6000+ Dog Names

Almond may seem like a hippy modern name, but its use for American boys goes right back to the mid-nineteenth century. In these cases, it was either a variation of Almund, meaning "noble strength," or the surname Aleman, meaning "German."

Admirers of the haunting works of esteemed Irish poet and playwright William Butler Yeats might consider this surname-style name, especially for the middle spot. Ultimately derived from the Old English geat, Yeats is the Scottish form of Yates, pronounced exactly the same, and rhyming, helpfully, with its literal meaning of "gates".

Interesting multi-cultural option.

Brawny name chosen for his son by rocker Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue.

Looking for a Texas name more distinctive than Austin and Dallas? Houston is a lanky, roguish place-name, right in style with its Texas accent and cowboy image.

Hot star Ashton Kutcher is pushing this unisex choice toward the boys' camp, but its variation Ashtyn is on the rise.

Can be used either with or without the addition of Mac.

Amal is an attractive name with a wonderful meaning that has long been used in many Middle Eastern countries, especially Lebanon (and migrant communities). It is of course getting a lot more coverage now since the fame of international human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin Clooney, who's singlehandedly made this one of the best-known Arabic names for girls.

In the old days, this might have been a short form for Dewitt, but today it's more likely to appear as a witty word name. We approve.

In Hinduism, the god Aruna is the charioteer who drives the sun god Surya across the sky. Aruna is both the traditional masculine form of the name (modernized as Arun) and its feminization.

A lesser-known archangel, but the name is probably best known today on comedian Gadiel Del Orte. Thanks to him, and the trend for biblical-sounding names, Gadiel has been rising in recent years.

A Desi variation that moves the name away from Lucy -- though it's just as dizzy. TV star Jaime Pressly used it for her son.

Another traditional Indian name, best known here via novelist Vikram Seth.

Appearing in the US Top 1000 and popular among Spanish speaking families, Arely may be one of two things: a twist on the Hebrew masculine name, Areli, or a shortened form of the Spanish Araceli.

Novelist Djuna Barnes introduced this interesting and unusual name with an arty, Bohemian feel to the mix. She explained that it was invented by her father, saying it came about as a combination of her infant brother's pronunciation of the word moon as 'nuna' and a character in a book her father was reading, Prince Djalma, and so he "put the Dj onto the 'una'." Result: the silent-D pronunciation (as in Django) of JOON-a.

Adalee's rise into the Top 1000 is thanks to the current fashion for all names ada-related, including the similar Adeline and Adelaide. It does have a sweet melodic charm, but given the thousands of baby girls getting similar names in the US each year, it may not feel as original as you might like.

As with all Japanese names, the meaning of Kin changes depending on which kanji are used.

Spiritual word names are becoming more and more popular – think Peace, Bodhi, Zen and Psalm – and Spirit is among the rarer options, given to a couple dozen baby girls each year in the US. It's the name of the horse in the kids' TV show Spirit.

Klay is a masculine name that represents a modern variant spelling of Clay. The traditional Clay derives from the English surname referring to someone who worked with clay or lived on clay-rich soil. The 'K' spelling gives the name a contemporary edge while maintaining the same pronunciation. Klay gained increased recognition through basketball player Klay Thompson, contributing to its sporty, dynamic image. As a given name, Klay remains relatively uncommon compared to Clay, appealing to parents seeking distinctive spellings of familiar names. The name's brevity and strong sound align with current preferences for short, powerful boys' names. Klay projects an image of strength and earthiness with a modern twist.

Gypsy, long associated with the intellectual stripper Gypsy Rose Lee and the musical that was made about her life, was used by Drea de Matteo and Shooter Jennings as the middle name of their daughter Alabama. Be aware, however, that the word gypsy is now considered an ethnic slur when used for the Romani, or Roma, people.