Names Categorized "occupations"

This is a list of names in which the categories include occupations.
gender
usage
​
Archer m English
From an English surname meaning "bowman, archer", of Old French origin. Although already slowly growing in popularity, this name accelerated its rise after the premiere of the American television series Archer in 2009.
Bailey m & f English
From an English surname derived from Middle English baili meaning "bailiff", originally denoting one who was a bailiff.... [more]
Baptist m German
German form of Baptiste. It is often paired with the name Johann, in honour of Saint John the Baptist.
Baptista m Late Roman
Latin form of Baptiste.
Baptiste m French
Means "baptist" in French, originally deriving from Greek βάπτω (bapto) meaning "to dip". This name is usually given in honour of Saint John the Baptist, and as such it is often paired with the name Jean.
Battista m Italian
Italian form of Baptiste.
Bautista m Spanish
Spanish form of Baptiste.
Baxter m English
From an occupational surname that meant "(female) baker", from Old English bæcere and a feminine agent suffix.
Bishop m English
Either from the English occupational surname, or else directly from the English word. It is ultimately derived from Greek ἐπίσκοπος (episkopos) meaning "overseer".
Booker m English
From an English occupational surname meaning "maker of books". A famous bearer was Booker T. Washington (1856-1915), an African-American leader.
Bridger m English (Modern)
From an English surname that originally indicated a person who lived near or worked on a bridge.
Cannon m English
From an English surname, which was derived from Middle English canon, referring to a church official or servant who worked in a clergy house. This name may also be used in reference to the vocabulary word for the large gun, derived from Italian cannone "large tube", from Latin canna "cane, reed".
Carter m English
From an English surname that meant "one who uses a cart". A famous bearer of the surname is former American president Jimmy Carter (1924-).
Carver m English (Rare)
From an English surname that meant "wood carver".
Cash m English
From an English occupational surname for a box maker, derived from Norman French casse meaning "case", from Latin capsa. It coincides with the English word cash meaning "money" (derived from the same French and Latin roots). A famous bearer of the surname was American musician Johnny Cash (1932-2003).
Chandler m & f English
From an occupational surname that meant "candle seller" or "candle maker" in Middle English, ultimately from Latin candela via Old French. It surged in popularity after the 1994 debut of the American sitcom Friends, featuring a character by this name.
Clark m English
From an English surname meaning "cleric" or "scribe", from Old English clerec originally meaning "priest". A famous bearer of the surname was William Clark (1770-1838), an explorer of the west of North America. As a first name it was borne by the American actor Clark Gable (1901-1960), as well as the comic book character Clark Kent, the mild-mannered alter ego of Superman, first created 1938.
Colter m English (Modern)
From an English surname that was originally given to a keeper of horses, derived from Middle English colt.
Cooper m English
From a surname meaning "barrel maker", from Middle English couper.
Cordell m English
From an English surname meaning "maker of cord" or "seller of cord" in Middle English.
Crew m English (Modern)
Either from a surname that was derived from the English town of Crewe (from Old Welsh criu meaning "weir"), or from the English vocabulary word for a group of people.
Csaba m Hungarian
Possibly means either "shepherd" or "gift" in Hungarian. According to legend this was the name of a son of Attila the Hun.
Custódia f Portuguese
Portuguese feminine form of Custodio.
Custodia f Spanish
Feminine form of Custodio.
Custódio m Portuguese
Portuguese form of Custodio.
Custodio m Spanish
Means "guardian" in Spanish, from Latin custodia "protection, safekeeping".
Deacon m English (Modern)
Either from the occupational surname Deacon or directly from the vocabulary word deacon, which refers to a cleric in the Christian church (ultimately from Greek διάκονος (diakonos) meaning "servant").
Dean m English
From a surname, see Dean 1 and Dean 2. The actor James Dean (1931-1955) was a famous bearer of the surname.
Deemer m English (Rare)
From an English and Scottish surname meaning "judge", from Old English demere.
Democritus m Ancient Greek (Latinized)
Latinized form of Δημόκριτος (Demokritos), a Greek name meaning "judge of the people" from the elements δῆμος (demos) meaning "the people" and κριτής (krites) meaning "judge, critic". This was the name of a Greek philosopher, the creator of the atomic theory.
Demokritos m Ancient Greek
Greek form of Democritus.
Dexter m English
From an occupational surname meaning "one who dyes" in Old English. It also coincides with the Latin word dexter meaning "right-handed, skilled".
