Ashton

Aiden

Irish · “An anglicised spelling of Aodhán, the diminutive of the Old Irish Aodh, meaning "fire" — Aodh was the Celtic god of sun and fire. The name was borne by several early Irish saints, most notably Saint Aidan of Lindisfarne (c. 590–651), who helped Christianise northern England. Aiden is the most common American English spelling; Aidan is the Irish and British form.”

Gardner

“Gardner is an occupational surname-turned-given-name from Middle English "gardener", derived via Old French "gardineor" from a Germanic root related to "garden" (an enclosed cultivated space). It entered use as a given name in 19th-century America following the common practice of using surnames as first names. The root is ultimately Proto-Germanic "*gardaz" meaning enclosure.”

Drake

“From the Old English draca or Old Norse draki, meaning "dragon" or "serpent" — ultimately from the Latin draco and Greek drakon, also meaning "dragon" or "serpent." As an English surname it also sometimes referred to a male duck (drake, from Old English ened-race, "duck-kind"). The name transferred to given-name use and carries strong associations with maritime adventure through the fame of Sir Francis Drake, the Elizabethan privateer and circumnavigator.”

Maxwell

“A Scottish surname from a place name: Mack's weil or "Mack's pool" — from the personal name Mack (a contracted form of Magnus, meaning "great") and the Old English waell, "pool" or "spring." The Maxwell clan was a powerful Scottish border family, and the name transferred to use as a given name in the 19th century. It carries strong Scottish associations alongside a polished, somewhat aristocratic English register.”

Clay

“From the Old English clæg, meaning "clay" — the dense, fine-grained mineral earth. As a surname, Clay identified someone who lived near or worked with clayey soil. It transferred to given-name use in the American South and West, partly through association with statesman Henry Clay, the "Great Compromiser" of 19th-century American politics. The name carries elemental, earthy connotations alongside a clean, spare American sound.”

Dean

“From the Old English denu, meaning "valley," referring to someone who lived in or near a valley. It was also an occupational surname denoting a dean — an ecclesiastical or academic official — from the Old French doyen and Latin decanus, "head of ten." As a given name it became popular in America during the 20th century, partly through the fame of actor James Dean.”

Evelyn

“Evelyn originated as an English surname derived from the medieval given name Aveline, itself from the Germanic element "avi" of uncertain meaning, possibly related to "aval" (strength) or the Proto-Germanic root for "water". It entered use as a given name in the 17th century, initially as a masculine name in the Evelyn family, before becoming primarily feminine in the 20th century. Today it is widely popular in English-speaking countries.”