Short Last Names

These short last names are only a few letters long, drawn from Chinese, Korean, English, Scandinavian and other traditions, each with its meaning and origin for when you need a quick, punchy surname.

300 real surnames with meanings, A to Z.

A

Abad

Abbot

Spanish
Abe

Of uncertain origin, an ancient court clan

Japanese
Ahn

Peace or comfort, from the Sino-Korean an

Korean
Ali

Exalted or noble

Arabic
Amin

Trustworthy

Arabic
Ang

Hokkien form of Hong, vast

Filipino
Aoki

Green tree

Japanese
Aoun

Help or aid

Arabic
Arai

New well

Japanese
Ateş

Fire

Turkish
Au

Cantonese form of Ou, from the Yue kingdom

Chinese
Azar

Fire

Persian
Aziz

Mighty or beloved

Arabic

B

Ba

A Fula clan name of West Africa

African
Baba

Horse riding ground

Japanese
Bach

Dweller by a brook

German
Bae

From Chinese Pei, an old clan name

Korean
Baek

White

Korean
Beck

Dweller by a stream

German
Berg

Mountain

Nordic
Bhat

Learned scholar or bard

Indian
Bíró

Judge

Hungarian
Boer

Farmer

Dutch
Bos

Forest

Dutch
Bose

Bengali Kayastha name, from Basu, Sanskrit vasu, wealth

Indian
Buck

Male deer, or dweller by a beech

English
Bui

Vietnamese form of Chinese Pei

Vietnamese

C

Cao

Official or court, from an ancient state

Chinese
Carr

Dweller by a marsh

English
Chan

Cantonese form of Chen

Chinese
Chen

From the ancient state of Chen, to display

Chinese
Cho

From Chinese Zhao, an ancient state

Korean
Choi

Lofty or high

Korean
Chow

Cantonese form of Zhou

Chinese
Chua

Hokkien form of Cai

Filipino
Co

Hokkien form of Xu, a Chinese-Filipino name

Filipino
Cole

Swarthy, charcoal-dark

English
Cox

Little cock, a pert young man

English
Cruz

Cross

Spanish

D

Dahl

Valley

Nordic
Dale

Dweller in a valley

English
Dang

Vietnamese form of Deng

Vietnamese
Dao

From Chinese Tao, pottery; also the Vietnamese word for peach

Vietnamese
Das

Servant of God

Indian
Day

Dairy worker, or a pet form of David

English
Deák

Scholar or clerk

Hungarian
Dean

Dweller in a valley, or church dean

English
Deng

From the ancient state of Deng

Chinese
Dey

Dairy worker, or a Bengali title

Indian
Díaz

Son of Diego

Spanish
Dijk

Dike or embankment

Dutch
Dinh

Adult man or strong, the Đinh dynasty

Vietnamese
Diop

A Wolof clan name of Senegal

African
Do

From Chinese Du

Vietnamese
Du

Birchleaf pear, from an ancient state

Chinese
Duda

Bagpipe or bagpiper

Polish
Duff

Dark or black, from Gaelic dubh

Scottish
Dunn

Dark or dun-coloured

English
Dutt

Given, a Bengali and Punjabi name

Indian
Dyer

Dyer of cloth

English

E

Eid

Festival

Arabic
Ek

Oak

Nordic
Endo

Distant wisteria

Japanese
Er

Brave man, soldier

Turkish
Eze

King, from Igbo

African

F

Fall

A Wolof noble lineage name

African
Fang

Square or direction

Chinese
Feng

Galloping horse

Chinese
Fox

Fox, a sly or red-haired person

English
Frey

Free man

German
Fry

Free-born, or small person

English
Fung

Cantonese form of Feng

Chinese

G

Gál

From Gallus, a saint's name

Hungarian
Gao

Tall or high

Chinese
Garg

From the sage Garga

Indian
Gaye

A Wolof family name of Senegal

African
Genç

Young

Turkish
Gil

From Aegidius, young goat

Spanish
Gill

A Jat clan name of the Punjab

Indian
Go

Hokkien form of Wu, a Chinese-Filipino name

Filipino
Goel

An Agrawal clan name

Indian
Gold

Gold, an ornamental name

Jewish
Góra

Mountain

Polish
Goto

Rear wisteria

Japanese
Graf

Count

German
Gray

Grey-haired

English
Guo

Outer city wall

Chinese

H

Haas

Hare

German
Hahn

Rooster

German
Hara

Plain or field

Japanese
Hart

Stag

English
Hay

Hedged enclosure

Scottish
He

What, a clan said to descend from the Han state

Chinese
Heo

Permit or allow

Korean
Hill

Dweller on a hill

English
Ho

Cantonese form of He, from the ancient Han

Chinese
Holm

Small island

Nordic
Holt

Dweller by a wood

