Words > What does your name mean? It might be more obvious than you think


"What does my name mean?" is a highly popular Google search, and for good reason. We all want to know more about where we came from, and the meaning of our last names can be a big clue. Start your search here.

Name meanings


Last Names in English

Surnames developed in the late Middle Ages. Apart from patronymics (Adams, Jefferson, Jackson, Harrison), there are a variety of last name origins:

  • places (Lincoln, Garfield, Cleveland)
  • trades (Tyler, Taylor),
  • personal traits (Stout, Black),
  • calendar (Noël, May)

The Irish Mac, meaning "son," and ua, meaning "grandson," were attached to family and clan names as Mac, Mc, or M' and O' respectively. The O' was apparently not used in Scotland.


Surnames in Other Languages and Cultures

In Icelandic, the surname is patronymic, and it changes from generation to generation.




In Russian, the middle name consists of the father's forename with a patronymic suffix, e.g., Nikolayevich.




Surnames and Marriage in the West

In the Western world, a woman traditionally adopted the family name of her husband at the time of her marriage. Since the mid-20th century, women in the United States have increasingly adopted the practice of retaining their maiden, or parental, surname beyond the time of marriage; other women and some couples have adopted surnames that combine those of each partner.

Naming and Tradition

In many cultures, the name is of supernatural significance. Besides animistic commonplaces such as naming a child after a lucky person or a wily animal, there are widespread taboo practices, such as not naming a child after a living relative or changing the name on the death of a namesake or avoiding the name of a family totem. In some cultures, the name given the child at birth is temporary and is replaced with another at puberty, or whenever the individual attains a new age set.

Naming and Religion


What does your name mean?

Share Tweet Share