Names to explore
Polished surname choices
Tailored names that feel established without being everywhere.
Abbott
Abbott has the tailored feel of a surname-first name while remaining uncommon in current U.S. use.
2025 U.S.: 27 births · #3,949Peak: 2016 · 59 births
Ames
Ames works as a surname-style given name without leaning on an altered spelling.
2025 U.S.: 92 births · #1,754Peak: 2023 · 93 births
Ellison
Ellison has a polished, modern surname sound and enough history to feel established.
2025 U.S.: 98 births · #1,679Peak: 2017 · 101 births
Hawthorne
Hawthorne gives a shortlist a crisp family-name style without landing among the most-used boy names.
2025 U.S.: 24 births · #4,305Peak: 2016 · 36 births
Mercer
Mercer has the tailored feel of a surname-first name while remaining uncommon in current U.S. use.
2025 U.S.: 52 births · #2,558Peak: 2025 · 52 births
Rhodes
Rhodes works as a surname-style given name without leaning on an altered spelling.
2025 U.S.: 511 births · #575Peak: 2025 · 511 births
Short surname names
Compact options with a crisp sound and easy rhythm.
Sinclair
Sinclair has a polished, modern surname sound and enough history to feel established.
2025 U.S.: 14 births · #6,400Peak: 1924 · 29 births
Thatcher
Thatcher gives a shortlist a crisp family-name style without landing among the most-used boy names.
2025 U.S.: 194 births · #1,111Peak: 2021 · 297 births
Wells
Wells has the tailored feel of a surname-first name while remaining uncommon in current U.S. use.
2025 U.S.: 944 births · #347Peak: 2025 · 944 births
Whitaker
Whitaker works as a surname-style given name without leaning on an altered spelling.
2025 U.S.: 66 births · #2,181Peak: 2025 · 66 births
Winslow
Winslow has a polished, modern surname sound and enough history to feel established.
2025 U.S.: 44 births · #2,878Peak: 2022 · 51 births
Baylor
Baylor gives a shortlist a crisp family-name style without landing among the most-used boy names.
2025 U.S.: 822 births · #386Peak: 2024 · 905 births
Unexpected family-name style
Less obvious surnames that can work naturally as given names.
Bishop
Bishop has the tailored feel of a surname-first name while remaining uncommon in current U.S. use.
2025 U.S.: 172 births · #1,188Peak: 2021 · 222 births
Foster
Foster works as a surname-style given name without leaning on an altered spelling.
2025 U.S.: 264 births · #901Peak: 2025 · 264 births
Hollis
Hollis has a polished, modern surname sound and enough history to feel established.
2025 U.S.: 266 births · #894Peak: 1921 · 294 births
Keller
Keller gives a shortlist a crisp family-name style without landing among the most-used boy names.
2025 U.S.: 76 births · #2,000Peak: 2012 · 171 births
Merritt
Merritt has the tailored feel of a surname-first name while remaining uncommon in current U.S. use.
2025 U.S.: 117 births · #1,505Peak: 1924 · 121 births
Monroe
Monroe works as a surname-style given name without leaning on an altered spelling.
2025 U.S.: 157 births · #1,262Peak: 1921 · 375 births
The data line uses the exact spelling shown. “No published 2025 count” can mean the spelling had zero births or fewer than five, because SSA does not publish counts below five.
A surname can have personal meaning
If a family surname is available to you, that connection may matter more than whether the name is fashionable nationally.
Surname style changes quickly
Some last names move into the first-name charts very fast. The current count is worth checking if rarity is one of your priorities.
Watch for occupational and place-name histories
Many surnames began as jobs, locations or family identifiers. If meaning matters, look beyond a modern baby-name gloss and check the surname history itself.
Roscoe's pick
Mercer
Mercer has a clean, tailored surname sound and remains far outside the most crowded U.S. boy-name ranks.
More names to explore
Questions parents ask
Are all of these names rare in the United States?
They are selected for uncommon U.S. use or for a distinctive heritage style. Each card shows the exact-spelling 2025 U.S. count when Social Security published one, so you can see the current context for yourself.
Does a missing 2025 count mean the name was unused?
No. The national public file does not publish a spelling when fewer than five boys received it that year, so a missing count can mean zero or one to four births.
Can the same name belong to more than one naming tradition?
Yes. Names travel between languages and cultures, and spellings can have more than one history. These guides group names by the tradition most relevant to the page rather than claiming every name has only one possible background.
Should U.S. popularity decide which name I choose?
No. The numbers are context. Family connection, pronunciation, cultural fit and how the name sounds with your surname usually matter more.