Pet Names
Pet Bird Names
Across 16 pages
of 16
Pippi
Norse variation of Philippa
"lover of horses"
Pippi may be cute but isn't very practical. In addition to being forever Pippi Longstocking, there is that variant pee-pee spelling to consider. Try Pippa instead.
Pirate
English word name from Greek
"to attempt, attack"
A bold new word name that conjures up images of peg-legs and eyepatches. It was brought to national attention by pop musician Billie Eilish, whose full name is Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O'Connell.…
Polly
English variation of Molly, diminutive of Mary, Hebrew
"bitter"
An alternative to the no-longer-fresh Molly, the initial 'P' gives Polly a peppier sound, combining the cozy virtues of an old-timey name with the bounce of a barmaid. Associated with Tom Sawyer's…
Pollyanna
English compound name, Polly + Anna
"beloved + grace"
Has become a byword in English for an overly optimistic person, thanks to the eponymous children's book heroine. Polly is an antiquated short form of Mary.
Ptarmigan
Scots Gaelic
"name of a bird species"
Ptarmigan is the common English name for the genus Lagopus, in the grouse family of birds. The name is derived from the Scottish word for the bird, tàrmachan (meaning unknown), with the initial P-…
Queen
Word name
"queen"
Queen has seen a revival in recent times, reaching its record high in 2018 with 280 births — it has remained steady since then. Previously, Queen saw a peak in the 1920s, but its origins go back even…
Quetzal
Bird name, Nahuatl
"large beautiful tail feather"
A quetzal is a beautiful, brightly-colored bird found in Mexico and Central America. It is the national bird of Guatemala, as well as the name of their currency. Quetzal is given as a baby name to a…
Raicho
Japanese
"Thunderbird"
Japanese feminist Raicho Hiratsuka chose the name Raicho for herself - no doubt because of its fabulously meaning. As a journalist and publisher, Raicho fought for the rights of working class women…
Ramone
Musical name
Ramon is a common Latin male name, but Ramone would clearly be in tribute to the early punk rock group--each of whose members took on the last name Ramone.
Revna
Old Danish, Faroese
"raven"
This ancient Viking-era name is a fresh alternative to Raven.
Rhapsody
French, musical term
Could be seen as extravagantly ecstatic for a baby name, though feel free to rhapsodize about your little girl, whatever her name.
Rihanna
Arabic
"sweet basil"
Many will associate Rihanna with the Barbados-born singer, known mononymously by her middle name. During her early years of fame, when "Umbrella" was on the radio and "Take a Bow" was playing through…
Rojo
Spanish
"red"
Colorful middle name choice.
Rufus
Latin
"red-head"
Rufus is a rumpled, redheaded (it was the nickname for red-haired King William) ancient Roman name popular with saints and singers (e.g. Rufus Wainwright); now, Rufus is on the cutting edge of cool.…
Sacagawea
Native American
"bird woman"
Sacagawea (or, sometimes, Sakakawea or Sacajawea) was a Lemhi Shoshone woman who was instrumental to the Lewis and Clark Expedition across what is now the western part of the USA. She traveled…
Sapphire
Hebrew, Greek, and Latin jewel name
"blue"
Sapphire goes waaaaay beyond Ruby and Pearl. This September birthstone, occasionally used a century ago, might be worth a reappraisal, perhaps as a Sophie/Sophia alternative. Sapphire is the…
Sasa
Hungarian or Slavic short form of Alexandra or Sarah; Cherokee
"goose"
Sasa is a simple name with complex origins. In the Cherokee language, it means goose. It might also be a Hungarian or other Easterm European short form of Sarah or Alexandra, ala Sasha. Some sources…
Seablue
English color name
A romantic elaboration of Blue that would work for a person of any gender.
Sephora
French variation of Tziporah, Hebrew
"bird"
This lovely name is a softened French version of Tziporah, the biblical wife of Moses. Unfortunately, in the US, it's become attached to the cosmetics franchise. The brand Sephora claims to have…
Sequoia
Native American, Cherokee
"sparrow"
This name of a giant tree, itself named for a nineteenth-century Cherokee who invented a way to write his tribe's language, makes a strong, stately statement.
