Good Surnames

This rarely heard name pares down all the ultrafeminine Dan names to one that's much more powerful, for both boys and girls.

Dermot is an appealing, relatively undiscovered Irish mythological hero's name long popular in the Old Country, and imported into the American consciousness by actor Dermot Mulroney. We see it in the next Celtic wave following Connor and Liam.

Highly unlikely philosophical choice.

The jazzy, ultra-cool Dexter, like most names with an "x," has a lot of energy and dynamism.

One of the new bird names, like Lark and Wren, this one's associated with the billing and cooing sounds of love. Soft and gentle, Dove also has the admirable association with peace.

Dozier means a person who lives near the willows or reeds. It may be an occupational name referring to a basket maker.

At one time associated with the fictional detective Bulldog Drummond, this formal surname name does boast the cute nickname Drum.

An upscale surname with a nice modern design connection to the creators of the Eames chair and other midcentury furniture classics, Charles and Ray Eames.

The full name of recurring Game of Thrones character Dolorous Edd, who was appointed head of the Night's Watch late in the series. While we like Edison, the extra "d" is probably going to cause more confusion than it's worth for all but the most diehard fans.

In the past few years Ellery has gone from middle-aged male detective to a plausible girls' name, a la Hillary.

Updates Ellis -- but also has a lot of feminine potential thanks to Allison/Ellie similarity.

Elwell is an English surname as well as a place name. Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick used it as a second middle name for one of their twin daughters in 2009.

This lovely name -- Eyre sounds just like air -- is best-known as the surname of eponymous Bronte heroine Jane, and would make an appealing and distinctive middle name for the child of fans of that book. While the surname Eyre is found mainly in England, its origins are Norse and it's thought to derive from Norse settlers. Still, the status of the classic books means Eyre deserves to stand proudly among English baby names.

If this name makes you think of Victorian novels, it's because Fairfax was part of Mr Rochester's name in Jane Eyre, and the surname of a minor character in Jane Austen's Emma. It has a distinctly aristocratic feel, despite its straightforward meaning. Fairfax is also a city in Virginia.

An uncommon surname name with that energetic -er ending. Might appeal especially to baseball fans.

Fielding isn't an occupational name, exactly, though it does relate to someone who works in or lives in a Field. Although there have been a handful of people, real and fictional, with the first name Fielding, the most famous Fielding is eighteenth century writer Henry Fielding, author of Tom Jones.

Any number of Fitz names -- Fitzgerald, Fitzpatrick, Fitzroy, Fitzwilliam -- have been used as Christian names, in fact Fitzwilliam was the given name of the dashing Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice. Fitz can be a short form of any of them and is often, like Mac, a nickname drawn from a surname.

A common surname in Ireland, often use as an anglicization of Mac Giolla Phádraig. This name could honor a Patrick. It's also a way to get to Fitz as a nickname.

Fletcher is a common surname with a touch of quirkiness; it definitely fits into the So Far Out It's In category--and moving further in all the time along with other occupational names from Parker to Forester.