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100+ Dashing Last Names for Boys: With Cool Meanings

Updated
These last names for boys are the perfect finishing touch.

Have you ever wondered what your last name means? Maybe you’d love to discover a famous namesake, or perhaps you’re interested in finding some cool last names that work as first names. Either way, we’ve got you covered with this extensive list of last names for boys. We’ve included tough, rare, foreign, and sweet options. We’ve even added some astonishing facts.

With over 100 male surnames, you’re bound to see a familiar face. Who knows what you’ll discover about your history? Kick back and relax; you’re about to get schooled in various surnames for boys.


50 Foreign Last Names for Boys

These foreign male surnames are “muy caliente.”

  1. Ali – joins the ranks of Arabic family names for boys, meaning “high” and “exalted.”
  2. Baruso – an Italian surname initially given to brave men, such as soldiers.
  3. Bosco – a topographical Italian last name for woodworkers or those dwelling in the woods.
  4. Brando – of Italian and German origin, meaning “sword,” can also be a Portuguese nickname meaning “gentle.”
  5. Chan – an Asian surname meaning “snow white,” borne by actor Jackie Chan.
  6. Chen – is of Chinese origin, meaning “to explain” and “old,” and is Taiwan’s top surname.
  7. Cheney – a French title meaning “oak grove,” symbolizing strength and resilience.
  8. Chevalier – an occupational French surname given to horseback riders and horse caretakers.
  9. Cho – of Korean origin, meaning “candle,” “second,” and “beginning,” symbolizing bright, fresh starts.
  10. Cortez – a hot respelling of Cortes, meaning “courteous” in Spanish, ideal for polite families.
  11. Crusoe – of English origin, meaning “hollow,” but also describes families from Croiseau, France.
  12. Demir – a Turkish occupational surname given to blacksmiths that’s most prevalent in its country of origin.
  13. Devereux – of Irish and English origin, a habitational surname given to families from Évreux in Eure, France.
  14. Estes – joins surnames for boys, doubling as forenames, which means “from the East” in English.
  15. Fernandez – a patronymic Hispanic surname meaning “son of Fernando.”
  16. Flores – means “flower” in Spanish and Portuguese, perfect for families that come up roses.
  17. Garcia – a Mexican patronymic surname that means “son of Garcia,” the Spanish version of Gerald.
  18. Gomez – is among the top 100 surnames in the U.S., meaning “son of Gome” in Spanish.
  19. Gonzalez – hailing from Spain, meaning “son of Gonzalo” and “warrior.”
  20. Hagen – a Dutch and German occupational surname for families dwelling near hedges.
  21. Hassan – of Arabic origin, meaning “handsome” and “good-looking,” fitting for elegant clans.
  22. Hernandez – a masculine Spanish surname meaning “son of Hernan” and “adventurer.”
  23. Hong – is of Mandarin origin, meaning “rainbow” and “expand,” also used as an Asian forename.
  24. Ivanova – a Russian last name that means “Ivan’s,” connected to the biblical title John.
  25. Joshi – an Indian surname given to men who practiced astrology or mysticism.
  26. Khan – a Turkish forename and surname meaning “prince,” initially given to members of the nobility.
  27. Kim – among popular Korean surnames, meaning “gold” and “iron,” can also be a unisex forename.
  28. Latham – a derivative of Hlatha, a Norse last name given to families living near barns.
  29. Lee – an Old English habitational surname for families dwelling near forest clearings.
  30. Leroux – an attractive French surname that means “red-haired man,” perfect for gingers.
  31. Lopez – a Spanish patronymic surname referring to sons of Lope or a wolfish man.
  32. Lu – is of Chinese origin, meaning “black,” among the shortest last names for boys.
  33. Mai – a Chinese surname referring to families working with wheat or who lived near wheat fields.
  34. Mohammed – inspired by the Muslim leader Muhammed, meaning “praiseworthy” in Arabic.
  35. Muller – of German origin, meaning “miller,” most prevalent in Europe.
  36. Nguyen – hailing from China, meaning “musical instrument” and is pronounced “WEN.”
  37. Nilsson – a Swedish surname pointing to sons of Nils, which means “victory.”
  38. Noakes – an English habitational surname given to families dwelling near oak groves.
  39. Patel – a Sanskrit pick meaning “village headman,” giving this surname badass vibes.
  40. Perez – of Spanish origin, meaning “son of Pedro,” the Hispanic equivalent of Peter.
  41. Ramirez – hailing from Spain, meaning “son of Ramiro,” which means “good judge.”
  42. Rivera – of Spanish and Italian origin, meaning “riverbank,” invoking serene images.
  43. Riva – an Italian pick given to families living near riverbanks, symbolizing flexibility.
  44. Russo – a Sicilian “R” surname doubling as a nickname for red-haired men.
  45. Sanchez – of Spanish origin, a patronymic surname referring to sons of Santo.
  46. Schuyler – a Dutch surname meaning “scholar,” perfect for intelligent families.
  47. Swain – an English option that means “servant” and “attendant.”
  48. Torres – of Latin origin, meaning “towers” and “Thor’s shaft,” giving this title a hint of mysticism.
  49. Wang – a Chinese surname given to kings or those with regal qualities.
  50. Zhu – among the top 20 Chinese surnames, meaning “to live” or “halt.”

