Famous Surnames

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Would you ever consider a celebrity surname for your child? It can be a fun way to pay homage to your favorite stars--past and present! Which names would you add?

Alba--Jessica Alba
Aniston--Jennifer Aniston
Baldwin--Alec Baldwin
Bardot--Bridget Bardot
Beckham--David Beckham
Bergen--Candice Bergen
Bowie--David Bowie
Brando--Marlon Brando
Brody--Adrian Brody
Brooks--Garth Brooks
Campbell--Naomi Campbell
Carey--Mariah Carey
Cash--Johnny Cash
Chase--Chevy Chase
Crosby--Bing Crosby
Cruz--Penelope Cruz
Damon--Matt Damon
Fallon--Jimmy Fallon
Farley--Chris Farley
Fox--Megan Fox, Michael J. Fox
Gable--Clark Gable
Garland--Judy Garland
Garner--Jennifer Garner
Griffith--Andy Griffith, Melanie Griffith
Harlow--Jean Harlow
Holliday--Billy Holliday
Hudson--Kate Hudson
Huston--Anjelica Huston
Keaton--Diane Keaton
Jagger--Mick Jagger
Jenner--Caitlyn Jenner
Jolie--Angelina Jolie
Jordan--Michael Jordan
Legend--John Legend
Lennox--Annie Lennox
Lively--Blake Lively
Maguire--Tobey Maguire
Mirren--Helen Mirren
Monroe--Marilyn Monroe
Moss--Kate Moss, Elisabeth Moss
Mulligan--Carey Mulligan
Murray--Bill Murray
Perry--Katy Perry
Presley--Elvis Presley
Renner--Jeremy Renner
Quaid--Dennis Quaid
Rourke--Mickey Rourke
Ryder--Winona Ryder
Urban--Keith Urban
Vaughn--Vince Vaughn
Wilde--Olivia Wilde
Winslet--Kate Winslet

Full Names for Huck

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Do you guys read the blog Hey Natalie Jean? She has the most adorable son named Huck, and ever since I started reading her blog (back in middle school!) I've loved the name. Her son's full name is Henry, but if that's not your style, there are some other options for getting to this full-of-fun, slightly mischevious nickname.

Charles- If Charles can be Chuck, then why not Huck? Besides, the latter is a lot more contemporary--I think Chuck needs another generation or two before he can be revived.

Henry- Lovable Henry has many nickname options, most of which I just adore. If you love Henry, just not his popularity status (ahem, me), bite the bullet and use a cool nickname--Hal, Hank, Harry, Huck!--to distinguish him from the others.

Huckleberry- On the other hand, why not use Huck to make his full name seem tamer? Huckleberry is a wild choice, but he's certainly usable (Bear Grylls has a son with the name), plus it gives you the added connection of Huckleberry "Huck" Finn (though it's quite debatable whether or not that's a good thing).

Huxley- Huxley is an English surname that people have been loving lately. He's currently at #1346, but looking at his trajectory, I wouldn't be surprised to see him break the top 1000 this year. His spelling lends himself to the nickname Hux, but I personally prefer Huck.

Huxton- Huxton appears to be an invented name--he was only used on 12 baby boys last year--but he mirrors the English surname style quite well. If you're not deterred by his lack of history, Huxton is a perfect full name for Huck.

W Surname Names: Part One

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Americans love surname names, and it's easy to see why. Surnames make great honor names (and often work to honor more than one person). And popular endings like -on and -er make these sound especially trendy. Here I've listed ten W surnames that would work well on a baby--part two to come next Monday.

Wagner- One of the most popular surnames in the United States, Wagner would make a wonderful first name for a son

Walden- Walden isn't just reserved for Henry David Thoreau fans--he's a good heritage choice. He is an Old English name meaning "from the Welshman's hill," perfect for families of English and Welsh descent.

Wallace- Wallace is definitely old man chic, but the nickname Wally makes him more accessible for a little guy. If you like it for a girl, Wallis is the more traditional spelling.

