Dog Names That Start With R

Anglo parents are taking note of this Hispanic classic, thanks to actress Rosario Dawson and a character on Will & Grace. Poetic and powerful, it comes from the Spanish title of the Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora del Rosario, or "Our Lady of the Rosary", Rosary referring to vocal and mental prayer in Catholicism, that reflect on the life of Christ and his Mother.

Rayden is yet another example of the dozens of new boys' names with the 'aden' sound.

Reinette was the childhood nickname of Madame La Pompadour, perhaps a cute short form for Regina or Reina but hardly worthy of the full name on the birth certificate today.

Sleek, unisex surname rarely heard for girls -- which could be seen as an asset.

Demi and Bruce made waves when they named their now-grown firstborn after novelist Rumer Godden; a possible downside is its connection with the word rumor. English author Godden was actually born Margaret, with Rumer (a family surname) as her middle name

Romola is a literary name most notably used by George Eliot for her eponymous 1862 novel set in fifteenth-century Florence. It just may appeal to the parent looking for a name that embodies the ideal blend of the feminine, unusual, and strong. A current bearer is British actress Romola Garai.

Rohan is an Indian (masculine) name derived from Sanskrit and meaning "ascension", however, it is one of those names with cross-cultural possibilities. It can also be a spelling variation of Rowan or Ruadhán and a variation of the Arabic name Ruhan.

This intriguing Scandinavian name is associated with Roald Dahl, author of the juvenile classics James and the Giant Peach and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. You can honor an ancestral Ronald just by dropping that middle 'n'.

Venerable old saint's name now associated solely with talk show host Philbin, who is constantly seeking namesakes. It comes from the word rex meaning "king".

A surname occasionally used as a first, as in former attorney general Ramsey Clark. This spelling is now closely associated with the psychopathic Game of Thrones villain Ramsay Snow (later Ramsay Bolton), and so is probably best avoided as long as the show and books are popular.

Indian princely title, more exciting than Prince or Duke, that is also a widely-used name for both genders. In the US, the names Rajah and Raja are uncommon: Ten baby boys were named Rajah last year and 18 were given the Raja spelling.

The name of the sweet human baby in the film Ice Age, Roshan is a handsome Persian name that is the origin of the female name Roxanne, via its feminine form Roshanak.

Ruger is a German surname most famous as a gun name, which explains its popularity as a baby name in the US. If Cannon, Gunner, and Pistol are your type of name, you might like Ruger -- but we're not inviting him for a playdate.

Pretty and unusual, worth consideration.

This name is hanging on as Renee, thanks to Ms. Zellweger, and in newer forms Renae and Renny.

Rupin is one of those names that is virtually unknown in the Western world and yet is easily translated because it feels so familiar -- parts Rupert, Robin, and Reuben. A handsome choice.

In the Shona language of souther Africa, this simple and wearable boys' name means love.