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. Raven Minyard received her BA in English and Creative Writing from Sweet Briar College in 2020. While in college, she served as the Coeditor-in-Chief of Sweet Briar's literary magazine Red Clay and has since gone on to write for publications such as The Zillennial Zine and Halloween Every Night. Raven recalls reading articles from wikiHow's early days during her childhood and is thrilled to now write for their content team. She enjoys learning about new interests and topics with each article she writes and hopes to help audiences of all backgrounds continue to learn new and exciting things.
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If you’re naming a fictional character (or choosing a new name for yourself), the surname is just as important as the first name. If you’re looking for a last name beginning with B, we’ve got you covered. We’ve compiled a list of both popular and rare surnames , and if you still can’t find what you’re looking for, try out our name generator for more personalized options.
Common Surnames That Start with B
- Bailey
- Baker
- Bell
- Bennett
- Bishop
- Black
Steps
Popular Last Names That Start with B
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Keep things simple with a common last name. If you live in America, England, or another predominantly English-speaking country, there’s a good chance you’ve met someone with one of these surnames. Here are some of the most common last names that start with B: [1] X Research source
- Bailey (French and English for “berry clearing, bailiff”)
- Baker (English, occupational name for “baker”)
- Barber (French and English, occupational name for “barber”)
- Barker (English, occupational name for someone who tans leather)
- Barnes (English for “lives or works near a barn”)
- Barrett (Norman and English for “warlike”)
- Bates (English for “son of Bartholomew”)
- Baxter (English for “baker”)
- Bell (Germanic, English, and French for “bell ringer” or “handsome”)
- Bennett (Latin and English for “blessed”)
- Benson (English for “son of Ben”)
- Berry (Germanic, English, and French for “fortified manor house, stronghold”)
- Bird (English, after the animal)
- Bishop (Latin and English for “overseer, guardian”)
- Black (English, a descriptive name for someone with dark hair or a dark complexion)
- Bond (English for “farmer, husbandman”)
- Booth (Norman for “dwelling, shelter”)
- Bowen (Welsh for “son of Owen”)
- Brooks (English and German for “dweller by the brook, small stream”)
- Brown (English for “brown-haired” or “brown-skinned”)
- Bryant (English for “honorable, virtuous”)
- Burgess (English and French for “freeman of a borough”)
- Burke (English and French for “fortress”)
- Burton (English for “fortified settlement”)
- Butler (French and English for “bottle bearer, wine steward”)
Rare & Uncommon Last Names That Start with B
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Choose a surname that’s less common in English-speaking countries. While some of these names may be popular in their country of origin, you may not have heard them before if you live in a predominantly English-speaking area. If you’re naming a character, try to choose a name from their culture. Here are some examples:
- Baab (Arabic for “door, gate,” German for “father”)
- Babiarz (Polish for “womanizer”)
- Babineaux (French, a diminutive of “Babin”)
- Babwah (Indian, potentially derived from “baba,” meaning “father”)
- Baca (Spanish, a variant of “vaca,” which means “cow”)
- Baena (Spanish for “from Baena”)
- Baitz (German, occupational name for a tanner)
- Baltra (Spanish for “flat, low-lying land”)
- Barroso (Spanish and Portuguese for “muddy, earthy”)
- Bedoya (Spanish for “pasture, grazing”)
- Beeghly (German for “small hill”)
- Benoit (French for “blessed”) [2] X Research source
- Beslow (English for “relating to a small dwelling or settlement”)
- Billich (German for “proper, appropriate”)
- Bordash (Hungarian for “weaver, someone who makes looms”)
- Bosquez (Spanish for “forest, woodland”)
- Benzel (German for “son of Benz”)
- Bromage (English for “settlement in the broom”)
- Broomall (English for “a nook where broom grows”)
- Brophy (Irish for “descendant of Bróth”)
- Brownsword (English for “polished sword”)
- Buczynski (Polish for “from Buczyn or Buczyna”)
- Buddemeyer (German for “tenant farmer”)
- Byrnside (English for “near the hillside”)
- Bywaters (English for “by the water”)
How to Pick a Last Name
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1Consider the name’s origins and meaning. Whether you’re naming a fictional character or choosing a new last name for yourself, it’s important to do your research. Consider your or your character’s cultural background, and choose a name from that culture to honor your (or their) heritage. Look up what the name means, too, if you want a name that reflects certain traits.
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2Write it down and say it aloud. Write your chosen surname down next to your first and middle name to see how it looks. This can help you make sure the name is easy to spell, as well as help you avoid any potentially embarrassing initials. Then, say the full name out loud to make sure it flows well together and is easy to pronounce.
Last Names that Start with B Generator
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Explore unique and traditional last names beginning with the letter 'B'Whatever makes you want to find a "B" last name, we’ve got you covered! Choose a place of origin, how common the name is, and input the theme to receive a list instantly. Alternatively, choose any option by itself or none of the above and our generator will take care of the rest.
- All fields are optional.See ad toOops, that isn’t a valid entry!Oops! You need to fill out at least one field.Oops, please put your answer in the field.Response failed. Please try again.Retry
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