I’m so excited to kick off our new baby name series today! We had so many wonderful submissions and will work our way through as many as we can. We hope even if we don’t get to yours specifically, that you find some names you love through someone who perhaps had a similar ask or style to you!
If you’re wondering who the “we” is that I’m referencing, it’s myself and my closest friend Lauren! Baby naming is a topic we’ve had fun with for ourselves, family and friends and the baby name posts I’ve shared here on the blog have been some of my all-time most popular, so clearly we aren’t alone in this! The two of us will be the ones brainstorming the initial list of names we share here based on the submissions we receive…
And then that’s where you all come in! After we share our suggestions, we’d love to hear YOU share any names you can think of that fit the description in the comments below! Let’s help some mamas out!! It’s going to be so fun.
So without further ado, let’s get to our first baby name topic from Annie M!!
Annie M has a daughter named Emerson Jane. She doesn’t know if she’s having a boy or girl, but has a boy name picked out already so she’s just looking for girl names for this little one! Here’s what Annie had to say:
We actually don’t know what we are having next month but we have a boy name we love. We are stuck on girl names!! We have no middle name picked out. I remember reading a book when I was pregnant with my first that described my name style as “last names first” and I think that’s probably very accurate because all the names in that category are names I like – but none I LOVE for a girl hence why I’m coming to you! ☺️ I’m the same as you, I don’t want a super popular or traditional name but I also don’t want to go overboard different/made up.
Ready for our suggestions!?
Last Names as First Names
There are so many last names that make perfect first names for little ones. They are often strong and bold, but still familiar and easy to pronounce. They also provide some fun nickname options! Here are a few favorites:
- Monroe
- Windsor (Winnie)
- Draper
- Jones
- Hutton
- Parker
- Campbell (Cammy)
- Miller
- Delaney
- Bennett (Bennie)
Short Middle Names Like Jane
Going off of big sister Emerson’s middle name, here are some short middle names similar to Jane that would pair perfectly with last names used as first names:
- Eve
- Grey/Gray/Grae
- Kate
- Era
- Noa
- Bee
- Greer
- Mae
- Moore
- Wren
Sample Name Pairings – Our Favorite Picks!
Here are some of our favorite combos from the names we listed above!
- Windsor Grey
- Jones Noa
- Campbell Mae
- Parker Bee
- Miller Wren
- Draper Moore
What are your favorite last names as first names?
Now here’s where you come in! What are your favorite last names that could be used as first names? What did we miss!? Or, any faves that we included? Would love to hear ’em below!!
Congratulations, Annie! Hope you find some names you love from this community!!
If you’re expecting or adopting and would like to apply to be a part of the series, click here to fill out this form about your situation and name preferences!!
82 comments
cassie bustamante May 13, 2020
too funny- my daughter is emerson as well, emerson reed! we call her emmy, and she’s 13 now and prefers emmy.
i have two other kids- boys, sawyer and wilder… i am into the literary last names. 😉 we are done, but i could name babies forever… it’s SO fun!
Kelly May 13, 2020
Oh my gosh, LOVE all your kids names! And love Emmy as a nickname, too!
Julie May 13, 2020
WILDER! I Love. Excellent literary choice.
Rachelle May 13, 2020
I’m another Emerson mom! She’s Emerson Elizabeth – and her brothers are Fletcher and Griffin. I love naming babies, too. Delaney and Campbell were both on our list if we had another girl – as were Hadley and Sloane. 💕
Brooke Warren May 14, 2020
I was going to say Wilder too! That’s my 4 month olds name. I saw someone on Instagram whose daughter’s name is Wilder! I never thought of using it for a girl, but I LOVE it.
Jaimie May 13, 2020
So excited for this series and love this topic! I love Jones, and I’d also add Presley, Sloane and Taylor as my suggestions!
Akira May 13, 2020
I’ll throw something else in the ring…
Ellis Mae
xx
Kelly May 13, 2020
Oooh!! Ellis is such a great one!!
Tory May 13, 2020
My last name is Kennedy and I LOVE the name Kennedy for a baby girl! It’s actually on my list of girl names for when I have kids.
Everyone in my family (including me, my sister and weirdly both of my parents) also has last name middle names that are older family last names that have died out. My middle name is Walker, which was my great great grandmother’s maiden name. It may be fun to look at your family tree and find a family last name that has died out and bring it back for your child!
Lexy May 13, 2020
My middle name is also a family name, “Wilson,” and I love it. I intend to one day hopefully give it to my little girl as a middle name too!
Virginia May 13, 2020
Oh, I love that! My current last name is Wilson and although my fiancé and I don’t want children, I also say if it were to “happen” I’d like to use Wilson in some way.
Kara May 13, 2020
My daughter is Winslow Rose. Her nick name is Winnie!
