205+ Male Last Names for Characters, Babies & More

Looking for the perfect last name for a boy? We’ve got you covered! In this article, we’re providing an extensive list of male last names, whether you want something cool, unique, popular, or cute. We’ve also attached our last name generator for unlimited ideas and provided tips on choosing a surname for characters.

Best Last Names for Boys

Cool: Beckett, Cash, Draper, Ryder, Sterling, Wood
Unique: Alvar, Barlowe, Fleet, Harkin, Stallard, Verlice
Popular: Brown, Davis, Garcia, Johnson, Miller, Smith
Alpha Male: Ford, Hawke, Ledger, Merritt, Vaughn, Wright
International: Berglund, Ferguson, Ivanov, Jeon, Patel, Suzuki

Last Name Generator

From classic to quirky and fantastical, find the perfect name in seconds

Stuck on coming up with a last name? From fantasy to realistic, our last name generator gives you endless options for characters, stories, or new identities. Perfect for writers, gamers, and roleplayers alike.

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Section 1 of 11:

Cool Male Last Names

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If you’re naming a boy, go for something bold, edgy, and effortlessly cool. Here are some options that sound masculine and work with most first names:^{[1]
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- Beckett
- Bond
- Callahan
- Carter
- Cash
- Draper
- Hayes
- Hendrix
- Huxley
- Lennon
- Madden
- Novak
- Prescott
- Rivers
- Ryder
- Stark
- Sterling
- Stokes
- Valor
- Ward
- Weston
- Wood
- Xander

Section 2 of 11:

Unique Male Last Names

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Looking for a surname that’s rare and unique? Get inspired by nature, mythology, or uncommon elements to stand out from the crowd, or add your own twist to a classic surname. Instead of “Alvin,” for example, you could use “Alvar.” Here are other options:
- Alvar
- Amos
- Barlowe
- Beam
- Caddel
- Driscoll
- Elrod
- Fleet
- Gryphon
- Harkin
- Ion
- Laurier
- Lightfoot
- Moses
- Quill
- Spade
- Stallard
- Steadmont
- Verlice
- Whitlock

Section 3 of 11:

Popular Male Last Names

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Since the United States is considered a “melting pot,” it’s full of surnames from various origins and cultures. Here are the most common surnames in the U.S., according to the 2010 Census:^{[2]
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- Anderson
- Brown
- Davis
- Garcia
- Gonzales
- Hernandez
- Jackson
- Johnson
- Jones
- Lee
- Lopez
- Martin
- Martinez
- Miller
- Moore
- Rodriguez
- Smith
- Taylor
- Thomas
- Williams
- Wilson

Section 4 of 11:

Alpha Male Last Names

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An alpha male is someone who’s confident, successful, and highly intelligent, which means you need a surname that reflect those qualities. Here are some options connected to strength, leadership, and power:^{[3]
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- Adler
- Axton
- Baldwin
- Benton
- Boone
- Bull
- Cabot
- Everett
- Ford
- Grimm
- Hardwick
- Hawke
- Ledger
- Merritt
- Ripley
- Rockford
- Sabre
- Thunder
- Vaughn
- Wright

Section 5 of 11:

Cute Male Last Names

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If you’re searching for something cute and sweet, pick a surname inspired by gentle sounds, small items, or that sounds positive. Here are some adorable options for males:
- Appleton
- Bellamy
- Caraway
- Dash
- Dewberry
- Divine
- Everly
- Fable
- Fairchild
- Fox
- Goodwin
- Merryweather
- Nova
- Pepper
- Rose
- Starling
- Valentine
- Violet
- Weylin
- Wren

Section 6 of 11:

Japanese Male Last Names

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Most Japanese last names are highly symbolic, connected to family ancestry, nature, geography, past occupations, and historical events. Here are some common Japanese surnames and what they mean:^{[4]
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- Fukuda (福田) - Means “fortunate” and “rice field.”
- Hara (原) - Means “field” or “plain.”
- Hayashi (林) - Means “forest.”
- Inoue (井上) - Means “well” and “above.”
- Ishi (石井) - Means “rock” and “well.”
- Itō (伊藤) - Means “this” and “wisteria.”
- Katō (加藤) - Means “add” and “wisteria.”
- Kimura (木村) - Means “tree” and “village.”
- Kobayashi (小林) - Means “small” and “forest.”
- Matsumoto (松本) - Means “pine tree” and “base/origin.”
- Miura (三浦) - Means “three bays.”
- Murakami (村上) - Means “village” and “superior.”
- Nakamura (中村) - Means “middle/inside” and “village.”
- Ōtani (大谷) - Means “large” and “canyon.”
- Saitō (斎藤) - Means “purification” and “wisteria.”
- Sasaki (佐々木) - Means “help” and “tree.”
- Satō (佐藤) - Means “help/assistant” and “wisteria.”
- Suzuki (鈴木) - Means “bell” and “tree.”
- Takahashi (高橋) - Means “high/tall” and “bridge.”
- Tanaka (田中) - Means “rice field” and “middle/inside.”
- Watanabe (渡辺) - Means “cross over” and “border/area.”
- Yamamoto (山本) - Means “mountain” and “base/origin.”

