English Baby Names

English naming has two strong traditions that sit side by side on this list. One is the long line of classic given names: William, Henry and James were carried by English kings, and Olivia, Emily and Evelyn have a literary, old-fashioned charm. The other is the English habit of turning surnames into first names, which has given parents a wide range of crisp, modern choices.

Many of those surnames once described an occupation. Mason was a stoneworker, Carter drove carts, and Jackson means son of Jack. Madison follows the same pattern but has become a girls' name, while Avery and Riley are now used for both boys and girls. Christian and Jack both have long histories as given names, and Ella brings a short, light sound that fits easily with nearly any surname.

Because English names come in both formal and relaxed forms, they are easy to adapt. Many classic names come with built-in nicknames, and many surname names have a clean, modern look that needs no shortening. If you are torn between a classic and a surname style, you could use one as a first name and the other as a middle name. Saying the full name aloud will help you hear whether the rhythm works.