One word is all you need to make a powerful statement, and these one-syllable last names prove that quite often less is more. Check out these lists of one-syllable last names that pack a whole lot of punch in one short word. We have hand-picked lists of the top one-syllable names for your every need and character.
What are One-Syllable Last Names?
A one-syllable last name is a last name that only contains a single-syllable. One-syllable last names are quite common throughout the world, and in some cultures, one-syllable surnames are the norm, for example, in Vietnam, Japan, and China. Shorter last names in these cultures can hold significant meanings. Languages like Chinese and Japanese have written scripts that can express elaborate ideas and concepts within a single-syllable last name. There are no limitations to what one-syllable last names can mean, or what kind of impression they can leave on others.
Whether you’re looking for a one-syllable last name to speed up introductions, or you’re looking for a new last name that will pack the most strength with the smallest number of characters, we’ve got you covered. Start with our top one-syllable names for some instant inspiration, followed by our lists of one-syllable names ordered by category.
Top 100 One-Syllable Last Names
Here you will find the most popular one-syllable last names in the United States, sorted in order of popularity. These last names are short, sharp and to the point.
- Smith
- Jones
- Lee
- Clark
- Young
- King
- Wright
- Scott
- Hall
- Cruz
- Reed
- Kim
- Ward
- Brooks
- James
- Gray
- Hughes
- Price
- Bell
- West
- Cole
- Hayes
- Ford
- Wells
- Webb
- Shaw
- Hunt
- Holmes
- Boyd
- Rose
- Stone
- Fox
- Mills
- Payne
- Grant
- Dunn
- Pierce
- Hart
- Knight
- Lane
- Ray
- George
- Burke
- Dean
- Reid
- Park
- Banks
- Walsh
- May
- Wade
- Bates
- Beck
- Rhodes
- Parks
- Steele
- Vaughn
- Holt
- Hale
- Miles
- Wolfe
- Mann
- Page
- Love
- Chang
- Lin
- Paul
- Blair
- Cross
- Quinn
- Chan
- Gill
- Doyle
- Reese
- Blake
- Tate
- Mack
- Wolf
- Rowe
- Wise
- Clarke
- Frank
- Floyd
- Gibbs
- Lloyd
- Flynn
- Yates
- Brock
- Charles
- Drake
- Cain
- Nash
- Briggs
- Greer
- Lam
- Kirk
- Boone
- Bruce
- Roy
- York
- Hodge
Unique One-Syllable Last Names
In this list, you will find unique one-syllable names. These last names are distinctive because they are distinctive and statistically uncommon. Check out this list if you are looking for a one-syllable last name with a twist.
- Ash
- Bach
- Bear
- Blue
- Blythe
- Boyce
- Brant
- Cade
- Cash
- Chance
- Chase
- Dell
- Drew
- Finn
- Flint
- Gage
- Gates
- Grace
- Gregg
- Grey
- Guy
- Haines
- Hawk
- Hope
- Jack
- Jay
- Jean
- Jett
- Joy
- Juan
- Judge
- Kay
- Keefe
- Kent
- Kern
- Kerr
- Kruse
- Kurtz
- Kyle
- Lake
- Lea
- Link
- Luke
- Mark
- Mead
- Mei
- Muir
- Myles
- Neil
- Ness
- Nye
- Oakes
- Paige
- Pearl
- Penn
- Queen
- Rand
- Reece
- Rees
- Rey
- Ridge
- Rock
- Roe
- Royal
- Ruth
- Sage
- Sam
- Saul
- Shane
- Shay
- Slade
- Sloan
- Storm
- Teague
- Tripp
- Troy
- Vail
- Van
- Wren
Cool One-Syllable Last Names
These last names don’t need too many letters to express their style. Here is our list of the coolest one-syllable last names that make an immediate impression.
