nationalities as names as opposed to places, as in Mariah Carey's Moroccan.