Surname Names for Baby Girls

Superfans of auteur Wes Anderson may now consider Zissou as a baby name option, ever since Kieran Culkin and Jazz Charton used it for their daughter (birth name Kinsey Sioux). It's a clear homage to Anderson's film The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, chronicling the journey of a Jacques Cousteau-like oceanographer avenging his partner's death-by-jaguar-shark.

An Irish classic for boys that has a streamlined, surnamey, unisex appeal in this spelling.

Paul Cézanne was a French post-Impressionist painter whose intriguing surname is of uncertain origin, although it may be related to Suzanne (from the Hebrew Shoshana, "lily"). It has been used as a girls' name in South Africa, due to its familiar -anne ending.

Magee became one of the first gender-bending Irish surname names so popular today thanks to New York television newswoman Magee Hickey. In case you don't know, the g is hard, as in Maggie, but with the opposite emphasis.

This would make an interesting South American heritage choice. One famous bearer was Quispe Sisa, an Inca princess in the 16th century. It is also a surname.

At first glance, Alson appears to be a streamlined version of Alison, however, the names are unrelated. Alison is a variation of Alice, not derived from a surname, while Alson would have originally been bestowed upon sons of men named Allen, Alexander, or the like.

Right in step with the two-syllable irish surname-names now on the rise.

Ro- names are on the rise — think Roman, Rory, and Rowan — but straightforward and streamlined Row (and Rowe, Roe, and Ro) takes this trend to the next level. The pared-down single syllable gives Row an ultra-cool edge.

A French surname with a witchy vibe — Marie Laveau was a dedicated practitioner of Voodoo, healer, midwife, and herbalist in the 1800s.

Lupin is an unusual flower name with roots in Old French, from the Latin lupinus, meaning "pertaining to the wolf". In the literary world, it's the surname of Remus Lupin, a popular character in the Harry Potter franchise and a werewolf.

Blakeley is one of the many -ley ending surnames that is being adopted as a first name, updating the 80s darlings Blake and Ashley.

A subtle literary surname choice: Estlin is the second "E" in E.E. Cummings (the first being Edward). Works equally well on both men and women.

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."

Actor couple Chyler Leigh and Nathan West added this one to the lexicon when they adapted the surname of actress Jennifer Aniston as their daughter's first name, Anniston. Aniston, which theoretically might mean "Agnes town," was actually Anglicized from the Greek Anastasopoulos. With its similarity to both Addison and Anna and its relationship to the attractive star, Anniston is taking off a la Jolie.

Sander would be an unconventional short form of Alexandra, variation of Sandra, or surname-name for girls. It was given to 41 baby boys in the US last year but no girls, but it certainly can be a gender-neutral choice.

Bridger follows one of the recent trendy name formulas: a brisk first syllable + -er ending + history as a surname. It recently broke through the top 1000 on the boys side, but Bridger remains a rarity for girls. The similarity to familiar feminine name Bridget makes it viable for a daughter.

Bridger could work as a name for a baby whose heritage bridges multiple cultures.

Jagger, made famous as the surname of Rolling Stone Mick, gets an entry in the girls' column thanks to Ashlee Simpson and Evan Ross, who chose it for their daughter. For either gender, this name rocks...but a bit jaggedly. Currently, there are nearly 20 times as many baby boys than girls are given the name Jagger. That balance may shift, making Jagger a more truly gender neutral name.

A nickname style name, Neely could derive from the strong sounding Cornelia, as a playful alternative to Nelly from Eleanor and Helena, or as a variation of the Scottish surname McNeilly, with the cool meaning "son of the poet".

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).