Durward m English
From an occupational surname meaning "door guard" in Middle English.
Eochaidh m Medieval Irish
From the Old Irish name Eochaid meaning "horseman", derived from ech "horse". This name was borne by many historical and legendary Irish kings.
Fabrice m French
French form of the Roman family name Fabricius, which was derived from Latin faber meaning "craftsman". Gaius Fabricius Luscinus was a 3rd-century BC Roman general and statesman.
Faizel m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic فيصل (see Faysal).
Faris m Arabic, Bosnian, Malay, Indonesian
Means "horseman, knight" in Arabic.
Faysal m Arabic, Turkish, Bengali, Urdu
Means "a judge, arbiter" in Arabic.
Ferrer m Various
From a surname that meant "blacksmith" in Catalan. This name is often given in honour of Saint Vicente Ferrer, a 14th-century missionary who is the patron saint of builders.
Figaro m Literature
Created by playwright Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais for the central character in his plays The Barber of Seville (1775), The Marriage of Figaro (1784) and The Guilty Mother (1792). Beaumarchais may have based the character's name on the French phrase fils Caron meaning "son of Caron", which was his own nickname and would have been pronounced in a similar way. In modern French the word figaro has acquired the meaning "barber", reflecting the character's profession.
Fisher m English
From an English surname meaning "fisherman".
Fletcher m English
From a surname meaning "maker of arrows" in Middle English, ultimately from Old French flechier.
Foster 1 m English
From an English surname that has several different origins: see Foster 1, Foster 2, Foster 3 and Foster 4.
Gage m English (Modern)
From an English surname of Old French origin meaning either "measure", originally denoting one who was an assayer, or "pledge", referring to a moneylender. It was popularized as a given name by a character from the book Pet Sematary (1983) and the subsequent movie adaptation (1989).
Garnet 2 m & f English
From an English surname that either referred to a person who made hinges (Old French carne) or was derived from the Norman name Guarin.
George m English, Romanian, Indian (Christian)
From the Greek name Γεώργιος (Georgios), which was derived from the Greek word γεωργός (georgos) meaning "farmer, earthworker", itself derived from the elements γῆ (ge) meaning "earth" and ἔργον (ergon) meaning "work". Saint George was a 3rd-century Roman soldier from Cappadocia who was martyred during the persecutions of Emperor Diocletian. Later legends describe his defeat of a dragon, with which he was often depicted in medieval art.... [more]
Georgeanna f English
Variant of Georgiana.
Georgene f English
Variant of Georgine.
Georgette f French
French feminine form of George.
Georgia f English, Greek
Latinate feminine form of George. This is the name of an American state, which was named after the British king George II. The country of Georgia has an unrelated etymology. A famous bearer was the American painter Georgia O'Keeffe (1887-1986).
Georgiana f English, Romanian
Feminine form of George. This form of the name has been in use in the English-speaking world since the 18th century.
Georgianna f English
Variant of Georgiana.
Georgina f English, Spanish, Hungarian
Feminine form of George.
Georgine f French
French feminine form of George.
Gerlach m Dutch (Rare), Germanic
Derived from the Old German element ger "spear" combined with (possibly) lahhi "doctor, healer". Saint Gerlach was a 12th-century Dutch soldier who became a hermit.
Gilleasbuig m Scottish Gaelic
Means "servant of the bishop", from Scottish Gaelic gille "servant" and easbuig "bishop", from Greek ἐπίσκοπος (episkopos). It was often Anglicized as Gillespie or Archibald (with which it has no obvious connection).
Gilroy m English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, either Mac Giolla Ruaidh, which means "son of the red-haired servant", or Mac Giolla Rí, which means "son of the king's servant".
Gobán m Irish (Rare)
From Old Irish Gobbán, derived from gobae "smith" and a diminutive suffix. It could also be a derivative of the name of the Irish smith god Goibniu (from the same root). This was the name of a few early saints, such as a 7th-century abbot of Killamery. In later folklore, the smith god and the saints seem to have conflated into the legendary figure Gobán Saor ("Gobán the builder"), a master architect and builder of churches.
Gobannos m Gaulish Mythology
From old Celtic *goban meaning "smith". This was the name of a scantily attested Gaulish smith god.
Gobbán m Old Irish
Old Irish form of Gobán.
Gobnait f Irish
Feminine form of Gobán. This was the name of a 6th-century Irish saint, the founder of a monastery at Ballyvourney.
