Good Last Names for Boys: Choosing the Perfect Surname

Are you searching for the perfect last name for your baby boy? Choosing a surname is a significant decision, as it will be a part of your son's identity throughout his life. A good last name should be strong, meaningful, and reflect your family's heritage or values. This list provides a diverse collection of last names for boys, with their detailed meanings to help you find the ideal fit.
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Abbott | Father of a monastery |
| Adams | Son of Adam |
| Alexander | Defender of mankind |
| Anderson | Son of Andrew |
| Archer | One who shoots with a bow and arrow |
| Armstrong | Strong man |
| Ashworth | One who lives near an ash tree |
| Baker | One who makes bread |
| Barnes | Son of Barnabus |
| Barrett | Strong, brave |
| Bates | One who lives near a small building |
| Bennett | Blessed, happy |
| Bishop | A high-ranking church official |
| Black | Dark-haired, swarthy |
| Blake | Black, dark |
| Blair | A field of clover |
| Bond | A person who guarantees the fulfilment of a promise |
| Bowen | Son of Owen |
| Boyd | Brave, valiant |
| Brown | Dark-haired, swarthy |
| Butler | One who serves a nobleman |
| Campbell | Crooked mouth |
| Carter | One who transports goods |
| Chandler | Maker of candles |
| Chapman | One who buys and sells |
| Charles | Free man |
| Clark | Scribe, scholar |
| Clayton | Clay town |
| Clement | Merciful, kind |
| Collins | Son of Colin |
| Cooper | Barrel maker |
| Crawford | One who lives near a ford |
| Davis | Son of David |
| Dawson | Son of David |
| Dean | A church official |
| Dennis | Follower of Dionysus |
| Diaz | Day |
| Dixon | Son of Dixon |
| Douglas | Dark water |
| Edwards | Wealthy guardian |
| Evans | Son of Evan |
| Fisher | One who catches fish |
| Fitzgerald | Son of Gerald |
| Fletcher | Arrow maker |
| Ford | A shallow place in a river |
| Foster | One who cares for others |
| Fox | A cunning animal |
| Francis | Free man |
| Franklin | Free landowner |
| Freeman | Free man |
| French | From France |
| Frost | A covering of ice |
| Fuller | One who makes cloth |
| Gallagher | Brave warrior |
| Gardner | One who tends a garden |
| Garrett | Strong spear |
| Gates | One who lives near a gate |
| George | Farmer |
| Gibson | Son of Gilbert |
| Gilbert | A bright pledge |
| Gill | A young person |
| Glenn | Valley |
| Gordon | Great hill |
| Graham | Gray, gravel |
| Grant | Great |
| Gray | Gray-haired |
| Green | One who lives near a green field |
| Griffin | Strong, powerful |
| Hall | A large room |
| Hamilton | One who lives near a hill |
| Harris | Son of Harry |
| Harrison | Son of Harry |
| Harvey | Warrior |
| Hawkins | Son of Hawk |
| Hayden | A small valley |
| Hayes | One who lives near a meadow |
| Heath | One who lives near a heath |
| Henderson | Son of Henry |
| Henry | Ruler of the house |
| Herbert | Bright, famous |
| Hill | One who lives near a hill |
| Hodges | One who lives near the road |
| Hoffman | One who lives near a hill |
| Holmes | One who lives near the woods |
| Howard | Brave, valiant |
| Hughes | One who lives near a hill |
| Hunter | One who hunts |
| Jackson | Son of Jack |
| James | Supplanter |
| Jenkins | Son of John |
| Jennings | Son of John |
| Johnson | Son of John |
| Jones | Son of John |
| Jordan | To flow down |
| Joseph | God will increase |
| Joyce | Joyful |
| Kane | Descendant of Cain |
| Keller | Cellar |
| Kelly | Warrior |
| Kennedy | Descendant of Conn |
| Kent | From Kent, England |
| Kerr | Black |
| King | Ruler |
| Kirk | Church |
| Knight | A mounted warrior |
| Knox | Hill |
| Koch | Cook |
| Lambert | Bright, shining |
| Lane | One who lives near a narrow path |
| Lawrence | One who is from Laurentia |
| Lee | Meadow |
| Lewis | Famous warrior |
| Lincoln | A place with flax fields |
| Lloyd | Gray wolf |
| Logan | Small hollow |
| Long | Tall, long |
| Lopez | Wolf |
| Lucas | Bringer of light |
| Lynn | One who lives near a lake |
| MacDonald | Son of Donald |
| MacGregor | Son of Gregor |
| Mackenzie | Son of Kenneth |
| Maddox | Son of Madoc |
| Malone | Bald, tonsured |
| Mann | Man |
| Marsh | One who lives near a marsh |
| Martin | Warrior |
| Martinez | Son of Martin |
| Mason | Stone worker |
| Matthews | Gift of God |
| Maxwell | Great well |
