Fairy Last Names

These fairy last names include real surnames with roots in elves, fairies and folklore spirits, along with a few original inventions that are clearly marked, each listed with its meaning and origin.

207 real and invented surnames with meanings, A to Z.

A

Acornwick

Original fantasy name; a hamlet among acorns

Fantasy
Appleby

Farm with apple trees

English
Aspinall

Aspen nook

English
Aubrey

From Alberic, elf ruler

English

B

Bellamy

Fair friend, from Old French bel ami

English
Bellefleur

Beautiful flower

French
Bellerose

Beautiful rose

French
Berry

Dweller by a fort (burh), sounding like berry

English
Birch

Dweller by birch trees

English
Bird

Bird, a nickname or a bird catcher

English
Bluebellow

Original fantasy name; from the bluebell hollow

Fantasy
Blythe

Cheerful, gentle

English
Boisvert

Green wood

French
Bosco

Wood, forest

Italian
Brackenhush

Original fantasy name; the quiet of the bracken

Fantasy
Bramble

Dweller by bramble thickets

English
Bramley

Clearing overgrown with broom or bramble

English
Brooks

Dweller by a brook

English
Brookwhisk

Original fantasy name; quick as a brook

Fantasy
Bunting

Bunting, a small songbird

English
Button

Button maker or seller

English
Buttonwhisk

Original fantasy name; small and quick

Fantasy

C

Cherry

Cherry grower or seller

English
Cloudpetal

Original fantasy name; a petal soft as cloud

Fantasy
Cloverkin

Original fantasy name; kin of the clover

Fantasy
Crane

Crane, a nickname for a long-legged person

English

D

Dandelight

Original fantasy name; dandelion light

Fantasy
Dell

Dweller in a small wooded valley

English
Dewberrow

Original fantasy name; a dewy little burrow

Fantasy
Dewglimmer

Original fantasy name; dew that glimmers at dawn

Fantasy
Dewhurst

Dewy wooded hill

English
Dimmerleaf

Original fantasy name; a leaf in soft shade

Fantasy
Dove

Dove, a nickname for a gentle person

English
Dubois

Of the wood

French

E

Elgar

From Old English Ælfgar, elf spear

English
Ellwood

Elder-tree wood, though it sounds like elf wood

English
Elphick

From Old English Ælfheah, elf and high

English
Elphinstone

Elphin's farmstead, a Scottish place

Scottish
Elvidge

From Old English Ælfgifu, elf gift

English
Elvin

From Old English Ælfwine, elf friend

English
Elwin

Elf friend, from Ælfwine

English
Emberpetal

Original fantasy name; a petal glowing like an ember

Fantasy

F

Fairbairn

Fair child, a Scottish nickname

Scottish
Fairchild

Fair child, a nickname for a beautiful youth

English
Fairfax

Fair hair

English
Fairley

Fair clearing, from a place name

English
Fairweather

Fair weather, a nickname for a sunny temperament

English
Farnsworth

Fern-covered enclosure

English
Fay

From Old French fae, fairy, or a beech-tree place

English
Faye

From Fay, a beech-tree place, echoing fairy

French
Fearnley

Fern clearing

English
Featherstone

Four standing stones, from northern place names

English
Fennelwink

Original fantasy name; a wink of fennel

Fantasy
Ferndimple

Original fantasy name; a dip among the ferns

Fantasy
Finch

Finch, a nickname or a bird catcher

English
Fiore

Flower

Italian
Fleury

Flowery, from places named Fleury

French
Forrester

Forest keeper

Scottish
