Pet Names · Dog Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 5 pages
of 5
English
"army guard"
With Yale and Brown in the mainstream, why not this upscale college name and surname as well.
Sanskrit
"star, protector"
A strong, handsome Indian name with cross-cultural appeal.
English, diminutive of Edward
"wealthy guardian"
Ned is a gently old-fashioned Nancy Drew-Bobbsey Twins-era short form for Edward that sounds cooler than Ed and is enjoying a small style renaissance. Usage of Ned in literature goes back to a Ben…
Diminutive of Alexander, Greek
"defending men"
There's Zan and there's Xan--take your pick. Both of these are the latest generation of Alexander nicknames, Xan having been noticed first as a character on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (a rich source…
German
"victorious protection"
The connection to Freud is a strong one, but this German name has a strong and interesting sound and great nickname potential: Ziggy, Iggy, Sim, Sid...
Italian from German
"with divine protection"
Lighter Latin version of Anselm.
Greek
"bright, shining, glistening"
Also spelled as Argos, this name appears in Greek mythology, borne by Odysseus's loyal dog, by a giant creature with a hundred eye, a son of Zeus and King of Argos, and an Argonaut ship builder. The…
English occupational name
"guardian of the hedged enclosure"
Possible Hayden alternative.
African, Mashona
"spirit guide, protector"
Spirit that protects babies from illness...and surname of designer Naomi.
"horse protection"
The kind of serious old-school name that sounds appealing again; perfect for the intrepid baby namer. More commonly spelled Rosamund but highly unusual these days in either version, with fewer than…
Diminutive of Alexander
With the plethora of Alexes around, Xan (and Xander) have emerged as hot new nicknames for Alexander. Xan also stands well on its own. It can be found--not surprisingly--in several computer games.
Polish
"protection"
Short form of Bronisława, usually spelt Bronia in Poland.
Greek, variation of Alexandra,
Alexandrina is the most elaborate and unusual of the Alex- girls's names.The real first name of Queen Victoria, who was given it in honor of her godfather, Alexander I of Russia (her childhood…
Variation of Sandra and Alexandra
A name that is rarely heard and might be worth considering as a way of zipping up a namesake Sandra. It has long been associated with iconoclastic British fashion designer Zandra Rhodes. Zandra did…
Russian, diminutive of Alexandra
Shura is a unisex Russian nickname for Aleksandr or Aleksandra, themselves forms of Alexander. Less known in the English-speaking world than Sasha, it's also more assertive — probably because of that…
Variation of Alexandra, Greek
This spin on the "Alex" prefix was the 88th most popular girl name in Scotland in 1900.
Scottish surname from a diminutive of William
"resolute protection"
William was such a popular name, thanks to the Conquerer, in early England that it gave rise to a range of nicknames, including the distinctly Scottish Wilkie. Heard mostly as a surname these days,…
Removing one letter from the somewhat intimidating Alexios gives you Alexio, a charming and more accessible variation.
"strong protection"
An ancient saint's name belonging to an 8th century English missionary. Variants include Walpurga and Walpurgis.
Amharic variation of Alexander
Variation of Alexander.