Kelly May 13, 2020
WOW! I LOVE Winslow!!! And Winnie is one of my top fave names/nicknames!
Kara May 15, 2020
I know I was stuck on Winnie as her name but my husband really likes a “full” name but we didn’t love any of the ones we have heard for it before. Once I found the name Winslow I suggested it every day until my husband liked it, hahahaha! I love that it’s a bit neutral, not common at all but not too out there and she could choose other nick names from it if she preferred!
Jillian May 13, 2020
Taylor, May, Anderson (Andie), Quinn could all be cute girls names!
Laurel May 13, 2020
Fun series!
Lennon & Madison
Julie May 13, 2020
Abbey? Last name, but also sounds like a first name.
Brennan? Brennan Mae, Brennan Elise…
Holland, Hudson, Leigh, Malone?
I always find middle names from family to be beautiful. I like the last name as a first name + a very feminine middle name.
GOOD LUCK!!
Barbara May 13, 2020
Hi!! I wanted to add Barnes, Hill and Ross as first names. As sample name pairings: Hill Rose, Ross Ray, Barnes Lou or Barnes Noa.
From the ones you suggested I love Monroe Mae and Parker Eve.
Hope I helped! 💛✨
Jessie May 13, 2020
Surnames tend to be more gender neutral and constant heavy. They hit a balance between buttoned up/classic and trendy/new.
I would recommend Leighton, Ellis, Reeve, Blakely, Winslet, Hollis, Linden and Hadley.
Rachel May 21, 2020
My middle name is Leighton! It’s my mom’s maiden name. It’s kind of funny because I always wished I had a girl name as a middle name and now I’m seeing so many girls (and boys!) with that name.
Quinn May 13, 2020
I thought I’d see my name in this list! I almost never met other Quinn’s growing up, and if I did it was usually a guy. But I’ve been meeting more and more little girl Quinns! I teach preschool and we had 3 little Quinn’s at our school! (My mom said “It wasn’t supposed to be that way!” Mom, it’s ok for the name to become popular for a whole new generation haha!) But there’s another last name for first for yas!!
Mollie May 14, 2020
I have a little girl Quinn! She’s almost a year. Her middle name is Margaret. My other daughter is Kate Martin – which is my maiden name!
Mandy Butter May 13, 2020
Looking for a middle name and Love Hutton! So I immediately said it as her full name – Emilia Hutton Butter. Sounds like she’s going hunting for some butter so I quickly moved on 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Lauren May 13, 2020
Haha!! Hutton is one of my all time fave names, but I find it is very hard to pair!
Lauren May 13, 2020
Had a few other potential “last name/first names” for this expecting mama:
Quinn, Addison, Kennedy, Leighton, Elliot, Arden, Kieran, Reagan
Also totally agree about the cadence of having a short and sweet middle name, but think some of the suggested names don’t quite capture the timelessness of “Jane.” Alternatives could be: Elle, Rose, Hope
Lauren May 13, 2020
Love these Jane alternatives!
Ana B May 13, 2020
I have heard the name “Sullivan” for a little girl and it’s just so cute! The Sullivan I know goes by “Sully” and I love it because it has a lil bit of a classic feel (like Sally) but it’s a little more modern. And you get a Pixar reference in there, too!
Macy May 13, 2020
Love seeing Monroe! That’s my 3 yr old. I don’t think it’s SUPER popular, yet. I haven’t heard it much.Her’s is Monroe Madison P., Madison was my maiden name. The nickname has turned into MoMo, lol.
***My only complaint? People somehow mess up pronouncing it? They say the “Mon” syllable like it rhymes with “Ron” instead of rhyming with “nun.” Face palm… that’s when I have to say, “you know, like Marilyn Monroe”… someone I didn’t want people to think I was naming her after. Anyway.
Baby boy is coming in June and I need y’alls help to go with Monroe Madison P. I submitted my info, can’t wait to hear… or readers… reply here!
Jenny May 13, 2020
I can understand your frustration, where do you live? In my area on the east coast most people say Marilyn Monroe as if it rhymes with “Ron” so maybe it’s a accent thing? I’m a teacher and hate butchering a kids name, like when I have students with the name Brianna and some pronounce it “bri-ANNA” and some pronounce it “Bri-ON-a
Victoria May 13, 2020
My middle name is Fallon, which I quite like; it’s my mom’s maiden name, but not her real maiden name since my grandpa (son of Polish immigrants) changed the family name when my mom was a baby, as he was tired of people mispronouncing it, and my grandmother was Scotch-Irish anyway.
I only met one other girl called Fallon in high school, so it’s definitely uncommon!
Lauren May 13, 2020
LOVE Fallon – how fun!