Gobnat f Old Irish
Old Irish form of Gobnait.
Gobnata f History (Ecclesiastical)
Latinate form of Gobnait.
Gobnet f Irish (Rare)
Anglicized form of Gobnait.
Gofannon m Welsh Mythology
From Welsh gof meaning "smith". This was the name of a smith in Welsh legends. He is possibly a later development of an earlier Celtic god (seen also in Gaulish Gobannos and Irish Goibniu).
Grayson m English (Modern)
From an English surname meaning "son of the steward", derived from Middle English greyve "steward". It became common towards the end of the 20th century because of its similarity to popular names like Jason, Mason and Graham.
Grosvenor m English (Rare)
From an English surname that meant "great hunter" in Norman French.
Gunner m English (Modern)
English variant of Gunnar, influenced by the vocabulary word gunner.
Harith m Arabic, Malay
Means "plowman, cultivator" in Arabic.
Harper f & m English
From an English surname that originally belonged to a person who played or made harps (Old English hearpe). A notable bearer was the American author Harper Lee (1926-2016), who wrote To Kill a Mockingbird. It rapidly gained popularity in the 2000s and 2010s, entering the American top ten for girls in 2015.
Heilyn m Welsh Mythology
Means "winebearer, dispenser" in Welsh. According to the Second Branch of the Mabinogi he was one of only seven warriors to return from Brân's invasion of Ireland.
Howard m English
From an English surname that can derive from several different sources: the Anglo-Norman given name Huard, which was from the Germanic name Hughard; the Anglo-Scandinavian given name Haward, from the Old Norse name Hávarðr; or the Middle English term ewehirde meaning "ewe herder". This is the surname of a British noble family, members of which have held the title Duke of Norfolk from the 15th century to the present. A famous bearer of the given name was the American industrialist Howard Hughes (1905-1976).
Hunter m & f English
From an English occupational surname for a hunter, derived from Old English hunta. A famous bearer was the eccentric American journalist Hunter S. Thompson (1937-2005).
Jagger m English (Modern)
From an English surname meaning "carter, peddler". It is used as a given name in honour of the British musician Mick Jagger (1943-), the lead vocalist of the Rolling Stones.
Justice m & f English
From an occupational surname meaning "judge, officer of justice" in Old French. This name can also be given in direct reference to the English word justice.
Kahina f Berber
Derived from Arabic الكاهنة (al-Kāhina) meaning "the diviner, the fortuneteller". This was a title applied to the 7th-century Berber queen Dihya, who resisted the Arab expansion into North Africa.
Kannon 2 m English (Modern)
Variant of Cannon.
Kavi m Hindi
From a title for a poet, meaning "wise man, sage, poet" in Sanskrit.
Kiefer m English (Modern)
From a German surname meaning either "pine tree" or "barrel maker".
Lady f Spanish (Latin American)
From the English noble title Lady, derived from Old English hlæfdige, originally meaning "bread kneader". This name grew in popularity in Latin America after the marriage of Diana Spencer, known as Lady Di, to Prince Charles in 1981 and her death in 1997.
Laoghaire m Irish
Modern Irish form of Lóegaire.
Leary m Irish (Rare)
Anglicized form of Laoghaire.
Lemoine m English (Rare)
From a French surname meaning "the monk" in French.
Lóegaire m Irish Mythology, Old Irish
Means "calf herder", derived from Old Irish lóeg "calf". In Irish legend Lóegaire Búadach was an Ulster warrior. He saved the life of the poet Áed, but died in the process. This was also the name of several Irish high kings.
Mainchín m Irish
Means "little monk", derived from Old Irish manach "monk" combined with a diminutive suffix. This name was borne by two early saints.
Marine f French, Armenian, Georgian
French, Armenian and Georgian form of Marina.
Marshall m English
From an English surname that originally denoted a person who was a marshal. The word marshal originally derives from Latin mariscalcus, itself from Germanic roots akin to Old High German marah "horse" and scalc "servant". A famous bearer is the American rapper Marshall Mathers (1972-), who performs under the name Eminem.
Mason m English
From an English surname (or vocabulary word) meaning "stoneworker", derived from an Old French word of Frankish origin (akin to Old English macian "to make"). In the United States this name began to increase in popularity in the 1980s, likely because of its fashionable sound. It jumped in popularity after 2009 when Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick gave it to their son, as featured on their reality show Keeping Up with the Kardashians in 2010. It peaked as the second most popular name for boys in 2011.
