Dog Names That Start With S
- Sami
Origin:
Diminutive of Samuel, and ArabicMeaning:
"exalted"Description:
Soundalike cousin of Sammy, cute but slight on its own.
- Sugar
Origin:
Word nameDescription:
You can call your daughter Sugar, but it's probably best to keep it as a term of endearment. For sweet names, you try Dulcie, Honey, Mitsu, Amai, Sherine, Melita, Eulalia, or Melina, but Sugar does work as a generic nickname.
- Serra
Origin:
Italian, Portuguese and CatalanMeaning:
"ridge"Description:
This topographical name, more suited to a girl than a boy--though it would inevitably be confused with SARAH--has some distinguished bearers: famous Spanish missionary to Mexico Father Junipero Serra, and sculptor Richard Serra, known for his challenging large-scale metal works.
- Sundance
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"sun dance"Description:
Long synonymous with the American outlaw Harry Longabaugh, aka The Sundance Kid, who got his nickname from the town of Sundance, Wyoming, where he was incarcerated as a teenager. The place name Sundance was taken from the sun dance ceremony practiced by local Native American tribes.
- Savita
Origin:
HindiMeaning:
"sun, rouser, stimulator"Description:
Lively and bright, Savita is among the most popular Hindi names for girls, and one that could easily immigrate.
- Stiles
Origin:
English surnameMeaning:
"steep hill, steps"Description:
Stylish surname name which can also be spelled Styles, as in One Direction band member Harry.
- Sao
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"the rescuer"Description:
In Greek mythology, Sao was one of the 50 Nereids, daughters of the sea god Nereus. A moon of Neptune is named in her honor. In modern times, it works equally well for a son.
- Spring
Origin:
Word nameDescription:
Spring doesn't sound half as contemporary as Winter, which has become the cool season name.
- Sparrow
Origin:
Nature nameDescription:
With other bird names such as Lark and Phoenix on the rise, why not chirpy Sparrow? Nicole Richie and Joel Madden named their son, born in 2009, Sparrow James Midnight.
- Seine
Origin:
French; river nameDescription:
River is rising as a new favorite name, and names of rivers are also increasingly used for our child.
- Sylas
Origin:
Spelling variation of SilasMeaning:
"of the woods"Description:
Appearing in the Polish New Testament and possibly working to honor a Sylvester, Sylas has been climbing back up the rankings in recent years. Previously peaking in 2013 at #520, it has since overtaken that, entering the Top 500 in 2022. While the classic spelling is six times more popular in the US, that trendy Y is nevertheless capturing parents' attention.
- Shenandoah
Origin:
Native American place-nameDescription:
While some sources assign the place-name the romantic meaning "beautiful daughter of the stars," the Virginia region itself says the name is of uncertain Native American origin with many possible but no definitive meaning. No matter: Shenandoah is a lovely name that's rare but usable.
- Salma
Origin:
ArabicMeaning:
"safe"Description:
Mexican-born actress Salma Hayek lends a large dollop of glamour to this name that would otherwise resemble the middle-aged Selma.
- Shari
Origin:
Anglicized variation of Hungarian Sari, variation of SarahMeaning:
"princess"Description:
This once-cool nickname-y name now belongs to the grandma generation.
- Slate
Origin:
Word nameDescription:
One of the more unusual of the current crop of strong, single-syllable boys' names, evoking the images of both old-fashioned blackboards and modern stepping-stones and countertops.
- Shady
Description:
Shady is a unisex name though more commonly used for males, with Arabic origins where it's pronounced 'Sha-dee' (شادي). In Arabic, the name means 'singer' or 'one who sings,' conveying artistic and joyful qualities. The name also appears in Egyptian naming traditions with connections to happiness and melodiousness. In Western contexts, the name has been adopted with varied pronunciation and carries different connotations due to the English word 'shady' suggesting something questionable or dubious, which differs entirely from its original meaning. Despite these dual interpretations, the name maintains steady usage in Middle Eastern communities worldwide. Its cross-cultural nature gives it a distinctive quality, though parents outside Arabic-speaking regions might consider the potential for misinterpretation in English-speaking environments.
- Seiji
Origin:
JapaneseMeaning:
"lawful and just"Description:
Popular Japanese name exemplified by the distinguished conductor Seiji Ozawa.
- Sincere
Origin:
English, Word nameMeaning:
"honest, genuine, and heartfelt"Description:
Reminiscent of Puritan and Pilgrim name choices, Sincere is a relatively modern virtue name that has been in the US Top 1000 since the 2000s.
- Socorro
Origin:
Spanish and PortugueseMeaning:
"succour, help, relief"Description:
Socorro is a Spanish and Portuguese word name taken from a title of the Virgin Mary, "Mary of Perpetual Succour." Its religious meaning makes it somewhat old-fashioned and not among the Spanish names for girls widely used in the US.
- Silvano
Origin:
Italian form of SilvanusMeaning:
"wood, forest"Description:
Silvanus was the Roman god of the forests and is also an alternate name in the New Testament for Silas. Relatives include Silvio, Silvius, and Sylvia.
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