Fox

Fox, a nickname for a cunning person

English
Foxgloam

Original fantasy name; a fox at twilight

Fantasy
Frost

Frost, a nickname for a white-haired person

English
Frostpetal

Original fantasy name; a petal touched by frost

Fantasy

G

Gentle

Gentle, well-born or courteous

English
Glenn

Valley, from Gaelic gleann

Scottish
Glimmerbrook

Original fantasy name; a softly shining stream

Fantasy
Glitterfen

Original fantasy name; a sparkling marsh

Fantasy
Glowmoss

Original fantasy name; moss that gives off light

Fantasy
Golightly

Go lightly, a nickname for a messenger

English
Goodchild

Good child, a godchild

English
Goodenough

Good enough, a nickname

English
Goodfellow

Good companion; also an old name for Puck

English
Gossamerly

Original fantasy name; light as gossamer

Fantasy
Greenaway

Green way, dweller by a grassy path

English
Greenleaf

Green leaf, a nickname or house sign

English
Greenslade

Green glade

English
Greenwood

Dweller in the green wood

English

H

Hanazono 花園

Flower garden

Japanese
Hare

Hare, a nickname for a swift runner

English
Hawthorne

Dweller by a hawthorn, the fairy tree of folklore

English
Hazelhum

Original fantasy name; a hum among hazel trees

Fantasy
Hazell

Dweller by hazel trees

English
Hazelwood

Hazel wood

English
Heath

Dweller on a heath

English
Heather

Dweller on heather-covered land

English
Heron

Heron, a nickname for a tall thin person

English
Hollins

Holly trees

English
Hollowhum

Original fantasy name; humming from a hollow tree

Fantasy
Holly

Dweller by holly trees

English
Hollyhush

Original fantasy name; the hush under holly

Fantasy
Hollyoak

Dweller by a holm oak

English
Honey

Honey, a term of endearment or a beekeeper

English
Honeydell

Original fantasy name; a sweet little valley

Fantasy
Honeyman

Beekeeper or honey seller

English
Honeysett

English, of uncertain origin; possibly a place name

English
Honeythistle

Original fantasy name; a sweet thistle

Fantasy
Honeywell

Spring by which honey was found

English
Hoshino 星野

Star field

Japanese
Howlett

Little owl

English
Hunnicutt

Honey cottage

English

I

Ivey

Dweller by ivy-covered ground

English

J

Jay

Jay, a nickname for a chatterer

English
Jolly

Jolly, lively and merry

English

K

Kettle

From Old Norse Ketill, cauldron

English
Kobayashi 小林

Small forest

Japanese
Kodama 児玉

Child jewel; sounds like the word for tree spirit

Japanese

L

Lalouette

The lark

French
Lamb

Lamb, a nickname for a gentle person

English
Lanternbloom

Original fantasy name; a flower that glows like a lantern

Fantasy
Lark

Lark, a nickname for a cheerful singer

English
Larkspindle

Original fantasy name; a lark on a spindle tree

Fantasy
Lavender

Launderer, from Old French lavandier

English
Lightbody

Light body, a nimble or slight person

Scottish
Lightfoot

Light of foot, a swift runner

English
Lilley

Lily, or a place where flax grew

English
Lilywick

Original fantasy name; a village of lilies

Fantasy
Linden

Dweller by a linden (lime) tree

German
Linnett

Linnet, a small singing finch

English
Littlejohn

Little John, often ironic for a tall man

English
Loiseau

The bird

French

M

Mallowmere

Original fantasy name; a pond ringed with mallow

