[Surname] choosing a new name !!
I'm on a quest to find a new last name for my fiancé and I.
We aren't attached to our family names, and looking for a new one that feels right for both of us has been a challenge.
something earthy, natural, fancy? we both love nature and cabins, video games, and alternative music!
I have been searching and would love to hear any and all suggestions or questions!!
We aren't attached to our family names, and looking for a new one that feels right for both of us has been a challenge.
something earthy, natural, fancy? we both love nature and cabins, video games, and alternative music!
I have been searching and would love to hear any and all suggestions or questions!!
Replies
Congratulations and good luck on your search! Are you interested in adopting an established surname or are you more wanting to use a descriptive word-like name (most of my quick suggestions below are this style) or maybe create a new one and/or blending surnames into a new one? And are there any cultural aspects you'd like to include, such as preferring names/words from a certain background?
Initial quick thoughts:
You could consider a place name that has special meaning to you, like a favorite park, mountain or river you love to camp by, (e.g. Acadia) or a type of earth/water feature you like (e.g. Delta, Vale) or plant/flower that sounds cool! (e.g. Balsam, Valerian, Linden/Linton) First names are also great places to look for surnames since they borrow from each other anyway. Nature term names to try out: Sedge, Briar, Grove, Sylvan/Silvan/Silvanus or the French Sylvain, Weald (pretty specific but interesting, pron. like wield), Underwood, Alder, I just saw Woltring on the site (a cool German surname meaning "ring in the forest").
Likewise a species of animal you enjoy or admire - Starling, or Kestrel (kestrels are both beautiful, small and deadly raptors - I thought of this example because I just like the name Kestrel - hardly used yet as a first name - and also because I was reminded that actress Noomi Rapace and her husband also chose new surname for themselves and Rapace means bird of prey (or greedy if used as an adj.)
Theremin (electronic, otherworldly-sounding instrument used by lots of bands - I first heard one in the intro music for the TV show Midsomer Murders and also at a Wolf Parade concert back in the day (dating myself! ;) ), they're pretty cool)
For video games maybe choose a location in one of your favorite games you'd love to live (kind of like the 1st idea) or the name of a favorite character. Might want to decide how full-on (or noticeably) geek you want to get if you want a directly game-inspired name. e.g. Would you rather go for Hyrule or Dovahkiin or something more subtle like more obscure place names Faron or Brynna (from Zelda Breath of the Wild which I'm obviously currently playing).
Happy to hunt for more traditional surnames as well!
Initial quick thoughts:
You could consider a place name that has special meaning to you, like a favorite park, mountain or river you love to camp by, (e.g. Acadia) or a type of earth/water feature you like (e.g. Delta, Vale) or plant/flower that sounds cool! (e.g. Balsam, Valerian, Linden/Linton) First names are also great places to look for surnames since they borrow from each other anyway. Nature term names to try out: Sedge, Briar, Grove, Sylvan/Silvan/Silvanus or the French Sylvain, Weald (pretty specific but interesting, pron. like wield), Underwood, Alder, I just saw Woltring on the site (a cool German surname meaning "ring in the forest").
Likewise a species of animal you enjoy or admire - Starling, or Kestrel (kestrels are both beautiful, small and deadly raptors - I thought of this example because I just like the name Kestrel - hardly used yet as a first name - and also because I was reminded that actress Noomi Rapace and her husband also chose new surname for themselves and Rapace means bird of prey (or greedy if used as an adj.)
Theremin (electronic, otherworldly-sounding instrument used by lots of bands - I first heard one in the intro music for the TV show Midsomer Murders and also at a Wolf Parade concert back in the day (dating myself! ;) ), they're pretty cool)
For video games maybe choose a location in one of your favorite games you'd love to live (kind of like the 1st idea) or the name of a favorite character. Might want to decide how full-on (or noticeably) geek you want to get if you want a directly game-inspired name. e.g. Would you rather go for Hyrule or Dovahkiin or something more subtle like more obscure place names Faron or Brynna (from Zelda Breath of the Wild which I'm obviously currently playing).
Happy to hunt for more traditional surnames as well!
Re more traditional route: two great naturalists are James AUDUBON and John MUIR (the latter being the Scottish version of Moore, referring to British moors.) --- All the best for your new life together!
This message was edited 7/8/2022, 10:39 AM
great idea!
This message was edited 7/9/2022, 4:21 PM