Mary May 13, 2020
My fur daughter’s (cat) name is Sawyer and I love it as a girl’s name! Even though the vet always thinks she’s a boy, I like it better for a girl (:
Shayla May 13, 2020
My last name is McMurray which I think you could use Murray as a super cute first name. I also LOVE Kennedy and it is one of my favorite girl names (I would use this if I had a second daughter).
Also fun fact my friend in the third grade’s mother was pregnant and she loved my name (Shayla) so much she named her baby that too! Ha!
Victoria May 13, 2020
Wow, these names are so Southern! When I was growing up (90s/00s), so many girls were named Anna, Mary, Laura, or Catherine with a middle name to distinguish. Anna Kate/Anna Mae/Anna Jane…. you get it. I actually think the double name is pretty cute, but something to consider…. when you get married, if you change your name, you have to choose between keeping your middle or your maiden. Can’t have four legal names in most (all?) states.
A good sister name for Emerson? Write them together. Suggestions….
Emerson & Harper
Emerson & Leighton
Emerson & Reese
Emerson & Willow
Emerson & Scout
Emerson & Parker
Nicole May 13, 2020
What about Beckett Grey? I always loved Beckett and think it would be so good for a girl (nicknames: Becky or Beck or Kitt)
Courtney May 13, 2020
My friend recently named her little girl Sutton Wells lastname. Sutton is a first last name I would never think of, but it’s cute!
Lauren May 13, 2020
So good!!
G May 13, 2020
Auden
Brighton
Camden
Sullivan
Gardener
Abbott
Clarke
Coleman
Forester
Foster
Fallon
Granger
Kemper
Maison
Mariner
Meyer
G May 13, 2020
And Wellesley!
Maria May 13, 2020
My best friend’s married name is Palmer and I saw someone recently use it for a baby girl’s first name and I loved it!
Lauren May 13, 2020
Big fan of Palmer! Great for a girl or boy!
Shanne May 13, 2020
Personally I love the names Olivia and Lux but I looked into the more ‘last names’ and these are some I liked: Phoenix, Hunter, Bristow, Fenner, Farley, Fletcher and Hart. Goodluck and congratulations!
Shanne May 13, 2020
Oh and Harper
Kamille May 13, 2020
Here’s some I love…
Emerson
Reagan/rheagan
Kitt
Sawyer
Wren
Harper
Harlow/marlowe
Sutton
Best of luck!! ❤️
Amy May 13, 2020
I always liked Harlow…
Harper and Blake are options too!
Marah May 13, 2020
Anderson Lee— Andie Lee❤️
Kelly May 13, 2020
SO cute!! I love Andie Lee!!
Meghann May 13, 2020
My daughter is Ruth Anderson! I was just coming here to say Anderson and do Andy!
Holley May 13, 2020
Love these! Especially Jones. My youngest son’s name is Murray, and I would have totally used it for a girl. I love last names as first names and gender-neutral names.
Elle May 13, 2020
I like these names, but definitely not for someone with an ethnic last name.
Draper Rodriguez?
Delaney Pangalingan?
Monroe De La Rosa?
Windsor Ang?
Definitely not choices my friends or family can make because of our background.
Madeline Masters May 13, 2020
Reagan, Kennedy, Shiloh, and McKenzie are all last names that have been used to name girls. As for middle names, Ray, Wren, and May are all good short names.
Katie May 13, 2020
Our Taylor was very almost Murphy, after my maiden name. She’s a total Taylor, but a part of me wishes I hadn’t gotten nervous at the last minute and gone for it! (Apparently I’m also a Last Name as First Name person! I never realized it until now.)
Kelsey May 13, 2020
Emerson Jane and…
Lennon James
Or
Arden Ann 😍
Maria May 13, 2020
Well i just wanted to add Three names that i think are besutiful: Lina, Lúa and Frida 😉
Anna May 13, 2020
I recently had a friend have a baby girl named Carson and they’re calling her Sonny as a nickname which I adore! I love the suggestion above for Anderson (Andie)!
A few others I like below. I personally know a woman/girl named all of these options and love them:
Pierce
Channing
Grady
Marley
Austen
Lane
Piper
Bryson
Charley
Bethany Graham May 13, 2020
My second daughter’s name is Bowie Wren! Bo or Bo-Bo for a nickname. I’m just now realizing that her name fits the criteria haha My first daughter’s name is Charley Robin!
Vanessa May 14, 2020
I love these names! Nice touch for the siblings to both have bird middle names, too.
Shannon May 13, 2020
I like different names as well, my sons name is Maverick Wirth but for a girl these would be super cute!
Bellamy
Sutton
F May 13, 2020
Love the name Pruitt for a girl!
Keeley May 13, 2020
I love Palmer that someone suggested above! I also love Hollis and Collins (I heard Collins on The Blind Side and liked it ever since). And there is a hairstylist in my city named Wagner, and I love that too!
