Last names as first names.

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I'm not currently expecting so this is more of a discussion than anything specific.

I've always like liked the name 'Jackson' as a first name but most people see it as a last name. I can't think of any other last names that would suit first names. I know that any name is potentially a last name but I'd be interested to know what you reckon of names that would suit?

I've met a couple of MacKenzie's.

I like a couple of surname names but most I'm not a fan of. Don't particularly like Jackson but it's inoffensive!

Spencer
Cooper
Daley
Scott
Darren
Harvey
Innes
George
Ambrose
Amos

Oh I know a Jackson.
Flynn and Rafferty seem popular enough round here - they scream surname to me but I am Irish.

Well, it's hated on mumsnet, but I don't mind it. I have a son called Franklin, which could definitely fall into the surname category but is actually a very old first name. And of the three American presidents called Franklin, two had it as a first name and only one as a surname!

Duffy and Hayden

I'm surrounded by surnames for first names but I don't live in the UK and it's far more popular here.

I also have a Carter and a Sullivan - husband has a very Scottish surname for a firstname, and my brother was Spencer.

DS1 school friends are, amongst others, Huxley, Fletcher, Flynn, Lachlan, Lincoln, Cooper, Hudson, Jackson (and on and on and on).

I like surnames for first names clearly, they interest me more than the Victorian or old man names.

Thomas, James, Edward, Alexander... All perfectly acceptable first or surnames.

Cole
Harrison
Archer
Wallace
Carson
Connor
Bailey
Morgan
Fraser
Riley
Ashley
Mason
Cameron
Taylor
Tyler
Ellis
Blake

Billy Connolly had a stand-up routine where he referred to 'the Surname Clan', (mainly) males who worked for BBC Scotland haha! Guys who wore tartan shirts with names such as Campbell, Murray, Cameron, Fraser etc.

I've taught a Blair, Finlay and Finn, all girls!

I like them in theory, but it depends what they are paired with. Unfortunately a surname- sounding first name plus my surname always sounds like a firm of surburban solicitors.

Surnames as first names are really popular in the country I live in - I think it's only the UK that has issues with it.
These are some of the ones that are in the top 100 here:
Mason
Hunter
Cooper
Carter
Jackson
Blake
Braxton
Harrison
Lincoln
Connor
Flynn
Ryder
Ashton
Archer
Fletcher
Grayson
Hudson
Nixon
Quinn
Harvey

I toyed with Clarke for a while for ds1

And I know of a little girl called Quinn (mothers maiden name)

I just realised a while back that 3 out of my 5 boys have Surnames as First names.

Bailey
Morgan
Heath
Taylor
Cole
Clarke
Cooper
Carter
Ellis
Mason
Landon

I would've loved to use the name Jackson for a boy as its my DM's maiden name. However it didn't go with our surname (also ends in "son") so it was a no go. I think it's lovely.

I absolutely detest surnames as first names. They make my blood boil (sorry, getting slightly carried away on the topic!). In particular I can't understand the trend for using very common Irish surnames as first names. Why are bog standard, totally boring names like Flynn, Fallon, Quinn etc now "trendy" if they're used as first names?!

Sorry, OP I haven't even answered your question. I'll stop now...

I know a family with a Jackson and a McCarthy.

Overall I really like last names as first names for boys. They're typically quite strong, masculine names. Out of them, there are some which I really like (Harrison, Harvey, Dawson) and some which I really don't like (Cole, Cooper) but these are based on name preferences within the group rather rhan a blanket generalisation. There are many boys names in wide use as noted above which are common surnames... Stuart, James, Alexander so it's very difficult to have a strong view on not using last names in their entirety.

Elliot screams surname to me though it seems v popular on MN at the mo.

Elliot seems very surnamey to me too.

there are loads of "normal" first names that are also surnames, a name is a name! Jackson is nice, I know two kids called this, both under 2.

When working in Brazil, I met twins called Jefferson and Jackson - actually really like them.

One of my friends had a 'rule' when he and his partner were expecting that the name must not be a surname. It was really annoying my other friend (the partner) because almost every name she came up with (esp for boys) he could show had been a surname to someone somewhere.

But commonly thought of surnames that I like as names are:

Girls:
Addison, Bailey, Colby, Madison, Mackenzie, Mackenna, Taylor, Sutton, Quinn, Kendall, London, May, Kennedy, Morgan

Boys:
Austin, Ashton, Bailey, Brogan, Blair, Blake, Carter, Christian, Cole, Ellis, Fitch, Flynn, Gray, Harris, Harrison, Hunter, Logan, Lennox, Mason, Morgan, Owen, Parker, Spencer