50 Handsome Surnames for Boys

These gorgeous surnames for boys are fit for any Prince Charming.

  1. Austen – derived from Augustine, meaning “great” and “magnificent” in Latin.
  2. Baker – an English occupational surname given to those who made bricks, pottery, or bread.
  3. Beckham – means “Bec’s homestead” in English, borne by British soccer player David Beckham.
  4. Bennet – a French surname taken from “benediction,” a blessing given at the end of services.
  5. Booker – of English origin, meaning “scholar,” initially given to men who loved books.
  6. Brooks – an English and German surname for families living near streams.
  7. Cameron – a derivative of “cam sron” meaning “crooked nose” in Gaelic.
  8. Carson – a Scottish pick given to sons of marsh-dwellers, borne by Ben Carson, an American politician.
  9. Carter – of English, Irish, and Scottish origin, an occupational surname given to those carting goods.
  10. Casey – means “vigilant” and “watchful” in Gaelic, fit for eagle-eyed families.
  11. Colton – an Irish patronymic surname meaning “descendant of Cómhaltáin’.”
  12. Cooper – a Scottish occupational title given to barrel makers.
  13. Crosby – of English origin, a habitational surname for families dwelling near farms.
  14. Dior – derived from d’Or, meaning “golden” in French, associated with designer Christian Dior.
  15. Easton – of English origin, referring to families from the east and can also be a cool forename.
  16. Edison – hailing from the U.K., meaning “Edward’s son,” borne by inventor Thomas Edison.
  17. Everett – stems from Eoforheard, meaning “brave as a boar” in English.
  18. Finnegan – a variation of Ó Fionnagáin, an Irish surname meaning “fair-haired.”
  19. Fisher – stems from “Fischer,” an English occupational surname for fishermen.
  20. Forbes – joins the ranks of sophisticated male surnames, meaning “field” in Scottish.
  21. Foster – a variation of “forester,” pointing to someone caring for animals and forests.
  22. Grayson – of Scottish and Irish origin, meaning “son of Gray” or “son of the gray-haired man.”
  23. Hudson – an English patronymic surname meaning “son of Hugh,” borne by explorer Henry Hudson.
  24. Hunter – of English origin, pointing to one who pursues prey and is also an edgy forename.
  25. Huxley – an English surname meaning “Hugh’s meadow,” comes with the nickname Hux.
  26. Jackson – of English, Scottish, and Irish origin, points to sons of Jack, a moniker for John.
  27. Jameson – an Irish option meaning “son of James,” which means “supplanter” in Hebrew.
  28. King – hailing from Britain, means “tribal leader” and was given to men with regal traits.
  29. Landon – an English topographical surname for families dwelling near long hills.
  30. Larkin -of Russian and Irish origin, refers to relatives of Lars, which means “laurel” in Greek.
  31. Lincoln – an English habitational surname borne by former American president Abraham Lincoln.
  32. Mackey – a respelling of McKay, meaning “virile” and “manly” in Gaelic.
  33. Marshall – of German origin, an occupational surname given to high-ranking officials.
  34. Mason – derived from Macon, a French title meaning “stoneworker” or “stonemason.”
  35. Miller – an English and Scottish occupational last name for those who owned or worked at mills.
  36. Nolan – a modern spelling of Ó Nualláin, an Irish surname starting with N meaning “noble” and “famous.”
  37. Parker – of English origin, meaning “keeper of the park,” emerging in the Middle Ages.
  38. Porter – hailing from Scotland, refers to doorkeepers of castles or other significant buildings.
  39. Potter – of German and English origin, an occupational surname for those who work with clay.
  40. Saunders – connected to Alexander, which means “defender of the people” in Greek.
  41. Smith – taken from Smid, initially given to English blacksmiths.
  42. Thatcher – of English origin, refers to men who cover roofs in straw.
  43. Truett – an English topographical “T” surname for families dwelling near river bends.
  44. Washington – means “from the intelligent one’s farm” in English, borne by U.S. President George Washington.
  45. Weaver – an English occupational surname for weavers of fabric.
  46. Webster – of English origin, points to those who weave fabric like a spider weaves a web.
  47. Wellington – an English habitational title pointing to those from wealthy estates.
  48. Wesley – hailing from Britain, meaning “western meadow,” joining the ranks of topographical male surnames.
  49. Weston – an English habitational surname for families from West towns.
  50. Wyatt – of British origin, meaning “warrior” and “war strength.”