English
Hood

Hood maker, or dweller by a hut

English
Hope

Small enclosed valley

English
Horn

Horn blower or horn worker

German
Hu

From the ancient Hu state, or foreign

Chinese
Hunt

Hunter

English
Hyde

Hide of land, enough for a family

English

I

Ige

Child born feet first, Yoruba

African
Imai

New well

Japanese
Issa

Jesus

Arabic
Ito

Wisteria of Ise province

Japanese
Iyer

Venerable, a Tamil Brahmin title

Indian

J

Jain

Follower of the Jinas, the Jain faith

Indian
Jang

Stretch or open, from Chinese Zhang

Korean
Jeon

Complete or whole

Korean
Jha

Teacher, a Maithil Brahmin name

Indian
Jung

From Chinese Zheng, an ancient state name

Korean

K

Kahn

Priest, from Cohen

Jewish
Kang

From the ancient Chinese Jiang clan

Korean
Kara

Black or dark

Turkish
Kato

Increasing wisteria

Japanese
Katz

Acronym of kohen tzedek, righteous priest

Jewish
Kay

Key maker, or from Welsh Cai

English
Kaya

Rock

Turkish
Kemp

Champion or warrior

English
Kerr

Dweller by a marshy thicket

Scottish
Kidd

Young goat, a playful person

English
Kim

Gold or metal

Korean
Kirk

Dweller by a church

Scottish
Kiss

Small

Hungarian
Knox

Round hill

Scottish
Ko

High or tall

Korean
Koç

Ram

Turkish
Kohl

Cabbage, a cabbage grower

German
Kok

Cook

Dutch
Koné

A Mande clan name of West Africa

African
Kos

Blackbird

Polish
Kot

Cat

Polish
Král

King

Czech
Kubo

Hollow or depression

Japanese
Kudo

Craft wisteria

Japanese
Kuhn

Bold, from Konrad

German
Kurt

Wolf

Turkish
Kwan

Barrier or pass, Cantonese form of Guan

Chinese
Kwon

Authority or power

Korean

L

Lai

From the ancient state of Lai

Chinese
Lam

Forest, the Cantonese form of Lin

Chinese
Lamb

Gentle person, or keeper of lambs

English
Lane

Dweller by a lane

English
Lang

Tall

German
Lara

From Lara de los Infantes

Spanish
Lau

Cantonese form of Liu

Chinese
Le

From Chinese Li, a Vietnamese royal dynasty

Vietnamese
Leal

Loyal

Spanish
Lee

Plum tree, Korea's second most common name

Korean
Levi

Joined, the priestly tribe

Jewish
Levy

From Levi, joined

Jewish
Li

Plum tree, one of China's largest surnames

Chinese
Lie

Hillside slope

Nordic
Lim

Forest

Korean
Lin

Forest or grove

Chinese
Lis

Fox

Polish
Liu

Kill or destroy, the Han dynasty's royal name

Chinese
Lobo

Wolf

Portuguese
Lord

Lord or master

English
Lowe

Dweller by a burial mound

English
Lu

From the ancient state of Lu, Confucius's homeland

Chinese
Luna

Moon, or from a Spanish place

Spanish
Lund

Grove, often a sacred one

Nordic
Luo

Bird net, from an ancient state

Chinese
Lupo

Wolf

Italian
Luu

Vietnamese form of Liu

Vietnamese
Ly

Plum tree, the Lý dynasty

Vietnamese
Lyle

Of the island, from Old French l'isle

Scottish

M

Ma

Horse

Chinese
Mach

From a pet form of Matěj, Matthew

Czech
Mai

Apricot blossom

Vietnamese
Maia

From Maia near Porto

Portuguese
Mak

Wheat, the Cantonese form of Mai

Chinese
Mann

Servant, or a man

German
Marx

From Markus, of Mars

German
May

Young man, or born in May

English
Melo

From Melo, a Portuguese place

Portuguese
Mesa

Plateau or tableland

Spanish
Min

Pity or grief, an old clan name

Korean
Mir

Chief or prince, from Amir

Persian
Modi

Grocer or storekeeper

Indian
Moe

Sandy plain, a Norwegian farm name

Nordic
Mohr

Moor, dark-skinned

German
Mol

Mole, or from Mol in Belgium

Dutch
Moon

Writing or literature

Korean
Mora

Blackberry, or dark

Italian
Mori

Forest

Japanese
Moss

Dweller by a bog, or from Moses

English
Mota

Mound or motte

Portuguese
Moyo

Heart, a Shona clan name

African
Mróz

Frost

Polish
Muir

Moor or heath

Scottish

N

Nagy

Big or great

Hungarian
Nair

Possibly leader, a Kerala community name

Indian
Nam

South

Korean
Nash

At the ash tree

English
Nasr

Victory

Arabic
Negi

Chief or official, from Garhwal

Indian
Neri

Black-haired

Italian
Ng

