Alternatives to Harper

  1. Parker
    • Origin:

      English occupational name
    • Meaning:

      "park keeper"
    • Description:

      Indie actress Parker Posey put a female imprint on this sophisticated surname that's still about three times as common for boys but rising for both sexes. Parker has the advantage of its nature connection, relating it to such occupational names as Gardener and Forester.
  2. Piper
    • Origin:

      English occupational name
    • Meaning:

      "pipe or flute player"
    • Description:

      Piper is a bright, musical name that entered the list in 1999, one year after the debut of the TV series Charmed, which featured a Piper, and it's been a consistent riser since. Piper Kerman is the memoirist whose prison experiences provided the basis for the hit Netflix series Orange is the New Black.
  3. Pyper
    • Origin:

      Variation of Piper, English occupational name
    • Meaning:

      "pipe or flute player"
    • Description:

      Mormon supermodel Pyper America Smith Holder brought this spelling into the public eye. Pyper's younger brother is also a model, Lucky Blue Smith.
  4. Quinn
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "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.
  5. Riley
    • Origin:

      English, Irish
    • Meaning:

      "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.
  6. River
    • Origin:

      Nature name
    • Description:

      Most of the notable Rivers have been male, but this nature name certainly flows as well for a girl. The name River is still rising for both genders, with about 3500 baby boys receiving the name last year vs. 1900 baby girls.
  7. Rowan
    • Origin:

      Scottish and Irish
    • Meaning:

      "rowan tree; little redhead"
    • Description:

      Stylish, gentle, and rustic at the same time, Rowan is a name that falls into various categories. Unisex and cool, mystical and woodsy, with the feel of both Rose and Riley, Rowan is a fresh but familiar choice.
  8. Sawyer
    • Origin:

      English occupational name
    • Meaning:

      "woodcutter"
    • Description:

      Sawyer is one of the top unisex names, used for their daughters by such parents as Sara Gilbert, co-host of The Talk and former actress on Roseanne, currently on The Conners.
  9. Sayer
    • Origin:

      English occupational name
    • Meaning:

      "woodcutter or reciter"
    • Description:

      Sayer is a surname derived for an occupational name. This may be related to Sawyer, which is where the woodcutter comes in, or to Sayer as in a person who says for a living, ie a reciter.
  10. Saylor
    • Origin:

      Surname-name or spelling variation of Sailor
    • Meaning:

      "ropemaker; dancer, acrobat; boatman"
    • Description:

      Currently in the US Top 300, Saylor finds the middle ground between the popular and unisex Taylor, and the more unexpected, wordier Sailor. In fact, it is currently used more often than either of its sound-alikes.
  11. Scout
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Meaning:

      "one who gathers information covertly"
    • Description:

      Scout, a character nickname from To Kill a Mockingbird (her real name was Jean Louise), became a real-life possibility when Bruce Willis and Demi Moore used it for their now-grown middle daughter, followed by Tom Berenger a few years later.
  12. Sinclair
    • Origin:

      Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "from the town of St. Clair"
    • Description:

      The most famous Sinclair was the (male) writer Lewis, but these days the name works at least as well for a girl.
  13. Skyler
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Skylar or Schuyler
    • Description:

      While Skylar is currently the most popular spelling choice for girls, the Skyler option is more (statistically) unisex. Given to boy and girls in nearly equal numbers each year, it ranks around the middle of the US Top 1000.
  14. Symphony
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Description:

      Name that makes a dramatic musical statement.
  15. Singer
    • Thayer
      • Origin:

        French variation of Taylor
      • Meaning:

        "tailor"
      • Description:

        Thayer sounds like a modern update '90s success-story Taylor — although it's much rarer and will likely never reach Taylor's heights. It is also reminiscent of currently trendy Thea, which could also be used as a nickname.
    • Thatcher
      • Windsor
        • Origin:

          English
        • Meaning:

          "riverbank with a winch"
        • Description:

          Windsor may have male references, such as Britain's royal House of Windsor and a tie's windsor knot, but this name also has a definite feminine feel, as in Windsor Rose. That seems appropriate, as Windsor is used equally these days for boys and girls. Nicknames might include Win, Wind, Windy, and Winnie.