Fantasy
May

Young lad, or born in May

English
Mayfield

Field where mayweed grew

English
Meadows

Dweller by the meadows

English
Merle

Blackbird

French
Merlo

Blackbird

Italian
Merrifield

Pleasant field

English
Merrilees

From Merrilees, a Scottish place name

Scottish
Merriman

Merry man, a cheerful fellow

English
Merriweather

Merry weather, a nickname for a cheerful soul

English
Mistwhirl

Original fantasy name; swirling morning mist

Fantasy
Moonfern

Original fantasy name; fern that grows by moonlight

Fantasy
Moonpuddle

Original fantasy name; a puddle holding the moon

Fantasy
Moss

Dweller by a moss or bog

English
Mossbell

Original fantasy name; a bell hidden in moss

Fantasy
Mossgleam

Original fantasy name; the gleam on wet moss

Fantasy
Mossop

Mossy valley, a Cumbrian place

English
Mothwhistle

Original fantasy name; the whistle of a moth

Fantasy

N

Nettleton

Farm where nettles grew

English
Nightingale

Nightingale, a nickname for a sweet singer

English
Nimbletoe

Original fantasy name; quick and light of foot

Fantasy

O

Oakes

Dweller by oak trees

English
Oakley

Oak clearing

English
Orchard

Worker in or dweller by an orchard

English

P

Papillon

Butterfly

French
Peacock

Peacock, a nickname for a proud dresser

English
Pebbleglow

Original fantasy name; a pebble that glows

Fantasy
Pennyfeather

Penny father, a nickname for a miser

English
Petalwick

Original fantasy name; a village of petals

Fantasy
Petitpas

Little step, a nickname for a dainty walker

French
Pettigrew

Little growth, a nickname for a small person

English
Pettit

Small, from Old French petit

English
Pinson

Finch

French
Pixley

From Pixley, Herefordshire, Peoht's clearing

English
Primrose

From Primrose, a Scottish place

Scottish
Primrosewick

Original fantasy name; a village of primroses

Fantasy
Puck

From Old English puca, a sprite or goblin

English
Puddlewhim

Original fantasy name; a playful splash

Fantasy

Q

Quillbloom

Original fantasy name; a flower like a feather quill

Fantasy
Quincespark

Original fantasy name; a spark of quince blossom

Fantasy

R

Rainbow

From Norman Reinbald, sounding like rainbow

English
Robins

From Robin, a pet form of Robert

English
Roebuck

Roe deer, a nickname or house sign

English
Rose

Rose, a flower sign or a rosy complexion

English
Rosier

Rosebush

French
Rossignol

Nightingale

French
Rowan

Irish Ó Ruadháin, red; also the rowan tree

Irish

S

Sherwood

Shire wood, the famous forest

English
Silverdew

Original fantasy name; dew like silver

Fantasy
Snow

Snow, a nickname for pale hair or skin

English
Sorrelwing

Original fantasy name; wings the color of sorrel

Fantasy
Sparrow

Sparrow, a nickname for a small chirpy person

English
Sparrowmist

Original fantasy name; a sparrow in the mist

Fantasy
Sprague

Lively, nimble

English
Sprigg

Sprig, a nickname for a slender person

English
Squirrell

Squirrel, a nickname for a nimble person

English
Starling

Starling, a nickname from the bird

English
Starpetal

Original fantasy name; a petal shaped like a star

Fantasy
Starr

Star, a house sign or nickname

English
Starwhisper

Original fantasy name; secrets told by stars

Fantasy
Summers

Summer, or a sumpter (packhorse driver)