50 Unique Male Surnames

These rare male surnames will leave you in awe.

  1. Adair – a Scottish and Irish surname that means “happy spear” and “ford of the oaks.”
  2. Archer – originated in the Middle Ages, a Latin and English surname given to archers.
  3. Ashby – hailing from Britain, means “ash tree home” and is an edgy but cute forename.
  4. Bardot – refers to relatives of Bardo, short for names like Lombardo and Bernardo.
  5. Barlow – a habitational surname given to families from Barlow, a typical European city name.
  6. Baxter – derived from Baker, an English surname for those who baked bread or bricks.
  7. Beaumont – of French origin, means “beautiful mountain,” joining the ranks of fancy last names for boys.
  8. Blackstone – an English topographical title for those dwelling near dark stones.
  9. Boone – a Dutch pick given to men who farmed or picked beans.
  10. Brewster – an English occupational surname for those who brewed beer or other liquors.
  11. Brighton – a habitational last name for families from Breighton, Yorkshire.
  12. Bronson – of English origin, points to the sons of the brown man, or Bron.
  13. Cassidy – a respelling of Caiside, meaning “curly-haired” and “clever” in Irish.
  14. Chancellor – taken from “chancelier,” a French title for a secretary or administrative official.
  15. Collier – of English origin, meaning “maker or seller of charcoal.”
  16. Cyprus – of unknown origin, rumored to have originated with Egyptians, meaning “lord.”
  17. Davies – meaning “son of David” and “beloved” in Hebrew, Scottish, and English.
  18. Deacon – a Greek and English occupational title for church clergy.
  19. Falkner – among the best sporty family names for boys, pointing to hunters of falcons.
  20. Finch – a small songbird or an English moniker for a petite, cheerful person.
  21. Foxton – an English surname for families from Foxton or who lived near farmsteads.
  22. Granger – derived from “granier,” initially given to French grain millers.
  23. Hendrix – of Dutch and German origin, means “son of Hendrik.”
  24. Iverson – a Norwegian, Danish, and German option for sons of Iver or those skilled with spears.
  25. Jeter – of French origin, meaning “thrown out,” borne by baseball player Derek Jeter.
  26. Keller – means “cellar” in German, pointing to servants in charge of the family larder.
  27. Latimer – an English occupational surname meaning “knows Latin,” given to interpreters.
  28. Lennon – of Irish and Gaelic origin, means “cloak,” borne by singer and songwriter John Lennon.
  29. Lightfoot – an English surname given to those quick on their feet.
  30. Mackson – of German origin, means “son of Max” or “son of Mack.”
  31. Moses – a biblical forename meaning “drawn out of water,” rarely used as a surname.
  32. Munro – an unusual spelling of Monroe, means “man from River Roe” in Scottish.
  33. Padgett – derived from “page,” pointing to an English servant of high ranking.
  34. Pascoe – the Cornish variation of Pascal, meaning “Easter,” perfect for religious families.
