I’m curious as to what names you would maybe consider if it weren’t for the fact that they just don’t work with your last name! I knew someone whose favorite name for a boy was [name_m]Caleb[/name_m], but when she got married her last name was [name_m]Cable[/name_m] and then she couldn’t use [name_m]Caleb[/name_m] haha
For me, it would be:
[name_f]Claire[/name_f], [name_f]Clara[/name_f], or [name_f]Chloe[/name_f] for girls and [name_m]Cliff[/name_m] or [name_m]Clive[/name_m] for boys.
For me, it’s basically anything with an -er or -ar ending, which rules out a lot lol.
Same here. My last name ends in “er” and even hyphenated with my husband’s last name it sounds off.
My last name is pretty easy to work with except it’s 2 syllable ending in the -en sound so for my personal taste I wouldn’t pair a 2 syllable ends in -en first name. (If future kid had my last name I therefore wouldn’t chose [name_m]Nolan[/name_m]). I plan on keeping my last name even if I were to get married; I love my last name.
My SO’s last name (which we agree will be future kid’s last name) however is very challenging in my opinion. It is one syllable, starts with a hard C sound and ends in an S sound so I feel it eliminates A LOT of favorite boy names. I’m not a fan of alliteration so goodbye [name_u]Cameron[/name_u] and [name_m]Callum[/name_m], [name_m]Kellan[/name_m] and [name_u]Quinn[/name_u]. Certain one syllable names sound way too choppy with it (his reason for not liking [name_m]Grant[/name_m]), names ending with a hard C or K sound run into the last name (adios Blake), and names ending in S sound so hissy. I really liked [name_m]Lucas[/name_m] at one point but it sounds so crackling and lispy with his last name. At least our favorite name [name_m]Nolan[/name_m] works!
I am right there with you. Last name one syllable, starting with K.
I love [name_m]Duncan[/name_m], [name_m]Klaus[/name_m], [name_m]Cormac[/name_m]… not happening. There are so many more, but since I like those three, it stings not to be able to feasibly use them.
My last name is two syllables & starts with a long ‘I’ sound that’s the stressed syllable… Some of my favourite names are [name_f]Isla[/name_f], [name_f]Iris[/name_f], [name_f]Ivy[/name_f] (even have that one in my sig) - but they sound awful with my last name, not just repetitive sounds - but it sounds like a drunken slur. In general, many short names with a long ‘I’ sound pretty bad.
Thankfully, I’m open for changing my surname in marriage - so if that’s in my future I can still keep these names on my list 
Well I don’t know or can even dream of what my surname might be, but I don’t think any of my favourites work stylistically with my surname. It’s great for my name, but despite being very popular, it only really works with firsts of a certain origin. Of course if I don’t change my name (I won’t unless I get married) I’d just use the names I love anyway and deal with it. But sound wise pretty much any name beginning with M (or with lots of Ms) and/or ending in d is out, so definitely no [name_f]Marigold[/name_f] (:(), but to be honest it’s not too bad in terms of flow/sound for most of my favourites.
Names ending in a strong V sound, particularly with t/tt. For which reason, even though I love [name_f]Eve[/name_f] to bits, it just wouldn’t really work - and neither would [name_f]Violet[/name_f] (I think?) or [name_f]Genevieve[/name_f], though thankfully [name_f]Ginevra[/name_f]'s OK.
My fiancé’s last name is [name_m]German[/name_m] and both begins and ends with R so, anything with a harsh R sound is pretty much out for us. [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f], [name_f]Martha[/name_f], etc. have all been vetoed because of the R sounds. I think the only names with prominent R’s remaining for us are [name_f]Heather[/name_f], [name_f]Mallory[/name_f] and [name_f]Katherine[/name_f].
The first syllable is often pronounced like [name_u]Rue[/name_u] or [name_f]Rose[/name_f], depending on who you ask, so [name_u]Ruby[/name_u] and most [name_f]Rose[/name_f]-names are definitely out. It’s too bad, because we actually agreed on [name_f]Rosie[/name_f]. It could work, but it sounds slightly cartoonish.
Anything ending in a -dee sound for me, and as for my partner names ending in -ree
Honestly I’m lucky since I dont like any names like that other than [name_f]Sadie[/name_f]
A lot of my favourite names don’t go with Puddephatt. I know, it’s bad. I think [name_f]Jemima[/name_f] is the name that is definitely out, because of [name_f]Jemima[/name_f] Puddleduck. Not my absolute favourite, luckily. The good thing about being a writer is that I get a chance to use names with my characters’ last names, so I don’t have to rule them out.