English
Sunfleck

Original fantasy name; a fleck of sunlight

Fantasy
Swallow

Swallow, a nickname for a swift person

English
Swann

Swan, or a swan keeper

English
Sweet

Sweet, a nickname for a pleasant person

English
Sweetapple

Sweet apple, a dweller by an apple tree

English

T

Takanashi 小鳥遊

Little birds play, where no hawks are

Japanese
Tansyleaf

Original fantasy name; a leaf of golden tansy

Fantasy
Thistlethwaite

Thistle clearing, from a northern place

English
Thistlewhit

Original fantasy name; a tiny speck of thistle

Fantasy
Thorne

Dweller by a thorn bush

English
Tinker

Mender of pots and pans

English
Todd

Fox, from the northern word tod

English
Toogood

Too good, a teasing nickname

English
Trollope

From a Northumbrian place, troll valley

English
Twigg

Twig, a nickname for a slim person

English
Twigglebright

Original fantasy name; a twig that sparkles

Fantasy
Twinklemere

Original fantasy name; a twinkling lake

Fantasy

U

Underwood

Dweller at the edge of a wood

English

V

Violetwhim

Original fantasy name; a violet's fancy

Fantasy

W

Wildgoose

Wild goose, a nickname for a flighty person

English
Willoughby

Farm by the willows

English
Wispwillow

Original fantasy name; a willow with wispy leaves

Fantasy
Woodhouse

House in the wood

English
Woodward

Warden of a forest

English
Wren

Wren, a nickname for a small lively person

English
Wrenwhistle

Original fantasy name; the call of a wren

Fantasy
Wynne

Welsh gwyn, fair, white or blessed

Welsh

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Dell

Dweller in a small wooded valley

English
Woodhouse

House in the wood

English
Pinson

Finch

French
Ivey

Dweller by ivy-covered ground

English
Hazell

Dweller by hazel trees

English
Rose

Rose, a flower sign or a rosy complexion

English

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Fairy last names with folklore roots

Old English had a whole family of personal names built on aelf, meaning elf, and several survive as surnames. Elphick comes from Aelfheah, elf high, and is associated especially with Sussex. Elvin and Elwin come from Aelfwine, elf friend. Aubrey took a longer route, from the Germanic Alberich, meaning elf ruler, through Norman French into English. To medieval ears these names suggested supernatural power or protection rather than tiny winged creatures.

Fay is the most direct fairy name. In some families it comes from the Old French fae, meaning fairy, perhaps a nickname for someone thought to have an otherworldly quality, while in others it comes from places in France called Fay, from the Latin word for beech tree. Goodfellow recalls Robin Goodfellow, the mischievous household sprite of English folklore, though as a surname it usually began as a friendly nickname for a good companion.

Sprites, goblins and misleading lookalikes

Folklore beings other than fairies left traces too. The English surname Pook is thought by some scholars to come from the Old English puca, a goblin or sprite, the same word behind the Irish pooka and Shakespeare's Puck. Fairweather, meanwhile, has nothing to do with the fair folk. It was a nickname for a cheerful person, someone whose mood was always sunny, and it now sounds charming in a fantasy setting.

Some names look fairy-like but come from elsewhere. Shee, found in Ireland, comes from Ó Séaghdha, usually explained as hawk-like or stately, not from the sidhe of Irish legend. Elliott comes from a medieval form of Elias, not from elves. The list points out cases like these in the meaning column so you do not choose a name for a symbolism it never had. When in doubt, search the name and read its origin line.

Original fairy names for stories and games

Because true fairy surnames are limited, the list also contains some original names invented for this site. Each one is clearly marked, and they are built from soft, nature-based pieces such as dew, fern, moss, thistle, glimmer and brook, arranged so they sound like family names. None of them comes from a book, film or game series, so they work for your own fairy courts, woodland clans or tabletop characters without borrowing an existing world.

When you pick a name, think about the kind of fairy you have in mind. Gentle garden sprites suit light, flowing names with open vowels, while the older, wilder fair folk of Celtic folklore suit names with a colder, stranger edge. A real surname such as Aubrey or Elphick can quietly signal elvish ancestry in a modern setting. Use the letter filter to browse and the generator below to shuffle a few options together.

Frequently asked questions

What are some fairy last names?

Real examples include Fay, which can come from the Old French word for fairy, Aubrey, meaning elf ruler, Elphick, meaning elf high, and Elvin, meaning elf friend. The list also contains original invented names, clearly marked, for when you want something completely new.

Is there a surname that means elf?

Several. Elvin and Elwin come from the Old English Aelfwine, elf friend, Elphick comes from Aelfheah, elf high, and Aubrey comes from the Germanic Alberich, elf ruler. In early medieval England elves were powerful beings, so these names were meant as compliments.

Are the fairy names in this list real?

Most are. The real ones come from surname dictionaries and include their language and meaning. A smaller group is original, invented for this site and clearly marked, so you can tell at a glance whether a name has a documented history or was made up for fiction.

Does Fay always mean fairy?

No. Fay can come from the Old French fae, meaning fairy, but it can also come from places in France called Fay, a name taken from the Latin fagus, beech tree. Both origins are documented, and only family records can show which one applies to a particular line.