100 Trendy Last Names
Names are rich with history, heritage, and identity — but they change over time as well.
As pop culture, global migration, and social trends continue to shape the world we live in, so do the last names that become increasingly popular.
With that in mind, the last names emerging as the most popular are also changing, and identified through viral buzz, cultural revival, or unique modernness.
Some last names appear to be shining brighter than they ever have before.
In this article we will explore the last names trending in 2025 and what those names can tell us about where we came from — and where we are going.
trending last Names
Smith – Metal worker
Taylor – Tailor
Brown – Derived from hair or skin color mi
Johnson – Son of John
Miller – Grain grinder
Walker – A fuller of cloth
Parker – Gamekeeper
Carter – Transporter of goods by cart
Cooper – Barrel maker
Wright – Craftsman or builde
O’Connor – Descendant of Conchobhar
Murphy – Sea warrior
Gallagher – Descendant of foreign helper
Doyle – Dark stranger
Kennedy – Ugly head (from “ceann” and “éidigh”)
McCarthy – Son of Carthach
Fitzgerald – Son of Gerald
Boyle – Vain pledge
Quinn – Wise or intelligent
MacLeod – Son of Leod
Garcia – Bear
Martinez – Son of Martin
Rodriguez – Son of Rodrigo
Hernandez – Son of Hernando
Lopez – Son of Lope (wolf)
Gonzalez – Son of Gonzalo
Perez – Son of Pedro
Torres – Towers
Ramirez – Son of Ramiro
Castillo – Castle
Dubois – From the woods
Lefevre – The craftsman
Moreau – Dark-skinned or swarthy
Chevalier – Knight
Garnier – Storehouse keeper
Fontaine – Fountain or spring
Marchand – Merchant
Durand – Enduring or steadfast
Blanc – White
Bernard – Brave as a bear
Rossi – Red-haired
Russo – Red or ruddy
Ferrari – Blacksmith
Romano – From Rome
Ricci – Curly-haired
Marino – Of the sea
Gallo – Rooster
De Luca – Son of Luca
Costa – Coast or slope
Bianchi – White
Meyer – Steward or bailiff
Schmidt – Smith
Weber – Weaver
Fischer – Fisherman
Becker – Baker
Hoffman – Steward or farm laborer
Schneider – Tailor
Keller – Cellar master
Lang – Tall
Wolf – Wolf (symbolic of strength)
Ivanov – Son of Ivan
Kowalski – Smith
Nowak – Newcomer
Petrov – Son of Peter
Volkov – Wolf
Sokolov – Falcon
Dmitriev – Son of Dmitri
Zielinski – Green (likely from a place name)
Kozlov – Goat
Baranov – Ram
Haddad – Blacksmith
Khan – Ruler or leader
Malik – King
Farouk – One who distinguishes right from wrong
Jabari – Brave
Saidi – Happy or fortunate
Darwish – Devotee or spiritual
Nazari – Theorist or observer
Abbasi – Descendant of Abbas
Shahidi – Witness
Kim (Korean) – Gold
Lee (Korean/Chinese) – Plum
Park (Korean) – Gourd
Wang (Chinese) – King
Zhang (Chinese) – Archer
Liu (Chinese) – Willow
Chen (Chinese) – Morning
Tanaka (Japanese) – Central rice field
Yamamoto (Japanese) – Base of the mountain
Sato (Japanese) – Help + wisteria
Okoro (Igbo) – Child
Mensah (Ghanaian) – Third born
Abebe (Ethiopian) – Flowering or flourishing
Ndlovu (Zulu) – Elephant
Adebayo (Yoruba) – The crown meets joy
Osei (Akan) – Noble or king
Mwangi (Kikuyu) – Rapid expansion
Toure (West African) – Elephant
Diallo (Fula) – Bold or brave
Bakari (Swahili) – One who will succeed
