Surnames that become interesting and quirky first names for babies

Using a last name as a first is one way to combine unique with well known. For example, Smith and Murphy - common enough surnames - take on a quirky edge as first names.

Celebrities seem keen on the trend. Kiefer (meaning pine tree or barrel maker) Sutherland’s famous father Donald named him after the surname of one of his German directors and hordes of football fans adopted Beckham (meaning: homestead by the stream) as a first name. 

Some a little more outlandish ones include Brando for a boy (meaning sword), and Monroe, Bardot, and Hepburn for a girl, although they’d need to be fairly cool kids to live up to these particular screen legends. Patricia Arquette and then Nicole Richie both called their girls Harlow (meaning army), probably influenced by another screen legend Jean Harlow was a symbol of 1930s glamour. 

Garner (meaning granary), an unusual surname and now gaining credence as a first name, after actress Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck gave it as a middle name to son Samuel, and Jessica Alba and Cash Warren have also used it as a middle name for their daughter Haven.

Then there’s Lewis, popular through the years as both a first name (Lewis Carroll) and surname (Daniel Day-Lewis, Leona Lewis); Bale (French version of basil) a la actor Christian is now gaining credence as a first name. Crosby, an Irish surname with associations to singing legend Bing, is a popular choice in the US, while Holden is a classic that literary fans will associate with JD Salinger’s life affirming novel Catcher in the Rye.

Cruz (meaning: cross) is also now a trendy first name or a boy or girl, while Garland (meaning: from the spear land), is widely viewed as a tribute to the feisty Wizard of Oz star Judy. Dylan, is

a classic that changes its spelling but never seems to lose its appeal, while Jolie (meaning pretty) was made popular via actress and advocate Angelina - Jolie was originally her middle name.

If you are looking for more unique baby name inspiration, be sure to check out Bounty.com for double-barrelled baby names or modern hero baby names. 

Boys

1. Beckham 

2. Kiefer 

3. Brando

4. Garner

5. Grant

6. Lewis

7. Bale

8. Crosby

9. Holden

10. Penn

Girls

1. Cruz

2. Garland

3. Dylan

4. Jolie

5. Monroe

6. Winslet

7. Bardot

8. Hepburn

9. Harlow

10. Murphy

If you enjoyed this page, be sure to get inspired by Bounty.com's unique and unusual names or check out our top baby names.