Anything that starts with an R is ruled out, for me, unfortunately; which means no little [name_m]Rufus[/name_m]! Since my surname is so long (9 letters!) lengthy names are out of the question, too which means saying goodbye to [name_m]Maximiliano[/name_m], [name_m]Alexander[/name_m], [name_m]Sebastian[/name_m], [name_f]Henrietta[/name_f], [name_f]Cassandra[/name_f], [name_f]Persephone[/name_f], etc. It’s quite irritating, lol. Other names that I adore but absolutely do not flow with my last name are: [name_f]Blythe[/name_f], [name_f]Ireland[/name_f], [name_f]Florence[/name_f], [name_f]Olive[/name_f], [name_f]Edith[/name_f], [name_m]Forrest[/name_m], [name_m]Howell[/name_m], [name_m]Callaghan[/name_m], [name_m]Bo[/name_m] and [name_m]Ignatius[/name_m].
When I got married I thought have a more common easier last name would be nice, until I started thinking about naming a child. Many of the names I like don’t work with my last name as they’re too similar. E!!ison is even one of those names that people use as first names, which in itself doesn’t bother me. I love [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u], and [name_f]Eleanor[/name_f], and [name_f]Helen[/name_f], but they just sound crazy with the last name. Its sad cause [name_u]Evelyn[/name_u] is a first name hubby and I actually both like, one of very few so far. I would say no name ending in -on or -en, but it depends on the beginning of the name and its overall flow. My husband has a very common name from the 80s ending in -on and it never bothered him with the repeated sound.
We plan to hyphenate our last names. My surname is a trade name ending in -er, so names like [name_m]Cooper[/name_m], [name_u]Sawyer[/name_u], [name_m]Archer[/name_m], or even names that have that sound, such as [name_m]Jasper[/name_m], are out for me. SO’s surname is a common male given name (think [name_u]James[/name_u] or [name_m]Christopher[/name_m]), so that name or any variation/feminine form are non-starters.
One benefit to hyphenating names is that alliteration is less of an issue (i.e. I might avoid initials B.B., but B.B.-T. is fine). The other is that we can use virtually any first name without worrying about celebrities/infamous personalities having the same name.
I’m not a huge fan of alliteration, so most names starting with ‘M’ are out. Unfortunately, that eliminates [name_m]Milo[/name_m], which I adore. Also, names ending in an ‘ee’ sound, particularly the ‘see/zee’ sound, which my first name does ([name_u]Chelsea[/name_u]). haha So my first name and married last name are a disaster to me, but what can you do? My maiden name was rough too, but there are some days I wish I’d kept it. haha DH would have understood, but would have been quite disappointed if I hadn’t taken his name.
Our last name is a patronymic, so anything ending in -son is definitely out. Unfortunately some names that end in -en, -an, or -on also are out depending on pronunciation and emphasis. Anything related to the root of the patronymic is also out, so no [name_m]Robert[/name_m], [name_u]Robin[/name_u], etc., which is unfortunate as both are family names on my side.
Anything with a hard “A” sound, most one syllable first names, and anything that starts with a “ch” are definitely out for us.
Pretty much anything starting with a T or ending with an -N. [name_u]Theo[/name_u] is an exception(yea!!) since it doesn’t have the T sound. Bye bye [name_f]Tess[/name_f]/[name_f]Tessa[/name_f], [name_m]Turner[/name_m], [name_m]Tucker[/name_m], [name_u]Tyler[/name_u], [name_f]Tallulah[/name_f], [name_u]Teagan[/name_u], etc… I love lots of the “son” names- [name_u]Emerson[/name_u], [name_u]Hudson[/name_u], [name_m]Grayson[/name_m], [name_u]Mason[/name_u], etc… but all are out. I guess people may emphasize the ending of my last name a little differently but to me its too many "n"s.
My maiden name was soooo popular that if I used it, I could be more daring and use less common names.
My surname ends in “-son” so any first name ending in “-son” or “-n” doesn’t work. Below is a similar type of surname to show it doesn’t work.
[name_m]Harrison[/name_m] Asherson
[name_u]Madison[/name_u] Asherson
[name_m]Jackson[/name_m] Asherson
[name_u]Mason[/name_u] Asherson
[name_m]Jason[/name_m] Asherson
[name_u]Addison[/name_u] Asherson
[name_u]Emerson[/name_u] Asherson
[name_u]Hudson[/name_u] Asherson
[name_m]Greyson[/name_m] Asherson
Some sound ok, but the look of double -son throws me all off.
My fiancé has an occupation name as well which means we’ve also nixed all -er and -ar names from the list. No [name_m]Jasper[/name_m], no [name_m]Oliver[/name_m], no [name_u]Juniper[/name_u] for me. We also agreed on no F names (I don’t mind alliteration, but he wasn’t buying it), so bye-bye [name_f]Felicity[/name_f] and [name_m]Frederick[/name_m]. And I’ve taken out anything ending with F because it would smoosh with the last name. So no [name_m]Leif[/name_m], even though it wasn’t ever on the list to start.