| May | One who lives near a meadow |
| McCarthy | Son of Carthaigh |
| McClain | Son of the clan |
| McConnell | Son of Connell |
| McCormick | Son of Cormac |
| McDaniel | Son of Daniel |
| McDonald | Son of Donald |
| McFarland | One who lives near a moorland |
| McGee | Son of Giles |
| McGill | Son of Gill |
| McGregor | Son of Gregor |
| McGuire | Son of the warrior |
| McIntyre | Son of the carpenter |
| McKay | Son of Kay |
| McKenzie | Son of Kenneth |
| McKinney | Son of Kinnin |
| Knight | A mounted warrior |
| Moore | One who lives near a moor |
| Morgan | Sea defender |
| Morris | Dark-haired |
| Murphy | Sea warrior |
| Murray | Sea warrior |
| Myers | One who lives near a moor |
| Neal | Champion |
| Nelson | Son of Neil |
| Newman | New man |
| Newton | New town |
| Nichols | Son of Nicholas |
| Nixon | Son of Nicholas |
| Noble | Of noble birth |
| Nolan | Champion |
| Norman | Northman |
| Norton | North town |
| O'Brien | Descendant of Brian |
| O'Connell | Descendant of Connell |
| O'Connor | Descendant of Conor |
| O'Donnell | Descendant of Donnell |
| Oliver | Olive tree |
| Owen | Noble |
| Palmer | One who lives near a palm tree |
| Parker | One who keeps a park |
| Parsons | One who lives near a parsonage |
| Patterson | Son of Patrick |
| Paul | Small |
| Payne | One who pays |
| Pearson | Son of Piers |
| Perry | One who lives near a pear tree |
| Peters | Son of Peter |
| Phillips | Son of Philip |
| Pierce | Stone |
| Porter | Gatekeeper |
| Powell | One who lives near a pool |
| Price | One who is valued |
| Prince | A ruler of a kingdom |
| Pruitt | One who lives near a willow tree |
| Quinn | Descendant of Conn |
| Ramirez | Son of Ramiro |
| Reeves | One who guards |
| Reid | Red |
| Reynolds | King's son |
| Rhodes | Horse |
| Rice | One who lives near a rice field |
| Richards | Rich ruler |
| Richardson | Son of Richard |
| Ridley | One who lives near a clearing |
| Riley | One who lives near a rye field |
| Rivera | One who lives near a river |
| Roberts | Bright fame |
| Robertson | Son of Robert |
| Robinson | Son of Robin |
| Rogers | Famous spearman |
| Ross | Headland |
| Rowan | Little redhead |
| Roy | King |
| Russell | Red haired |
| Ryan | Little king |
| Sanders | One who lives near a sandy place |
| Savage | Wild, untamed |
| Sawyer | Woodcutter |
| Schmitt | Smith |
| Scott | One who lives near a wooded area |
| Sears | One who lives near a sea |
| Shaw | One who lives near a wooded area |
| Shepherd | One who tends sheep |
| Sherman | One who lives near a shearman |
| Simmons | Son of Simon |
| Simpson | Son of Simon |
| Smith | One who works with metal |
| Snow | One who lives near snow |
| Snyder | Tailor |
| Solomon | Peaceful |
| Spencer | Steward |
| Stanley | Stone clearing |
| Steele | Iron |
| Stevens | One who lives near a crown |
| Stewart | Steward |
| Stokes | One who lives near a stock farm |
| Stone | One who lives near a stone |
| Strong | Strong |
| Sullivan | Blacksmith |
| Summers | One who lives near a summer house |
| Sutton | South town |
| Swan | A white bird |
| Sweeney | Sweet |
| Taylor | One who cuts cloth |
| Thomas | Twin |
| Thompson | Son of Thomas |
| Thornton | Thorny place |
| Tillman | One who works the soil |
| Todd | Fox |
| Turner | One who makes things |
| Underwood | One who lives near a wood |
| Valdez | From a valley |
| Vance | Victor |
| Vargas | One who guards a bridge |
| Vasquez | One who lives near a vase |
| Vaughn | Small valley |
| Vega | One who lives near a meadow |
| Velasquez | One who lives near a meadow |
| Velez | Old |
| Vincent | Conquering |
| Wade | One who lives near a ford |
| Walker | One who walks |
| Wallace | Welshman |
| Walsh | Foreigner |
| Walter | Ruler of the army |
| Ward | One who guards |
| Warner | Warrior |
| Warren | One who lives near a rabbit warren |
| Washington | One who lives near a marsh |
| Watson | Son of Walter |
| Watts | One who lives near a watchtower |
| Weaver | One who weaves cloth |
| Webb | One who lives near a web |
| Webster | One who weaves cloth |
| Wells | One who lives near a spring |
| West | One who lives in the west |
| White | Fair-haired |
| Williams | Son of William |
| Wilson | Son of William |
| Wise | Wise man |
| Wolfe | Wolf |
| Wood | One who lives near a wood |
| Wright | One who makes things |
| Young | Young |
| Zimmerman | Carpenter |