Last Names That Are Adorable First Names

Calloway is one of those irresistibly jaunty, animated three-syllable surnames, like Sullivan and Finnegan — but this one has the added attraction of jazzy ties to the immortal "Dean of American Jive," Cab Calloway. For a girl, this could be an unconventional route to the cool nickname Callie.

Bingham is the unusual surname name chosen by Kate Hudson and Matt Bellamy for their son. It was Bellamy's mother's maiden name, and the nickname Bing, coincidentally, belongs to almost-stepfather Kurt Russell's dad. We haven't heard Bing since crooner Crosby, but it does have a lot of zing.

Like other stylish choices from Roman to Romy to Romeo, Rohmer is a German surname that relates to both Roman pilgrims and the root word for fame.

Carlisle may be a male name in Twilight (he's vampire hero Edward's adoptive father), but in the real baby naming world, it's used about a quarter of the time for girls. Unusual now, we think Carlisle (or Carlyle) has the potential to be the next Carter.

Another meaningful word name that actually dates back to pre-Emancipation days.

This modern mash up of Kendrick and Hendrix felt almost bound to happen. Perfect for parents wanting something cool and contemporary but also familiar, Kendrix has in fact been quietly used since the 70s. Given to around 110 babies in 2023, the increased popularity of the name is likely owing to rock musician Jimi Hendrix, rapper Kendrick Lamar, and (female) Power Ranger, Kendrix Morgan.

Surname name with an uplifting meaning. Just beware that this is a well-known mattress brand.

Currently more popular among baby girls than boys — perhaps due to the association with Irish folksong "Molly Malone."

Ashley substitute with a slightly more unisex feel; it was picked for her daughter by TV host Nancy O'Dell.

Swayze is an Anglicization of the German surname Schweiz or Schweizer, referring to a Swiss person. It's most commonly associated with late actor Patrick Swayze, of Dirty Dancing fame. Interestingly, it's overwhelmingly feminine, with over 83% of babies born with the name girls.

A simple, self-possessed, somewhat serious surname, which might work better as a middle.

Rawlings was a surname brought to England with the Norman invasion and has ties to the name Raul, which means "wolf counsel."

An old-fashioned term for a coal miner, or nowadays, a sister to Harper and Piper.

This ancient Scottish surname may be pagan in origin, referring to a "holy day", but today it makes an attractive and unique Scottish name for girls. Halliday has many spelling variations and traveled throughout the British Isles and to France, where it has royal associations, and eventually to the new world. Johnny Hallyday was a French pop star.

More obscure Irish surname-name, also spelled Molloy, that's prime for use.

Naples-born Enrico Caruso was one of the greatest opera singers of all time. Recordings of his powerful singing voice are still in circulation today, nearly 100 years after his death.

Up-and-coming surname name that may evoke thoughts of ballet dancer Misty Copeland or one of the many towns called Copeland.

An English surname derived from the Old French taillis, this nature inspired choice could be an alternative to Wallis or Travis. Tallis appears as the surname of the central characters in Ian McEwan's book, Atonement and the subsequent film.

When British rocker Steven Patrick Morrissey decided to use his last name alone, it became a viable option for baby namers, a lot cooler than Morris or Maurice, with the nice three-syllable lilt of of such other Irish surnames as Finnegan and Flanagan. It can also be spelled Morrisey.

Evans is an historic Welsh patronymic surname, derived from Evan, which is a form of John. With Evan's popularity in the U.S. and the U.K. -- it's a Top 50 names -- the stylish s-ending version may also be on the rise.