  35. Pierson – of English origin, meaning “son of Piers,” a form of Peter.
  36. Quiller – an English surname that will remind hearers of birds but refers to a tax collector.
  37. Raven – points to a raven-haired person and was initially found in Britain.
  38. Reeves – of English origin, meaning “servant of Reeve” or “descendant of Reeve.”
  39. Rhodes – taken from “rod,” the Old English word for “road” or “clearing in the woods.”
  40. St. James – inspired by St. James, one of Christ’s apostles.
  41. Suzuki – a Japanese “S” surname meaning “bell wood” or a brand of automobiles.
  42. Tayson – an English surname derived from Taylor, an occupational title for tailors.
  43. Tennyson – hailing from Britain, means “son of Dennis,” borne by poet Alfred Lord Tennyson.
  44. Thoreau – of French origin, meaning “strength of a bull,” borne by American essayist Henry David Thoreau.
  45. Thurlow – a British title meaning “Thor’s hill,” could also describe families from Thurlow, Suffolk.
  46. Vinson – of English origin, meaning “son of Vincent,” comes with the nickname Vinny.
  47. Wainwright – an English occupational surname for wheelwrights or wagonmakers.
  48. Wilde – of Irish, English, and German origin, initially given to wild or high-spirited men.
  49. Wilkes – means “son of William” in English, as mentioned in Gone With the Wind.
  50. Woolf – a fierce German title meaning “wolf,” given to men with wolfish personalities.

Last Names for Boys FAQs

What Are Creative Last Names?

There’s no shortage of creative last names, inspiring a legacy of vision and invention. Among the most innovative is Schuyler, a Dutch surname that means (and sounds like) “scholar.” Surnames with creative namesakes, like Tennyson, Dior, and Thoreau, also fall within this category. Other honorable mentions include Woolf and Wilde, highlighting those with artistic, high-spirited personalities.

What Are Rare Last Names?

The world is a beautiful melting pot of culture, creating many unique names. Among the most memorable English names are Huxley, Wellington, Blackstone, and Foxton. Unique foreign surnames include Cho, Chevalier, Riva, and Ivanova. Of course, no one will ever forget Wolfeschlegelsteinhausenbergerdorff, which holds the record for the world’s longest surname.

What Is the #1 Last Name?

The number one last name varies depending on your locale. Smith has been the #1 American surname for ages, initially describing blacksmiths. The most popular Chinese surname is Wong, while the most famous Indian last name is Devi. Of course, we can’t forget about beautiful African surnames like Mohamed and Ali.

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About the Author

Cate Hoepner

Cate Hoepner is a professional blogger and freelance writer of seven years. Before transitioning into a writing role, she worked in finance and customer service. Cate enjoys DIY projects, old movies, music, and a good cup of coffee. In her free time, you'll find her homeschooling her three kids, crafting her dream homestead, and reading anything she can get her hands on.