Last Names First - Baby Name Wizard

1 Last Names FirstConventional surnames have arrived with a splash as First Names . Theyappeal to creative namers with their freshness, while their familiarity andStyle Families249 ClariceClementineCoraCordeliaCorneliaDel iaDelphiaDoraDorotheaEdithEleanorEleanor aEloiseEmelineEstellaEstelleEstherEudora EugeniaEvangelineFloraFlorenceFrancesFri edaGenevaGenevieveGoldaGretaHarrietHelen HeloiseHenriettaHesterIdaImogeneInezIona IvaJosefaLaviniaLenoraLeonaLeonorLeontin eLeoraLouisaLouiseLucilleMagdaleneMaidaM argueriteMarionMarthaMatildaMaudeMillice ntMinervaMurielNolaOliveOpheliaPetraPhil omenaRafaelaRenaRheaRosaRosamondRowenaSy bilSylviaTheaThedaTheodoraThoraTildaVe r 1/4/05 10:32 AM Page 249heritage keep them down-to-earth.

2 Creative-rustic: theperfect new-millennium combo. No wonder they rejust catching on now .. right?Actually, what we re seeing today is only the latestwave of last- name crossovers. Starting at the turn of thelastcentury, American parents flocked to classic surnames of English lit-erature and aristocracy. Those parents, including many poor immi-grants, had grand dreams for their sons. They wanted to send them intothe world with sophisticated Names ready to take their places in highsociety. Thus they turned to such historical icons as (John) Milton and(Sir Philip) Sidney. Unfortunately for poor Milt and Sid, the actual aris-tocrats continued to give their sons Names like John and Philip, and theelegant image of their surnames quickly how are the newly popular surnames different?

3 The new favoritesstill lean on their British Isles heritage to conjure up a lifestyle, but thatstyle is a far cry from the Oxbridge world of Milton and Sidney. Insteadof nobility, we re seeing hardy tradesmen: Coopers, Tanners, andMasons. And parents have turned away from England to focus on Irishand Scottish traditions: Riley, Mackenzie, Brennan. These new namesare rugged and rakish and they re used for boys of boys delight in a new field of Names with classically mas-culine features. The trade Names in particular are brisk, direct, andstocked with hard consonants. For parents of girls, surnames present anopportunity to start afresh with lively Names that carry no gender will these Names escape the fate of Sid and Milt?

4 Certainly, someportion of the new Names will hold their ground over time to join theranks of the perennials. Russell, for example, is an old surname that wenow accept as a classic First name . Yet with any surgingly popular namegroup comes the risk of a freshness date that soon passes. To avoid atrendy name with a short shelf life, consider some of the similar but lesspopular alternatives below. Better yet, search your own family tree forsurnames that might be revived. When a name s significance is person-al, it has roots that shifting fashions can t sweep NAMESA rcherBowmanBaileyBailiff, county officerBarkerTanner or shepherdBaxterBakerBridgerBuilder of bridges250 The baby name 1/4/05 10.

5 32 AM Page 250 CarterTransporter of goodsCarverCarver of wood or stoneChancellorAdministrative officerChandlerCandle makerChapmanMerchant or peddlerCooperBarrel makerCosterFruit seller or growerCurrierLeather finisherCutlerKnife makerDexterDyerDraperMaker or seller of clothFarrierIronworkerFaulknerFalconerFl etcherArrow makerForesterForest wardenFosterShearerGardnerGardenerGarner Keeper of the granaryGloverMaker or seller of glovesGunnerArtillery operatorHarperHarp playerHooperOne who fits hoops on barrelsHunterHunterJaggerPeddlerKeelerBo at builder or pilotMarshallTender of horses/military officerMasonStonemasonMercerFabric merchantMillerMiller of grainPackerWool packerParkerGamekeeperPiperPiperPorterGa tekeeper or load carrierPotterPot makerRangerGame wardenRyderMounted soldier or messengerSadlerSaddle makerSailorSailorSawyerOne who saws woodSlaterSlate roof makerStyle 1/4/05 10:32 AM Page 251 SmithMetalworkerSpencerPantry servantSumnerCourt summonerTannerPreparer of hides for leatherTaylorTailorThaneFreeman or feudal baronThatcherStraw roof makerTillmanFarmerTuckerDresser of clothTurnerLathe operatorTylerTile makerWalkerDresser of clothWeaverWeaverWebsterWeaverWheelerWhe el makerWrightBuilder or machinistBRITISH ISLES SURNAMES252 The baby name 1/4/05 10:32 AM Page 252 Latino/LatinaLuis.

6 Juan. Jesus. Just look through the top-100 boys Names in America, and you ll see it plainly: Spanishnames areAmerican Names , and they re more popularthan ever we talk about Latino Names , of course, it snot just a matter of Spanish. Families of Caribbean descent may have dif-ferent tastes from Mexican-Americans or South Americans. Braziliansadd Portuguese variations to the mix. Names of reverence, such as titlesof the Virgin Mary (Guadalupe, Dolores), are popular choices. And popStyle Families253 HayesHillaryHiltonHoganHoldenHollisHoltH oustonHudsonHughes JacksonJamesonJarrettJarrodJeffersonJord anJudsonKaneKeaneKeatonKeeganKelseyKenda llKendrickKennedyKentonKileyKinseyKylerL aceyLandonLaneLaneyLangstonLarkinLarsonL awsonLelandLennoxLindsayLoganLoudonLowel lLymanMackenzieMackinney 1/4/05 10:32 AM Page 253