Cantonese form of Wu, an ancient state

Chinese
Ngo

From the ancient state of Wu

Vietnamese
Noda

Field of rice paddies

Japanese
Noh

From Chinese Lu (盧), an old clan name

Korean

O

Obi

Heart, from Igbo

African
Oda

Small rice field

Japanese
Oh

From the ancient state of Wu

Korean
Ojo

Child born with the cord around the neck, Yoruba

African
Omar

Long-lived, flourishing

Arabic
Ong

Hokkien form of Wang, king

Filipino
Ono

Small field

Japanese
Ota

Big rice field

Japanese
Owen

Well-born, from Welsh Owain

Welsh
Öz

Essence or pure

Turkish

P

Pace

Peace

Italian
Page

Young servant or page

English
Pal

Protector

Indian
Pan

From the ancient fief of Pan

Chinese
Pap

Priest

Hungarian
Park

Gourd, from the founder of Silla

Korean
Paz

Peace

Spanish
Penn

Hill, from Brittonic penn

English
Phan

Vietnamese form of Pan

Vietnamese
Pike

Pikeman, or dweller by a pointed hill

English
Pope

Priest, or a pompous person

English
Pugh

Son of Hugh

Welsh

R

Rai

Prince or chief

Indian
Rana

King or ruler

Indian
Rao

King or chief

Indian
Ray

King, from Old French rey, or a roe deer

English
Rees

Ardour, from Rhys

Welsh
Reid

Red-haired

Scottish
Rey

King

Spanish
Rhys

Ardour or enthusiasm

Welsh
Rice

Son of Rhys, ardour

Welsh
Ríos

Rivers

Spanish
Riva

Riverbank or shore

Italian
Rosa

Rose

Portuguese
Rose

Dweller where roses grow

English
Ross

Headland, from Gaelic ros

Scottish
Rota

Wheel, or a place name

Italian
Roth

Red-haired

German
Rowe

Dweller by a row of houses

English
Roy

Red-haired, from Gaelic ruadh

Scottish
Ruiz

Son of Ruy, famous ruler

Spanish
Ryan

Possibly little king

Irish
Ryba

Fish

Polish
Ryu

Willow

Korean

S

Sá

From Sá, a hall or estate

Portuguese
Saad

Good fortune

Arabic
Sahu

Merchant or moneylender

Indian
Said

Happy or fortunate

Arabic
Sala

Hall or manor house

Italian
Sall

A Tukulor and Wolof clan name

African
Sand

Sand, a sandy farm

Nordic
Sanz

Son of Sancho, holy

Spanish
Sato

Helping wisteria

Japanese
Sen

Army or lord

Indian
Seo

Slow or calm

Korean
Shah

King

Persian
Shaw

Dweller by a small wood

English
Shin

Extend or state

Korean
Snow

White-haired, or born in snowy weather

English
Son

Grandson or descendant

Korean
Soni

Goldsmith

Indian
Sood

A Punjabi merchant community name

Indian
Soós

Salt maker or salt seller

Hungarian
Sosa

Saltwort plant, or a Portuguese place

Spanish
Soto

Grove

Spanish
Sow

A Fula clan name

African
Sowa

Owl

Polish
Sun

Grandson or descendant

Chinese
Swan

Swan keeper, or a graceful person

English
Sy

Hokkien form of Shi, a Chinese-Filipino name

Filipino

T

Taha

From the Quranic letters Ta Ha

Arabic
Tan

From the ancient state of Tan

Chinese
Tang

From the Tang state and dynasty

Chinese
Tóth

Slovak, a Slav from the north

Hungarian
Tran

Display or arrange, the Trần dynasty

Vietnamese

V

Vega

Fertile meadow

Spanish
Vo

Martial or military

Vietnamese
Vu

Martial or military, a northern form

Vietnamese

W

Wang

King

Chinese
Ward

Watchman or guard

English
Webb

Weaver

English
West

From the west

English
Wong

Cantonese form of Huang or Wang

Chinese
Wood

Dweller by a wood

English
Wu

From the ancient state of Wu

Chinese

X

Xie

Thank, from an ancient fief

Chinese
Xu

From the ancient state of Xu

Chinese

Y

Yang

Poplar tree

Chinese
Ye

Leaf

Chinese
Yoon

To govern, sincere

Korean
Yu

Remaining or surplus, one of several Yu surnames

Chinese

Z

Zhao

From the ancient state of Zhao

Chinese
Zhou

From the Zhou dynasty

Chinese
Zhu

Vermilion red

Chinese

Generate random short surnames

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Results (6)

Eid

Festival

Arabic
Wang

King

Chinese
Negi

Chief or official, from Garhwal

Indian
Dinh

Adult man or strong, the Đinh dynasty

Vietnamese
Dy

Hokkien form of Li, a Chinese-Filipino name

Filipino
Vik