Masterman m English (Rare)
From an English surname that originally belonged to a person who worked as a servant.
Millard m English
From an occupational English surname meaning "guardian of the mill" in Old English.
Miller m & f English
From an English occupational surname for a miller, derived from Middle English mille "mill".
Minali f Hindi
Means "fish catcher" in Sanskrit.
Muirchertach m Old Irish
Means "mariner" in Irish. This was the name of a 6th-century Irish high king.
Mukami f Kikuyu
Possibly means "the one who milks the cows" in Kikuyu.
Napier m English (Rare)
From an English and Scots surname meaning "linen keeper" in Middle English, from Old French nappe "table cloth".
Neely m & f English (Rare)
From a Scottish surname, an Anglicized and reduced form of Gaelic Mac an Fhilidh (or McNeilly) meaning "son of the poet".
Ozan m Turkish
Means "bard, poet" in Turkish.
Paget f & m English (Rare)
From a French and English surname that meant "little page" (see Paige).
Paige f English
From an English surname meaning "servant, page" in Middle English. It is ultimately derived (via Old French and Italian) from Greek παιδίον (paidion) meaning "little boy".... [more]
Pan m Greek Mythology
Possibly from the Indo-European root *peh- meaning "shepherd, protect". In Greek mythology Pan was a half-man, half-goat god associated with shepherds, flocks and pastures.
Parker m & f English
From an English occupational surname that meant "keeper of the park".
Pastor m Spanish, Late Roman
From a Late Latin name meaning "shepherd". This was the name of at least three saints.
Pastora f Spanish
Feminine form of Pastor.
Piper f English (Modern)
From an English surname that was originally given to a person who played on a pipe (a flute). It was popularized as a given name by a character from the television series Charmed, which debuted in 1998.
Porter m English
From an occupational English surname meaning "doorkeeper", ultimately from Old French porte "door", from Latin porta.
Rearden m English (Rare)
From an Irish surname, a variant of Riordan.
Rémi m French
Variant of Rémy.
Remigio m Italian, Spanish
Italian and Spanish form of Remigius (see Rémy).
Remigius m Late Roman
Latin form of Rémy.
Remigiusz m Polish
Polish form of Remigius (see Rémy).
Rémy m French
French form of the Latin name Remigius, which was derived from Latin remigis "oarsman, rower". Saint Rémy was a 5th-century bishop who converted and baptized Clovis, king of the Franks.
Remy m & f English (Modern)
English form of Rémy, occasionally used as a feminine name.
Rígbarddán m Old Irish
Means "little poet of the king", from Old Irish rí "king" (genitive ríg) combined with bard "poet" and a diminutive suffix.
Riordan m English (Rare)
From an Irish surname (Anglicized from Irish Gaelic Ó Ríoghbhárdáin), which was derived from the given name Rígbarddán.
Rishi m Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Nepali
From Sanskrit ऋषि (ṛṣi) meaning "sage, poet", perhaps ultimately deriving from a root meaning "to see".
Riya f Hindi, Marathi, Bengali
Means "singer" in Sanskrit.
Roi 2 m Hebrew
Means "my shepherd" in Hebrew.
Ryder m English (Modern)
From an English occupational surname derived from Old English ridere meaning "mounted warrior" or "messenger". It has grown in popularity in the 2000s because it starts with the same sound found in other popular names like Ryan and Riley.
Şadi m Turkish
Turkish form of Shadi 1.
Şadiye f Turkish
Turkish feminine form of Shadi 1.
Sailor f English (Rare)
Variant of Saylor. This is the less common spelling.
Satchel m English (Rare)
From an English surname derived from Old English sacc meaning "sack, bag", referring to a person who was a bag maker. A famous bearer was the American baseball player Satchel Paige (1906-1982). In his case it was a childhood nickname acquired because he sold bags.
Sawyer m & f English (Modern)
From an English surname meaning "sawer of wood". Mark Twain used it for the hero in his novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876).... [more]
Saylor f English (Modern)
From an English surname that was derived from Old French sailleor meaning "acrobat, dancer". As a modern English given name it could also come from the homophone vocabulary word sailor.
Scarlet f English (Modern)
Either a variant of Scarlett or else from the English word for the red colour (both of the same origin, a type of cloth).
