Top Surname Names
Updated Fri Feb 02 2024
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The top surnames that are baby names have been on the rise for a couple of decades now. The early generation saw surnames like Tyler and Blake for boys, Taylor and Morgan for girls. Those names are still used today, but they’re not as widespread as they once were.
What are the most popular surname names? This list includes all the surnames that are on the US Top 1000 popular names list.
Along with Taylor and Tyler, other top surnames that are first names among on the US popular names list include Harper, Madison, Carter, Lincoln, Everly, Hudson, Colton, and Kennedy. Up-and-coming surnames include Colter, Foster, Banks, and Ellison.
Surnames as first names appeal to contemporary parents and are an elusive blend of traditional and novel.
If you’re searching for well-liked surnames to use as baby names for your son or daughter, consult our list of surnames that are commonly used as first names, ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.
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- Archer
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"bowman"Description:
Archer is an Anglo-Saxon surname that feels more modern than most because of its on-target occupational and Hunger Games associations. And it's a nice way to bypass the clunky Archibald to get to the cool nickname Archie.
- Logan
Origin:
ScottishMeaning:
"small hollow"Description:
According to exclusive Nameberry data, Logan is officially the Number 1 gender-neutral name in the US, but that statistic is somewhat misleading given that nearly 90 percent of the baby Logans born in 2023 were boys.
- Sawyer
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"woodcutter"Description:
Sawyer is a surname with a more relaxed and friendly feel than many others, and is one of the hottest occupational names right now, with the Nameberry seal of approval. Sawyer is becoming one of the top unisex names. Both Sara Gilbert and Diane Farr used Sawyer for their daughters, while it was given a boost as a boys' name by the character Sawyer on Lost, an alias for the character really named James Ford.
- Quinn
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"descendant of Conn, chief leader, intelligence"Description:
Quinn is one of the first popular Irish unisex surnames, a strong and attractive choice on the rise for girls but still popular for boys. Quinn was used for about 3000 baby girls and 700 boys in the US last year.
- Cameron
Origin:
ScottishMeaning:
"crooked nose"Description:
With its friendly, sensitive, and approachable feel, Cameron is a 90’s favorite that remains popular today. It has a pleasing balance of soft and strong sounds, and holds unisex appeal, thanks to Cameron Diaz. Still, eight times more boys than girls are named Cameron in the US.
- Dylan
Origin:
WelshMeaning:
"son of the sea"Description:
Dylan still feels poetic and romantic after years of popularity. It still ranks highly on the charts, among the top boy names starting with D, so if you choose it, be aware that yours may not be the only Dylan in his class.
- Carson
Origin:
English and Scottish surnameMeaning:
"son of the marsh dwellers"Description:
Carson is one of the most long-running popular androgynous baby names, with a dash of the Wild West via the legendary Missouri frontiersman Kit Carson. Dating back to when it was the name of Nancy Drew's Dad, Carson is still steadily in the Top 200 baby names.
- Blair
Origin:
ScottishMeaning:
"dweller on the plain"Description:
In the USA, Blair is gaining momentum, rising quickly for the last 10 years and likely to continue to climb. In England and Wales, where Blair has political connotations – calling to mind former prime minister Tony Blair – it is much less common, although it is in use for boys in its native Scotland.
- Brooks
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"of the brook"Description:
A nature name, a word name, and a surname name, Brooks has plenty of cool factor. It gives off cowboy vibes and a sporty feel, while also maintaining a smart, collected image.
- Hayes
Origin:
English surname and nature nameMeaning:
"hedged area"Description:
One of those simple, straightforward English surnames -- and with a presidential pedigree -- that's easy to translate into a first. It was recently chosen by both Kevin Costner and Jessica Alba for their sons, which can likely be credited for its spike in popularity in the past few years. Surname names and nature names like Hayes, which qualifies on both counts, along with occupational names all make up the new generation of stylish English names for boys that go far beyond Harry and Edward.
- Hudson
Origin:
English place-name and surnameMeaning:
"Hugh's son"Description:
Hudson has risen quickly up the charts over the past 30 years, getting a lot of its style value from New York's Hudson River. That makes it a nature name and a place name that's also got the fashion gloss of New York City.
- Harper
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"harp player"Description:
You might think of Harper as the hottest name of the last decade, jumping from obscurity to the Top 10, where it remained until last year.
- Hayden
Origin:
English place nameMeaning:
"hay valley"Description:
Hayden – a formerly obscure name that's risen to huge popularity – has dipped in this year's ratings. Though Hayden is among the most distinctive of the bunch, it gets lost in the crowd of Jaidens, Bradens, Aidans, and endless variations. Associated with Hayden Christensen, of Star Wars fame.
- Parker
Origin:
English occupational nameMeaning:
"park-keeper"Description:
One of the first generation of surname names, along with Porter and Morgan, Parker's still one of the most appealing and remains firmly in the Top 100 for boys. About three times as many boys as girls get this occupational name. The association with Charlie Parker gives Parker itself a jazzy edge, and it also has a nature-related meaning. Rosie O'Donnell has a son named Parker.
- Everly
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"wild boar in woodland clearing"Description:
Sweet and stylish, with a sporty, energetic undertone, Everly is a name that ticks lots of boxes.
- Riley
Origin:
English, IrishMeaning:
"rye clearing; courageous"Description:
Riley—an upbeat, friendly surname name—is red hot for girls and still going strong for boys. If you haven't been spending much time around babies recently, you may be surprised to learn that Riley is the most popular girls' name starting with R and also the Number 1 Irish name for girls in the US.
- Wilder
Origin:
Surname or word nameMeaning:
"wild, untamed, uncontrolled"Description:
Rugged, outdoorsy, and full of energy, Wilder entered the US Top 1000 back in 2015. Part bad boy, part Western, part preppy, and part nature-loving, Wilder is given to nearly 800 babies each year.
- Harrison
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"son of Harry"Description:
Harrison, a name made viable by Harrison Ford, is increasingly popular with parents who want an H name that's more formal than Harry or Hank but doesn't veer into the stiff Huntington-Harrington territory.
- Sullivan
Origin:
Irish surnameMeaning:
"black-eyed one"Description:
Sullivan is a jaunty Celtic three-syllable name, with a real twinkle in its eye. It was immortalized in the 1930s classic film Sullivan's Travels and was chosen for one of Patrick Dempsey's twin boys. Nickname Sully is equally jaunty.
- Harlow
Origin:
English surnameMeaning:
"rock hill or army hill"Description:
Jean Harlow (born Harlean Carpenter), the original platinum blonde bombshell, was a symbol of 1930s glamour, a factor that first Patricia Arquette and then Nicole Richie and Joel Madden probably had in mind when they gave their daughters the distinctive surname name Harlow.