Warner- Warner is a strong German surname that is currently most popular in Costa Rica (who would have guessed?). He's only at #2159 in the U.S., so if you're looking for a more unusual surname name, Warner should go on your list.

Warren- Ooh, Warren is one of my top favorites for boys. He's super sweet, plus the name for a group of bunnies is called a warren--how cute!

Watson- With all the Sherlock Holmes franchises currently out there, it's surprising parents haven't taken notice of Watson. He is a nicknameless name, which is a plus for many parents out there.

Webb- I for one am a huge fan of short names--and I know many of you guys are too! As a short name lover, it can be hard to jump on the surnames trend, but Webb is one I love.

Weber- A slight elaboration of Webb is Weber, another lovely pick for a son. If you like Webb but want a more substantial name, Weber could be the perfect solution.

Webster- Of course, there's always Webster as well. He's definitely a cool name, just be prepared for some dictionary jokes.

Westcott- Wes- names are very in right now, but Westcott seems to have gone undiscovered. Put Westcott on your radar screen, especially if you need a clever way to honor a Scott.

10 Names R You Never Thought of Using: Boys

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The only two R names for boys in the top 100 are Ryan and Robert. Those are both great names, of course, but some parents are looking for something a little more unique. These 10 boys names I'm going to talk about today are just that--none of them are even in the top 1000.

Rafe- Rafe is sometimes used as a nickname for Rafferty or Ralph, but I think he's fine as is. I can picture a Rafe at any age--which is important when it comes to naming your child.

Rafferty- Rafferty is a great Irish boys name with tons of potential. He seems to be a hipster favorite right now, but I could see him gaining favor overall.

Ralph- Many people don't know this, but Ralph has two pronunciations. He can be said like Rafe, or you can pronounce the L. Most people use the latter. I was surprised to learn he wasn't in the top 1000, Ralph fits in with many of today's vintage picks like Theodore and Maxwell.

Reading- Reading is pronounced RED-ing, not like the verb. He's stylish pick with a rare -ing ending. He would be perfect for parents from Philadelphia, to honor the city's Reading Terminal Market.

Ren- Ren could be a nickname for so many boys names--Warren, Lawrence, Soren, etc. By himself he sounds effortlessly cool and masculine. His briskness makes him an excellent choice for people with long last names, or the middle position.

Reynold- Reynolds is quite a popular surname, but hasn't yet become a first name option. If Reynolds is a surname in the family, consider adding Reynold to your list of baby names. Plus, you can always call him Ren.

Rhodes- I've heard a lot of Rhodes among the hipster crowd, but nowhere else. He strikes a perfect balance between preppy and hipster--two trends Americans are fond of.

Ridge- Once society finds out about Rhodes, I suspect the hipsters will move on to Ridge. He's an Urban Nature Name--hippies won't use him, but hipsters will.

Rockwell- I've talked about Rockwell quite a few times before (here, here, here, and here). He's modern and chic--and you can call him Wells!

Rumo- Rumo is a very sweet name, best known in the context of these books. He may be a "made-up name," but I think he would work well on a baby.

H Surnames for Boys

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Surnames are very popular choices for boy's first names, and it's easy to see why. They are stylish, masculine, and sound great on any kid. The letter H is particularly popular, and offers some great choices. Take a look.

Expected:
Harrison- Classic, getting to the point of feeling overused.
Hayden- I usually prefer unisex names on girls, but this one I find more masculine.
Henry- Timeless, he fits on any boy.
Hunter- Great choice for a rough-and-tumble little boy.

Unique:
Harold- Retro-cool. I'm all for using Harold.
Harris- Slimmer version of Harrison. Harris lends himself to the fun nickname Harry.
Hayes- Short, preppy, and not very common at all. He only ranks at 608.
Howard- Still dated, but Howard could make a comeback in the near future.

Unheard of:
Hamilton- This presidential name might be a bit much for a baby. Maybe stick him in the middle.
Harvey- I'm very partial to this name. I would love to see more people using Harvey.
Howell- He's the most dated of the list, but that's no reason not to use a great name like Howell.
Hughes- An Irish surname that you don't often see as a first. He's definitely useable.