20 Last Names That Make Cool First Names for Boys

By Lisa Milbrand
Last names for boys' names have been a time-honored concept. Looking for a name that's cool now—and will still be cool for your kid when they're grown up? Give one of these picks a try.
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Anderson

CNN anchor Anderson Cooper is perhaps the most famous person sporting this Scandinavian surname, currently in the top 300 picks for boys.

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Beckett

Beckett, which means "bee hive," has been a celebrity baby name favorite since the turn of the century.

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Brooks

British last name Brooks has been a top 1000 boys' name pick since the 1880s, and is currently on a slow and steady climb to the top of the charts.

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Bryant

Bryant shares its origins—and meaning—with the similar name, Brian. Bryant means "strong and handsome."

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Connor

A popular Irish name, Connor means "dog lover." It's been a top 100 baby name pick since the early 1990s.

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Curran

This Irish last name has a charming meaning—"hero."

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Davis

Consider this last name as a nice variation on the standard David. It means "beloved."

8 of 21

Dawson

This Welsh surname is actually a variation of David, and means "beloved son." You can thank the popular teen drama Dawson's Creek for its sudden rise in popularity.

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Donovan

Another Irish last name turned baby name is this charmer, which means "dark."

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Finnegan

This sweet Irish surname is a great way to get that cool "Finn" nickname. It means "fair."

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Ford

The actual surname of Star Wars star Harrison Ford has been on a huge upswing in popularity since 2014.

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Harrison

Harrison has long been one of the most popular last name baby names. It's currently just outside the top 100 baby names for boys.

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Hayes

Hayes first hit the big time when actor Kevin Costner chose it for his son—and actress Jessica Alba helped keep it in the limelight.

14 of 21

Huxley

The prolific author who brought us the classic dystopian novel Brave New World is the most famous bearer of this last name, a unique baby name choice for boys that's currently in the top 700 baby names.

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Ledger

The late actor Heath Ledger may be behind the rise of this baby name, which jumped 140 spots in popularity last year.

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Miller

This last name option was popular at the turn of the 20th century, but fell out of favor from the 1940s until it reemerged a decade ago.

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Samson

Consider this more offbeat option to honor a Samuel in your family tree—this name still has the same Biblical pedigree as its more common sibling.

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Sawyer

One of the more popular last names for boys is this occupational name, with ties to Mark Twain's classic character, Tom Sawyer.

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Watson

Currently among the biggest movers and shakers on the baby name popularity list is this surname baby name option, most popularly known as Sherlock Holmes' sidekick. Watson moved up 309 spots to make it just outside the top 700 baby names for boys.

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Wilson

Forget about the volleyball-turned-companion from the Tom Hanks film Castaway. Wilson can be a cool way to honor a William in your family without picking that perennial top 20 favorite.

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