Kristin May 14, 2020
I’ve always loved the name Callaway for a girl. Sounds like a kid detective. 🙂 And calla lilies could be her flower.
Brianne May 14, 2020
I love the last name first idea so much! My daughter’s name is Shaw! Her middle name is Marie as it is a family name but Shaw Marie works so well together. We had Shaw before we knew she was a girl so it could work for a boy as well!
Elle May 14, 2020
I’ve been trying to pitch Roosevelt as a girls name to my friends for years. I think it’s such a cute last name first, and you could call her Rosie.
Lily May 14, 2020
What about Greer? She has an old Hollywood glamour. Something long and feminine in the middle would be pretty… Greer Evangeline?
Other ideas:
Harlow/Marlowe
Holland
Brighton
Dagny
Bexley
Drea May 14, 2020
My daughters is Elliott Olivia. I once met someone named Elliott and her daughters name was Marin, which is my last name!
Erica May 14, 2020
I have a daughter named Madigan Murphy as her first and middle names. (My mom is a Murphy girl.) I couldn’t decide between the two names and decided I didn’t have to. Now my daughter uses Murph as a college nickname after being a Maddy all her childhood.
Also we had dogs named Callahan (our Callie girl) and McCovey (Big Mac).
Forever a last name first fan!
Lindsay May 14, 2020
Here are a few of my favorite “Last Names First.”
Adaire
Baylor
Collins
Darby
Eisley (eyes-lee)
Ellis
Garlan
Wilder
Winslet
The One and Only Lively James’ Mom May 14, 2020
I know an awesome little girl named Lively James 😉
Carrie May 14, 2020
I saw this name only one other time in the comments…I think Lane is such a great name that could be considered a “last name.” Reminds me of Gilmore Girls.
Stacy May 14, 2020
Parker is a family name on both sides of our family and is our son’s name…so it’s a favorite! 🙂
Other ideas for girls
Smith
Jameson
Larson
Coleman
Pruitt
Carter
Foster
A nice short middle name is Lee.
Love this series!
Rebecca May 15, 2020
When I was expecting my son (in 2000), I was looking in the pantry one day and almost named him Campbell Kellogg! I still really like that name. I almost picked Jack Daniel too 😁
Allison May 15, 2020
My son is named Bennett! I love last names first. Some other names I loved were/are
Murphy
Tanner
Turner
Sutton
Sterling
Grayson
Hawkins
Jamie May 15, 2020
My current favorite girl name is Olive. You have to follow @lindsayreganthorne on ig (hope I spelled that correctly) her daughter is Olive and they call her Oli and she is absolutely hysterical. The most courageous child I have ever seen.
Jamie May 15, 2020
I was wrong, it’s @lindseyreganthorne !
Molly Banks May 15, 2020
I LOVE the name Banks, and then I married a Banks 🤣
Mandy May 15, 2020
If you keep up this series, I’m going to need to have like 50 kids – so many good names!!! I love looking at family trees and pulling names from there. Unorthodox opinion – but i love that Khloe Hardashian named her daughter True as it was a great grandfather and grandfather’s first and middle names.
Jaclyn May 15, 2020
Its funny because Miller is my maternal mothers maiden name (my Nana) and Moore is my last name. So Miller Moore would be cool to do. Millie is also a nickname for Miller 🙂
Lindsay May 15, 2020
I’ve only read through about half the comments so I may be repeating. I have always wanted to name a girl Sutton (I have two boys of course!). I also love Miller, Darby, Morgan and James. It’s actually my son’s name but it’s so cute and unexpected for a girl.
I taught a Wakefield. And Charles is so cute for a girl, but I love it as a double name— eg: Mary Charles 🙂
Love all these suggestions!
Melissa May 15, 2020
A friend of mine named his daughter Collins!
Colleen McCaffrey June 28, 2020
Someone may already have mentioned this, but surnames as first names is relatively common. It’s especially common in the area I live among those families that are wealthier and want to keep maiden names and older maternal surnames in the spotlight.
Actual girls I have met with surnames as first names: Keaton, Quinn, Farley, Carling, Barkley, Bellamy, Delaney, Nealey, Parker, Arden, Grier, Beckett, Carson, Easton, Spencer, Tate.
Love some of the other suggestions!!
bridget July 2, 2020
One of my colleagues has a tradition in her family: they name their child after the last name of one of their grandparents. That resulted in her first name being Holland and her baby’s name is Copper!
Ashley Wright July 9, 2020
I’m jumping in late, here…. My daughter is Sutton Grace. Sutton is my maiden name and we were going to name our first born Sutton whether boy or girl. We named my son Fisher. I regret his middle name which is McAllister. It’s family name and we planned on his nickname being Mac, but we just called him Fisher and have never called him Mac and, well… Fisher MacAllister is a mouth full. I love last names as first names and have noted some of these mentioned in case we get to name another baby.