English Last Names

This English surname offers an interesting mix of images: it sounds upper-crusty yet macho, and also conjures up the coziness of a wintery ski lodge. As a surname it is associated with the Massachusetts Republican Senate Minority Leader in the Woodrow Wilson era, Henry Cabot Lodge, who was the father of poet George Cabot Lodge and grandfather of Senator Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr., who was ambassador to the UN and Richard Nixon's 1960 presidential running mate.

Preppier and less politically-charged than its source name, Sanders

An appealing alternative to Hayden and Hayes, perhaps in homage to Old Hollywood actress Rita Hayward.

Skeat is a rare surname name that, like virtually every surname these days, is ripe for importation as a first.

Friendly-sounding name with big "Sweeney Todd" downside.

Medieval nickname for Mary that became a surname, and could now be a rare but in-trend first name for both sexes.

Briggs, Riggs, Hayes, and Collins are all in style, and Higgins feels like it could fit into this category of cool, rugged last names. Derived from an Irish surname, it is the anglicized form of O Huginn, meaning "descendant of Vikings". As an English surname however, it possibly comes the given name Hugh, or from the nickname Hicke (a diminutive of Richard). In this case it could more figuratively mean "son of mind and spirit" or "son of the brave ruler".

Holder, part occupational name and part Holden, is a rare word name. It brings to mind holding onto someone or something, which itself suggests a love for or connection to whatever is being held on to.

A surname style name of Dutch and Anglo-Saxon origin, which could make an interesting alternative to Ben or Bennett.

A last name as a first name that also has the feel of nicknames like Callie, Tully, Tally and Tilly, Cully could derive from an anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Colla.

An English surname derived from the Old French taillis, this nature inspired choice could be an alternative to Wallis, Alice, Tallie, or Ellis. Other sources suggest it could derive from the Greek name Thales (TA-LEHS) meaning "to blossom".