Following on from my post yesterday about using surnames as first names, I thought I’d take a look at some less used surnames which would make fantastic first names, especially for those with Pagan-leanings. None of them feature in the top 1000 names of the US or UK.
This list, by and large, excludes surnames which are identical to existing first names or ordinary vocabulary words — these all deserves articles to themselves.
And as this is such rich name territory, I plan a whole series of articles on the subject, starting with an A-Z of surnames of Old English, Anglo-French or Norse origin. Today’s are names beginning with A.
- Abra, Abrey — uncertain origin, possibly a variant of Aubrey, or from Alburgh ‘old mound’, or Avebury ‘Afa’s Burgh’.
- Acton — from one of the places of the name. Old English āc ‘oak’ + tūn ‘enclosure’, ‘farmstead’, ‘village’, ‘manor’ and ‘estate’. Acton Bell was the pen-name of Anne Bronte.
- Aldren — Old English alor ‘alder’. Used of someone who lived among alders.
- Allman — from the Old French aleman ‘German’.
- Amberley, Amberly — from Amberley, Sussex and Amberley, Gloucestershire. From the Old English amore, a type of bird, possibly the bunting or yellow hammer + lēah ‘wood’, ‘woodland clearing’, ‘glade’, ‘pasture’ and ‘meadow’.. Amberley in Sussex is known for its medieval castle, now a very exclusive hotel. The American-style spelling Amberly did peek a few twice into the US top 900s between 1985 and 1991.
- Amelot, Amlot — a pet-form of Emmeline, itself from the Old German amal ‘work’.
- Amery, Amory — variant of better-known (and more used) Emery, from the Norman-French name Amalric ‘work-ruler’ (currently rocketing up the charts along with its spin-off Emerson).
- Amiel — a pet-form of Old French ami ‘friend’ or the medieval girl’s name Amia.
- Appleby — from one of the places called Appleby. Old English æppel ‘apple’ + Old Norse bý ‘farmstead’, ‘village’ and ‘settlement’.
- Arlett — from Old English *alrett ‘alder grove’.
- Arley — probably the commonest name on this list; Arley is found dithering as a boy’s name in mostly the 800s and 900s until the 1930s. from one of the places called Arley or Areley, from Old English earn ‘eagle’ + + lēah ‘wood’, ‘woodland clearing’, ‘glade’, ‘pasture’ and ‘meadow’.
- Arundel — partly from Arundel in Sussex (from hārhūne ‘horehound’ + dell ‘valley’), home of Arundel Castle, the principal seat of the Dukes of Norfolk, and partly from the Old French arondel ‘little swallow’.
- Ashberry — from one of the places called Ashbury. Old English æsc ‘ash’ + burh ‘fortified place’ and ‘stronghold’ — a common element in Old English girls’ names.
- Ashby — from various places called Ashby, from the Old English æsc or Old Norse askr both meaning ‘ash tree’ + Old Norse bý ‘farmstead’, ‘village’ and ‘settlement’. Popped into the US top 1000 a few times in the 19th Century.
- Ashwin — from the Old English name Æscwine, from æsc ‘ash’ (used in this context to mean ‘spear’) + wine ‘friend’
- Atherley — for ‘(dweller) at the lea’.
- Atholl — the English Atholls derive from the Middle English for ‘(dweller) at the hollow’.
- Athorn — for ‘(dweller) at the thorn (tree)’.
- Audley — from Audley in Staffordshire. From the Old English girl’s name Aldgyth ‘old-battle’ or ‘old-strife’ + lēah ‘wood’, ‘woodland clearing’, ‘glade’, ‘pasture’ and ‘meadow’. It found its way into the top 1000 a handful of times in the late 19th and early 20th Century.
- Avann — ‘(dweller) at the fen’. Old English fenn ‘fen’.
- Aveley, Avely — from Aveley, Essex. From the Old English girl’s name Ælfgyth ‘elf-battle’ or ‘elf-strife’ + lēah ‘wood’, ‘woodland clearing’, ‘glade’, ‘pasture’ and ‘meadow’.
- Averley — uncertain; possibly from Aversley Wood, Huntingdonshire. Perhaps Old English eofor ‘boar’ (or a personal name containing the element) + lēah ‘wood’, ‘woodland clearing’, ‘glade’, ‘pasture’ and ‘meadow’.
- Aylen — Old English æðeling ‘noble’ and ‘prince of the royal blood’ (there is evidence that this was used as a personal name too).
- Ayler — Old French aillier ‘garlic-seller’.
- Ayre, Eyre — Old French eir, heir, ultimately from Latin heres ‘heir’.
- Axon — either Old English personal name Acca + son, or from Askin, a surname deriving from a pet form of the Old Norse name Ásketill ‘cauldron of a God’.
- Axton — variant of AXON, or the well known Ashton ‘ash-enclosure’, etc.
Nancy O’Dell has a daughter called Ashby Grace. To my ear, Ashby is both awfully close to Ashley and pleasantly different at the same time.
Appleby could have some appeal, but in the US, it would be “your parents named you after the mid-priced chain restaurant?” And you’d have to say, “No, that’s Applebee’s. With a double e. I’m Appleby, with a y.” Too bad.
Poor Appleby! What a shame a restaurant chain sort of got there first. Still, it has no such connotations in the UK, Australia and NZ (yet!), so who knows? 😉
I could see Abra, Amberly, Amory, Arley, Ashby, Audley, Avann, Averley, Aylen, and Axon gaining popularity in the US.
There are a surprising number of Applebys recorded from 1838-1920. I find it charming!
I’m in love with Amberley, even though I don’t particularly like Amber, or names ending in -lee!
Arlett, Arundel and Ashberry are also lovely.
Ashwin is also a common name amongst Indian men; the name of the 7th month and also a constellation I think. Being in two cultures seems helpful.
I went to school with an Atholl, he was rather a delinquent. For people worried about playground teasing, he was called “a%$#hole”.
I’ve only encountered the Indian Ashwin as Ashvin before, but you’re absolutely right that it’s an excellent one for someone looking for a name to honor both Indian and English heritage.
I have to confess am very fond of names which have meaning in a a number of languages — especially when they are established as names in different countries, with separate histories.
And even when, a name has no historic connection with a namae or word in another language, I still think it is enriched. I know a number of Pagans and alternative thinkers who believe such ‘snaps’ do share something vibrationally and/or spiritually.
Poor Atholl! His nickname didn’t immediately spring to mind to me — perhaps a milder, less obnoxious bearer might be spared such a sobriquet!
[…] Embra — probably from Emborough, Somerset. Old English emm ‘flat-topped’ + beorg ‘mound’ and ‘hill’. It may also be a variant of Amery. […]
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[…] on onomastics, such as one on Surnames as First Names, which has generated alphabetical lists of English surnames which could make unusual and interesting personal names. There’s Pagan Name of the Month; […]