Section 7 of 11:

More International Male Last Names

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If you want a one-of-a-kind last name, look up ones in different languages and cultures. Here are some amazing options, along with their meanings:^{[5]
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- Abraham - Means “father of many nations” in Hebrew.
- Allard - Means “noble or hardy” in French.
- Amador - Means “lover” in Spanish.
- Amin - Means “trustworthy” or “faithful” in Arabic.
- Berglund - Means “mountain grove” in Swedish.
- Carbone - Means “coal” in Italian.
- Cruz - Means “cross” in Spanish.
- Ferguson - Means “son of Fergus” in Gaelic.
- Ivanov - Means “son of Ivan” in Russian.
- Jeon - Means “field” or “battle” in Korean.
- Kang - Means “river” or “strong” in Korean.
- Kim - Means “gold” in Korean.
- Kutnetsov - Means “blacksmith” in Russian.
- Lambert - Means “bright or landowner” in French.
- Mehta - Means “guru” or “account keeper” in Sanskrit.
- Moreau - Means “dark-skinned” in French.
- Müller - Means “miller” in German.
- Patel - Means “landowner” or “village headman” in Sanskrit.
- Rafiq - Means “close friend” or “companion” in Arabic.
- Wang - Means “king” or “monarch” in Chinese.

Section 8 of 11:

Male Last Names for Evil Characters

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The following last names sound dark and sinister, perfect for a killer, dictator, or other villainous character. If you need inspiration, you can always look up examples from horror movies, books, or history!^{[6]
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- Abaddon
- Baneblood
- Cromwell
- DeVille
- Draven
- Grayson
- Grendel
- Hargrave
- Harrow
- Hemlock
- Lestrange
- Lilith
- Lockwood
- Lucien
- Marwood
- Mortem
- Nightshade
- Nightsong
- Salvatore
- Severin

Section 9 of 11:

Male Last Names for Fantasy Characters

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Naming a character in a supernatural or fantastical world? Look no further! The following surnames are inspired by nature, mythology, and powerful elements:^{[7]
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- Adair
- Adelbert
- Aloysius
- Ashbluff
- Blackthorne
- Caldonia
- Crownshield
- Darkbane
- Darkmore
- Davenport
- Eldritch
- Griffin
- Hortensia
- Nightwing
- Oldenburg
- Raivette
- Ravencroft
- Selarion
- Silverthorn
- Windward

Section 10 of 11:

Male Last Names for Heroic Characters

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If your hero is brave, fearless, and unstoppable, you’ll want to pick a surname that embodies those characteristics. Here are some last names that sound strong and masculine:^{[8]
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- Airehart
- Archer
- Armstrong
- Atlas
- Bowie
- Durand
- Edison
- Falconer
- Freeman
- Grimshaw
- Hardie
- Kent
- King
- Knight
- Liberty
- Maverick
- Parker
- Patton
- Steele
- Wilde

Section 11 of 11:

How to Choose a Good Male Surname

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1
Consider the surname’s symbolism and meaning. A character’s name can reveal a lot about their background and personality, so try to choose one with an interesting meaning that relates to your story. You can look up a name online to see what it means, or use our last name generator for unlimited ideas!^{[9]
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Ensure that the first and last name flows well. Write the names down and say them aloud to see if they sound good together. Doing so can also help you figure out if it’s too long, difficult to pronounce, or hard to spell!^{[10]
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Follow the genre and location of the story. Your readers will probably make assumptions about your characters’ names based on the plot of the story. If you’re writing a story set in Kyoto, for example, you probably want to browse names in Japanese instead of other languages. Similarly, the time period can also indicate how modern or classic your surnames sound.^{[11]
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Reflect on your character’s traits and appearance. Are they the hero, the villain, the love interest, or the wise mentor? Consider the vibe and role of your character to pick a surname that suits them. If they have a heart of gold, you might want to go for something pure, soft, and sweet. If they’re trying to take over the world, you might choose something edgy, powerful, and dark.^{[12]
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