Scarlett f English
From an English surname that denoted a person who sold or made clothes made of scarlet (a kind of cloth, possibly derived from Persian سقرلاط (saqrelāṭ)). Margaret Mitchell used it for the main character, Scarlett O'Hara, in her novel Gone with the Wind (1936). Her name is explained as having come from her grandmother. Despite the fact that the book was adapted into a popular movie in 1939, the name was not common until the 21st century. It started rising around 2003, about the time that the career of American actress Scarlett Johansson (1984-) started taking off.
Schuyler m & f English
From a Dutch surname meaning "scholar". Dutch settlers brought the surname to America, where it was subsequently adopted as a given name in honour of the American general and senator Philip Schuyler (1733-1804).
Scout f & m English (Modern)
From the English word scout meaning "one who gathers information covertly", which is derived from Old French escouter "to listen". Harper Lee used this name in her novel To Kill a Mockingbird (1960).
Shadi 1 m Arabic
Means "singer" in Arabic.
Shadiya f Arabic
Feminine form of Shadi 1.
Shadya f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic شادية (see Shadiya).
Shepherd m English
From an English occupational surname meaning "sheep herder, shepherd".
Sholto m Scottish
Probably an Anglicized form of Gaelic sìoltaich meaning "sower, propagator". It has occasionally been used in the Douglas family since the 17th century, after David Hume of Godscroft claimed it was the name of the 7th-century founder of the clan.
Şivan m Kurdish
Means "shepherd" in Kurdish.
Smith m English
From an English surname meaning "metal worker, blacksmith", derived from Old English smitan "to smite, to hit". It is the most common surname in most of the English-speaking world.
Sophea f & m Khmer
Means "judge, lawyer" in Khmer.
Stuart m English, Scottish
From a Scottish occupational surname originally belonging to a person who was a steward. It is ultimately derived from Old English stig "house" and weard "guard". As a given name, it arose in 19th-century Scotland in honour of the Stuart royal family, which produced several kings and queens of Scotland and Britain between the 14th and 18th centuries.
Tadg m Old Irish, Irish Mythology
Old Irish form of Tadhg.
Tadhg m Irish, Irish Mythology
From Old Irish Tadg meaning "poet". This was the name of an 11th-century king of Connacht, as well as several other kings and chieftains of medieval Ireland. According to Irish mythology it was the name of the grandfather of Fionn mac Cumhaill.
Tadhgán m Irish (Rare)
Diminutive of Tadhg.
Tanner m English
From an English surname meaning "one who tans hides".
Taylor m & f English
From an English surname that originally denoted someone who was a tailor, from Norman French tailleur, ultimately from Latin taliare "to cut".... [more]
Teague m Irish
Anglicized form of Tadhg. This name is also used as a slang term for an Irish Catholic.
Teige m Irish (Rare)
Anglicized form of Tadhg.
Teigue m Irish (Rare)
Anglicized form of Tadhg.
Thatcher m English (Modern)
From an English surname that referred to a person who thatched roofs by attaching straw to them, derived from Old English þæc "thatch". The surname was borne by British prime minister Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013).
Tighe m Irish
Anglicized form of Tadhg.
Tranter m English (Rare)
From a surname meaning "wagoner" in Old English.
Tucker m English (Modern)
From an occupational surname for a cloth fuller, derived from Old English tucian meaning "offend, torment". A fuller was a person who cleaned and thickened raw cloth by pounding it.
Turner m English
From an English surname for one who worked with a lathe, derived from Old English turnian "to turn", of Latin origin.
Tyler m English
From an English surname meaning "tiler of roofs", derived from Old English tigele "tile". The surname was borne by American president John Tyler (1790-1862).
Unai m Basque
Means "cowherd" in Basque.
Walker m English
From an English surname that referred to the medieval occupational of a walker, also known as a fuller. Walkers would tread on wet, unprocessed wool in order to clean and thicken it. The word ultimately derives from Old English wealcan "to walk".
Ward 1 m English
From an occupational surname for a watchman, derived from Old English weard "guard".
Wayne m English
From an occupational surname meaning "wagon maker", derived from Old English wægn "wagon". Use of it as a given name can be partly attributed to the popularity of the actor John Wayne (1907-1979). Another famous bearer is Canadian hockey player Wayne Gretzky (1961-), generally considered the greatest player in the history of the sport.
Webster m English
From an occupational surname meaning "weaver", derived from Old English webba.
Wright m English
From an occupational surname meaning "craftsman", ultimately from Old English wyrhta. Famous bearers of the surname were the Wright brothers (Wilbur 1867-1912 and Orville 1871-1948), the inventors of the first successful airplane, and Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959), an American architect.