Bay or inlet

Nordic

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Where short last names come from

Chinese and Korean surnames are naturally short because each is a single syllable written with one character. Li, Wu, Ma and Ho in Chinese, or Kim, Lee and Park in Korean, look compact in English letters, and Ng is a Cantonese name with no vowel at all. Vietnamese Vu and Le follow the same pattern. Many of these names are also among the most widely shared family names in the world.

European short names tend to come from single words. English names like Fox, Day, Hart, Cole and Moss began as nicknames or landscape names, Orr is Scottish from the Gaelic odhar, meaning pale, and Swedish Ek means oak, one of many nature names adopted in the nineteenth century. Indian names such as Rao and Shah are short as well, Shah coming from the Persian word for king. The origin column shows the tradition behind each one.

Why pick a short surname

Short names are easy to spell, remember and fit on a form. That makes them practical for writers who need a background character in a hurry, for game designers with limited space on a screen, and for anyone creating a username, pen name or brand. A short surname also pairs well with a long first name. Something like Evangeline Fox or Maximilian Orr has a pleasing rhythm, with the brevity of the surname balancing the length.

In fiction a short surname can suggest a no-nonsense character. Detectives, soldiers, pilots and spies are often given crisp one-syllable names because they sound decisive. The trade-off is that short names can be common, and a very common one like Lee or Kim may not stand out on the page. Browse by letter to find less familiar options, or use the search box to check whether a name you like is included.

Two letter names and unusual spellings

Some surnames need only two letters. Ng, Li, Wu, Ma, Ho, Ek and Oh all appear in everyday records, and a few names in other romanization systems are shorter still, such as the Korean O, sometimes written that way instead of Oh. These short spellings occasionally cause trouble with computer systems that expect a minimum length, and people who carry them sometimes find their name rejected by online forms.

Short names are also a reminder that spelling in the Latin alphabet is a convention. The Chinese name written Wu in Mandarin pinyin is usually spelled Ng in Cantonese, and the Korean name Lee can also be written Yi or Rhee. So the same family may look very different in different documents. The meaning column explains where each spelling comes from, which helps if you are researching your own family or naming a character.

Frequently asked questions

What are some short last names?

Good examples include Li, Wu, Ng, Kim, Lee, Fox, Day, Orr, Ek, Cole, Hart, Moss, Rao and Shah. They come from Chinese, Korean, English, Scottish, Swedish and Indian traditions, and each one is only a few letters long, easy to spell and quick to say.

What is the shortest surname?

Some surnames have just one letter in certain romanizations, such as the Korean O and the Chinese E, although these are rare in English-speaking countries. Two-letter names like Ng, Li, Wu, Ek and Oh are far more familiar and appear in everyday records.

Are short names good for characters?

Yes. Short names are easy for readers to remember and work well for detectives, soldiers, spies and other decisive types. Pair a short surname with a longer first name for a pleasing rhythm, and avoid very common ones if you want the character to stand out.

Why is Ng a surname without a vowel?

Ng is the Cantonese pronunciation of the Chinese surnames written Wu in Mandarin. In Cantonese it is a syllabic nasal sound, similar to the ng at the end of sing, so it needs no vowel. The spelling is especially common among families from Hong Kong and southern China.