Last names that make the cutest baby names

smiling laughing baby

New parents face a multitude of challenges when welcoming a new baby into the world, including choosing the perfect name for their new bundle of joy. While some people decide their children’s names years before even having them, others have a bit of a harder time deciding what to call their little ones. 

Naming your kids is no simple task. After all, whatever names you choose are the names your kids are going to be stuck with for the rest of their lives. You probably want a name that’s unique enough to set your child apart from others, while simple enough that your kid won’t spend the rest of their lives correcting pronunciation and/or spelling errors. Whew. Talk about a lot of pressure. 

Have you considered a last name for your baby’s first name? If not, you’re in for a treat. These last names are as interesting as they are simple — and they’re sure to make an adorable first name for your mini-you!

Anderson

baby boy in hat

What do you think of when you hear the last name Anderson? Perhaps the first person to come to your mind is a handsome, silver-haired news reporter by the name of Anderson Cooper. Maybe the name reminds you of your favorite cynical, X-files investigating detective, Gillian Anderson (better known as Special Agent Dana Scully). 

Whatever your answer, you can probably agree that Anderson is a name that comes with a certain sense of dignity. Therefore, it’s the perfect name for a kid who you just know is going to grow up to be a very important person. If you want to put your baby on the fast-track to VIP status, this name is a great place to start. Just ask Anderson .Paak! 

Born Brandon Anderson Paak, the soulful “Come Down” singer liked his middle name so much, he made it his stage name. In an interview with The LA Times, Anderson .Paak explained the importance to detail in his stage name — down to the dot. “I spent six [or] seven years making music and nobody cared. And now some of those same people care, and they are going to have to put the dot,” the “Malibu” singer said. “It says a lot to me when people don’t [put the dot].”

Bennett

baby girl with rose headband

According to Ancestry.com, the last name Bennett comes from Benedict — a medieval personal name. So, if you fancy yourself a Benedict Cumberbatch fan, this last name-turned-first name is the perfect way to pay homage to your favorite mysterious detective and superhero doctor.

In 2018, Bennett was the 140th most popular baby boy name (according to Baby Center). And though it’s not as popular as its baby boy counterpart, Bennett makes a super adorable baby girl’s name, too! If you decide to name your new baby Bennett, you’ll be in good company. Even popular celebrities are hopping aboard the Bennett name-train — like your favorite faux 30 Rock employee, Jane Krakowski. 

Known for her portrayal of The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt‘s Jaqueline Voorhees, Krakowski is the proud mom of a “fun, dramatic child,” named — you guessed it — Bennett. No surprise there, considering Krakowski’s roster of fun, dramatic characters (hello, Jenna Maroney). 

Campbell

baby in knit hat

Who doesn’t crave a warm bowl of soup when they’re sick? Thanks to years of intelligent branding and clever advertising, a lot of people crave a very specific brand of soup when they feel a common cold settling in for a spell. That soup, of course, is Campbell’s. 

Founded in 1869 by Joseph Campbell and Abraham Anderson (another winning last name), Campbell’s Soup Company has a rich history of making sick folks feel better with just a spoonful of warm, delicious culinary medicine. With roots in Camden, New Jersey, Campbell’s Soup is an American staple — and not just in the kitchen. Thanks to world-renowned pop-art master, Andy Warhol, Campbell’s soup is immortalized as one of the most recognized art pieces from the 20th century. In fact, Warhol once said that his Campbell’s Soup Can was his favorite work, stating, “I should have just done the Campbell’s Soups and kept on doing them … because everybody only does one painting anyway.” 

Whether you’re a soup lover or a pop art connoisseur, Campbell is a name with a history of being at the top of its game.

Chandler

baby in robe

If you’re a total Friends fanatic, this won’t be the first time you’ve heard Chandler used as a first name — even for a baby girl. 

“The One Hundredth” (also referred to as “The One With The Triplets”), one of the most memorable episodes of the hit ’90s sitcom, features Phoebe Buffay giving birth to her brother and sister-in-law’s triplets, for whom she was a surrogate. The triplets’ names are Frank Jr. Jr., Leslie, and Chandler — and as Frank Buffay Jr. so famously exclaimed, “Chandler is a girl!” 

Still, Chandler is a more popular boy’s name than it is a girl’s name — Baby Center lists the name as the 559th most popular boy’s name (more than just a few steps ahead of its baby girl counterpart). But don’t be a Chandler Bing about it — this name is totally suitable for either gender! The best part? When your Chandler asks where you got the inspiration for his or her name, you’ll have the honor of introducing your kiddo to one of the greatest shows of all time. 

Kennedy

baby boy with microphone

Talk about a name for a very important person! Move over, Anderson — a Kennedy is coming through. 

Kennedy is a name any American will recognize from, well, any given history book. There have been a multitude of famous Kennedys throughout history — most famously, of course, the 35th President of the United States. Perhaps this is the reason behind the name’s surge in popularity amongst young elected officials, an interesting trend reported by The Huffington Post in a 2012 article. 

