Cool Names That End in Er

Updated Tue Jul 11 2023

Cool names, like cool kids, tend to come with a crowd. These stylish in-groups share a certain something – a hot initial, a trending origin, a fashionable sound. And one of the coolest crowds of all in recent years is the names that end in er.

Blame it on Jennifer and Christopher. What those two transcendently popular names have in common is their energetic ending, which launched a name sound that holds a lot of appeal to the contemporary ear.

There are dozens of cool boy names ending in er, along with a growing number of stylish choices for girls. Some of these are traditional first names but more are dynamic surname names or punchy modern word names.

Here, a roundup of some of our favorite energetic baby names that end in er.

Cool Boy Names Ending in Er

The most popular boy names ending in er in the US are Oliver, Alexander, Asher, Carter, Cooper, Christopher, Walker, Parker and Xavier. All rank in the Top 100 boy names for 2022.

This crowd of cool boy names provides a good snapshot of the most common categories of names that end in er. These include ancient names deriving from Greek or Latin, Biblical names, nature names and surname names.

Below are some of the best lesser-used boy names that belong to one or more of these categories, from fashionable favorites like River and Sawyer, to uncommon options like Evander and Topher.

Cool Girl Names Ending in Er

Girl names ending in er are led in the US by Harper – the only er-ending option in the current Top 100. Following them are Piper, Juniper, Parker, Esther, River, Summer and Ember, which all make the Top 200.

The -er ending sound feels especially fresh and cool for girls, since traditionally there have been many more boy names that end this way. It’s part of what made previous generations’ “cool girl” names Jennifer, Heather, Amber and Taylor (same sound, slightly different spelling) into such big hits.

Today, the pool of girl names that end in -er is wider than ever, and includes word names, nature names, surnames, vintage names and names from myth and legend.

Here are some of the coolest girl names ending in er below the Top 100.

Stylish Surnames Ending in Er

One of the most prolific categories of baby names ending in er for both sexes – but especially for boys – is the occupational surnames.

Top 100 names Carter, Cooper, Harper, Parker and Walker all belong in this cool crowd, but there are many more unusual options to consider if you love that peppy, preppy -er ending sound.

You could even look to honor cultural, sporting or intellectual heroes by way of their stylish surname names, such as Booker T. Washington, Willa Cather, M.C. Escher or Helen Keller.

Find a broad selection of the best uncommon and unique er ending surnames below.

Edgy Names Ending in Er

A growing subset of the er names are edgy surnames and modern word names that convey a highly charged, super-macho image.

Hunter, Ryder, Archer, Ryker, Gunner and Wilder are the most popular examples in the US right now – all among the Top 400 boy names. But other, even wilder, options could include the following cool names.

About the Author

Emma Waterhouse

Emma Waterhouse joined the team in 2017, writing about everything from the top baby name trends 2023 to how not to choose the next big baby name. As Nameberry's head moderator, she also helps to keep our active forums community ticking.

Emma's articles on names and naming trends have been featured in publications including the Huffington Post, People, Today's Parent, Fatherly, and Good Housekeeping.

A linguist by background, Emma speaks several languages and lives in England's smallest county with her husband and four young children. You can reach her at emma@nameberry.com.

View all of Emma Waterhouse's articles