Occupational Names

Pell makes an unusual middle name choice. And if grandpa Seymour was a fur trader, you might do better to honor him by naming the baby Pell.

Also an English surname, Sender derives from Alexander and has an attractive modern sound. Though given to only a handful of baby boys per year, it nevertheless is in step with the brotherhood of er-ending choices fashionable today.

Sadler is another new entrant in the trendy occupational surname category, one particularly prime for a horse lover.

Doctor is an honorific used as a name, somewhat like names such as Bishop, King, and Princess. Banned in New Zealand, Doctor can lead to the kind of confusion you may feel would be only positive for your child -- a bona fide Doctor before he even gets to kindergarten. At its zenith in 1884, Doctor was used for 12 boys, but last year it didn't even clear the five-baby minimum to make it onto the Social Security extended list.

One Irish surname that will never make it as a first.

A word name that's appealing when applied to a person boogying or doing ballet; a different story in the context of Santa's reindeer.

An occupation name that sounds odd to the modern ear but enjoyed some use a century ago. May make a comeback as a more genteel brother to the new union of boys (and girls) with worker names such as Mason, Carter, and Bailey.

A not uncommon surname in Northern England that remains uncommon as a first name everywhere.

Hack is, unfortunately, both an unappealing word and sound.

An extreme example of the newly possible ecclesiastical brotherhood that includes Deacon and Bishop. This one might work better in the middle spot.

One of the most distinguished names in literature could become a hero name in a family of poetry-lovers -- or be seen as a trendy new occupational name.

Barker may be appealing to parents looking for a name with many layers - not only does it share a meaning with the more common Shepherd and Tanner, it also brings to mind the bark of a tree, making this a surreptitious choice for nature enthusiasts.

Associated with archetypal folksinger Pete Seeger.

Not quite as over-the-hill as Herman, but not far behind either.

Cowboyish occupational name that's one of the hottest choices below the Top 1000, increasing in rank more than 5000 places since the year 2000. Roper may not be a unique choice much longer.

Mailer is one of the more unusual of the on-trend occupational surnames. Recommended for fans of the macho writer Norman Mailer.

Latimer is an English occupational surname that referred to someone who translated documents to and from Latin. It was derived from the French latinier and latimier, of the same meaning.

If you're German and you love to fish -- then maybe.

So tied to being Jacqueline Kennedy's maiden name that it's best saved for a girl.

Drover, an ancient occupational surname, is right in step with today's styles and would make a distinctive choice. Drover and brothers are fresh updates of such now-widely-used names as Carter and Cooper.