According to the report, the year 2012 saw at least three young elected officials choose Kennedy as the name for their baby daughters. But according to those officials, the infamously cursed Kennedy family was not the sole inspiration behind the choice of moniker. For Sean Gatewood, a Kansas state representative, the name’s Gaelic origin was a strong selling point. 

“She’s an Irish girl,” Gatewood said of his daughter. “We saw her red hair and we were sold [on the name].”

Monroe

baby in tutu with headband

Monroe is a name that needs no introduction, thanks to the original blonde bombshell, Marilyn Monroe. Interestingly enough, however, Marilyn Monroe wasn’t the starlet’s real name — and blonde wasn’t her natural hair color. 

The woman who made a New York City subway grate a fashion icon by proxy was born Norma Jeane Mortenson on June 1, 1926 in Los Angeles, California. Later baptized as Norma Jeane Baker, the star started going by her stage name, Marilyn Monroe, in the 1940s. According to Ben Lyons, a studio executive credited for “discovering” the star, the name “Marilyn” seemed more fitting for Baker’s Hollywood-glam persona and appearance. “Monroe” was suggested as a last name by the star herself, borrowed from her own mother’s family name. Just like that, Marilyn Monroe was born — and the course of cinema (and pop culture) was forever changed. 

Though she died tragically young in 1962, Monroe remains one of the most talked-about and celebrated icons of all time. Monroe is the perfect name for a baby bound for greatness. 

Nash

baby in blue onesie crawling

Simple and sweet, the surname Nash has Middle English roots and was originally used in reference to a person who lived beside an ash tree. But, hey — times have changed since 15th century England. No ash trees are required to repurpose this last name as a unique first name for your little bundle of joy. 

Nash is a name with some deep-seated roots in the world of television. Not only is Nash the last name of one of our favorite singer-songwriters and endlessly awesome GLOW girls, Kate Nash — it’s the name of one of television’s most popular buddy-cop comedies, Nash Bridges. The show, which premiered in March 1996 and ran through May 2001, starred Don Johnson (father of 50 Shades of Grey star, Dakota Johnson) and Cheech Marin (of Cheech & Chong fame), as Nash Bridges and Joe Dominguez — street-smart police officers with a penchant for catching bad guys while cracking audiences up with their unorthodox techniques and humor. This four-letter name is fit for an entertainer! 

Robinson

baby in knit hat with ears

Are you a literary lover? If so, you definitely recognize this name from the critically-acclaimed literary classic, Robinson Crusoe

In full, the book’s title is more than 50 words long, detailing Crusoe’s life as a man who “lived eight and twenty years, all alone in an un-inhabited island on the coast of America.” Written by Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe is the source of two of literature’s most fascinating characters — Robinson Crusoe, of course, and Friday — Crusoe’s closest companion. 

Crusoe and Friday experience a multitude of adventures together, including freeing prisoners, fighting off bad guys, and learning to survive on a deserted island. This is a name fit for a child who’s destined for a life full of adventure, as any person who has read Robin Crusoe can attest.

In addition to adventure, Robinson is a name with a rich athletic history. Who wouldn’t want to be named after number 42 — better known as the barrier-breaking baseball legend, Jackie Robinson? 

Sawyer

baby with towel on head

There are quite a few famous Sawyers, both in first name and last. Of course, there’s Diane Sawyer, famed television journalist. And though he’s not as famous as the reporter, Sawyer Fredericks is an idol in his own right — quite literally. But would you believe that perhaps the most famous Sawyer of all isn’t an actual person?

Written by Mark Twain and first published in 1876, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer details the life (and adventures) of a young, Southern boy — Tom Sawyer — before the start of the Civil War. Often referred to as one of the greatest American classic novels, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer continues to inspire a sense of curiosity and adventure within young minds to this very day. It seems that parents have taken their own inspiration from the titular boy, as well — according to Baby Center, Sawyer was the 92nd most popular baby boy name in 2018, as well as the 240th most popular baby girl name. 

Wilson

smiling laughing baby

Pop culture fans, this name’s for you! 

Wilson is quite a popular choice for naming some of television, music, and cinema’s most memorable faces. If you’re a fan of the classic ’90s sitcom, Home Improvement, you’ll probably recognize Wilson as the Taylor family’s ever-elusive next-door neighbor — the man who was constantly dishing words of wisdom while half of his face remained hidden behind a fence. 

If you’re a Tom Hanks super-fan (and honestly, who isn’t?), the first Wilson to come to mind is likely Hanks’ silent Castaway sidekick (and the subject of the most heartbreaking “death” scene in all of movie history) — Wilson the volleyball. And, of course, there’s Wilson Phillips — the girl group behind one of our favorite Bridesmaids scenes. 

Pop culture references aside — technically, the name Wilson means “son of Will.” If there’s a royal baby number four for William and Kate, perhaps they’ll consider naming the lucky little lad Wilson. Prince Wilson has a royal ring to it, no? 

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