Dog Names That Start With P

In mythology, another name for Aphrodite -- but the rare feminine name that sounds better for a boy.

Though the name of his great tragic love Thisbe remains in modern use, that of her paramour Pyramus, a young Babylonian, has all but disappeared.

Most ella names are hot, but this is one that won't catch fire because of the disagreeable connotations of prunes.

The power of the popular ella sound is sapped in this cross-cultural choice.

Une amie for Gwyneth's little girl.

Sixties-style short form that sounds cool again -- though the unscrupulous Pete on "Mad Men" is not a character to emulate.

A lyrical choice.

Personification of pep.

This mild-mannered short form was Queen of the Prom in the fifties and sixties, but today is mostly heard on TV's The Office (and of course as one of the founders of Nameberry).

With Bear and Fox becoming hot baby names, why not Panda? Why not indeed. Both the name and its animal namesake are adorable. And Pan is a nickname right in line with the mythological name trend. The word panda comes from the Nepali word ponya, meaning "bamboo eater" for the panda's favorite food.

The name Persia derives from Avestan Parsa, the name of the Indo-European nomadic people who migrated into southern Iran in about 1000 BCE. Persis or Persea, the feminine form of Perseus, feel more namelike.

The final o in Patricio adds a bit of punch and pizzazz, though it also spins the name closer to the feminine Patricia.

Panya is a multicultural possibility with a sound that's pleasing to the English-speaking ear, though the Swahili translation, which might also be "rat," makes it less than savory as an African name.

Varying Filbert does not improve the name: it still makes one think of a nut.

Prune is a fruit name loved by the French, for whom it's a Plum equivalent. In the U.S., Plum works, but Prune is not a name we'd want to inflict on a child. Prunella is slightly more plausible.

Panda, welcome to the baby name menagerie! Panda is an adorable animal name (after an adorable animal) that is sure to be both very rare and very cute. In Skins there was a character called Panda, which was short for Pandora. The name Panda comes from the Nepali word ponya meaning "bamboo eater".

Pacific is an adventurous kind of place-name, with the added bonus of the association with peace.

Patrice is a more modern-sounding and polished unisex alternative to Patricia.

Name of the winning young heroine of Toni Morrison's first novel, The Bluest Eye.

Potential alternative to Piper. Streamlined Fifer would probably be the preferred spelling if it wasn't for high-profile actress Michelle Pfeiffer.