- Benz
- Buck
- Case
- Duke
- East
- France
- Gold
- Locke
- Lord
- Mace
- North
- Oaks
- Paz
- Son
- Starr
- Steel
- Swift
- Thorne
- Tuck
- Worth
Cute One-Syllable Last Names
These one-syllable last names are the cutest we could find and are perfect for adorable characters.
- Birch
- Bliss
- Bloom
- Bray
- Brice
- Bright
- Britt
- Cass
- Crews
- Finch
- Fitch
- Frey
- Gale
- Hays
- John
- Joyce
- Layne
- Luce
- Lyle
- Moon
- Peace
- Prince
- Ralph
- Shea
- Snow
- Tan
- Vick
- Wynn
- Wynne
Badass One-Syllable Last Names
A badass should introduce themselves with boldness. We’ve gathered the toughest one-syllable names on this list.
- Bolt
- Boss
- Bull
- Cage
- Clay
- Dodge
- Edge
- Jin
- Kane
- Knox
- Pace
- Ram
- Rush
- Teal
- Thorn
Rare One-Syllable Last Names
One-syllable last names aren’t uncommon, but the ones on this list certainly are. This list contains some of the rarest one-syllable last names used worldwide.
- Ashe
- Berg
- Booth
- Brandt
- Byrne
- Cai
- Chi
- Clem
- Free
- Grier
- Han
- Ives
- Jobe
- Lei
- Leigh
- Noe
- Poe
- Priest
- Skyy
- Song
- Spence
- Spring
- Swann
- Sweet
- Thai
- Vann
Old Fashioned One-Syllable Last Names
One-syllable last names are not a new phenomenon, and these old-fashioned one-syllable last names are great for classic and vintage characters.
- Carl
- Coy
- Earl
- Fay
- Gayle
- Glenn
- Hoyt
- Keith
- Lance
- Linn
- Morse
- Niles
- Redd
- Riggs
- Stuart
- Vaughan
See more Old Fashioned Last Names
Strong One-Syllable Last Names
These one-syllable last names exude power and resilience. These are the strongest one-syllable last names fit for the strongest of characters.
- Baird
- Bess
- Bond
- Brent
- Duff
- Ernst
- Fitz
- Forbes
- Franz
- Fritz
- Heath
- Hyde
- Judd
- Kaye
- Keane
- Keen
- Kemp
- Ladd
- Laird
- Law
- Marx
- Moe
- Stark
- Trent
- Vance
- Voss
- Will
- Wills
- Witt
Random Last Name Generator
Our last name generator will give you ideas for last names. Add your first name and select a theme to find a surname.
→ See the Last Name Generator
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Famous People with One-Syllable Last Names
Nicolas Cage was born in California in 1964 under the name Nicolas Coppola. The Coppola family is filled with renowned actors and filmmakers and Cage himself has extensive filmography. He adopted the one-syllable last name Cage from both the Marvel hero Luke Cage and American Composer John Cage. The surname Cage comes from an Old French word meaning ‘enclosure’.
Emma Stone was born in Arizona in 1988. She is a renowned actress on both television and film and has been featured on Time Magazine’s list of the top 100 most influential people. The family name Stone is of Middle English origin and means ‘stone rock’. It likely referred to people who lived on stony land.
Jackie Chan was born in Hong Kong in 1954 under the name Chan Kong-sang. He is a renowned actor and martial artist who is famous for doing his own stunts. Chinese name meanings depend on the characters used to write them. The last name Chan is written as ‘capable’ in Chinese.
John Wayne was born in Iowa in 1907 under the name Marion Robert Morrison. He was an actor who first performed in the 1920s but is best known for his Western roles during the 1960s. His stage name was partially inspired by Revolutionary War General Anthony Wayne. Wayne is an Old English surname meaning ‘wagon builder’ or ‘wagon driver’.
Brad Pitt was born in Oklahoma in 1963. He is a prominent actor who has earned several prestigious awards for his work. Pitt was an Old English word, pytt, which means ‘pit’, and was used for people from low-lying or pitted areas.
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