Gray Cat Names

The unusual (to English speakers) name Cendrillon is French for Cinderella, though most Americans wouldn't recognize it as such. This might make an excellent middle name for those who are looking for something rare, whimsical, fantastical, and literary. But you must insist on the lovely French pronunciation — if you're choosing a name this uncommon, why not go all the way.

Sweet and southern-feeling, maybe thanks to Horton Foote, author of Tender Mercies and The Trip to Bountiful, not to mention the Dr. Seuss connection.

One of the boys' names that sounds fresher today for a girl. Second-best-spelling for boys, Neal, may work even better for girls.

Mosley, former best known as the surname of author Walter, has been put in play as a first name for girls by football great Peyton Manning, who used the name for his twin daughter, sister of Marshall. Alternate spellings are Moseley and Mosely and the first syllable rhymes with Rose.

The name of a genus of flowering plants commonly known as "forget-me-not", deriving from a Greek word meaning "mouse's ear", because of the shape of the plant's leaves. The Spanish form Miosoti is more often seen, though still very rare.

An interesting possibility if you're looking for a highly unusual animal name.

Unusual two-syllable choice with a real pronunciation challenge.

The Turkish name for the Danube River.

A common Scandinavian name, but hard to imagine being used elsewhere.

Tsunami is a Japanese word, derived from the elements tsu meaning "harbor," and nami, "wave." It was first used as a name in 2004 and 2005, then left the charts and reemerged in 2020. At the very least, it makes an interesting way to get to the nickname Sue or Susie (or would that be Tsu/Tsusi?)

Olympic athlete Usain Bolt introduced this unusual and electric nature name to the lexicon when he chose it for his daughter's middle name: Olympia Lightning Bolt. Now there's a name with layers of meaning!

A cool and breezy nature name with a stylish sound, used by Volkswagen for one of its cars.

Eisenhower is derived from Eisenhauer, a German surname composed of the elements eisen, meaning "iron," and hauer, "hewer." In modern English, that translates to "iron cutter." It's best known as the surname of President Dwight D., "Ike" Eisenhower, making Ike an appropriate nickname (and you might need one, with a name this stately!)

Blakesley is the name of a village in England, also sometimes found as a surname along with Blakely and Blakeley, turned into a first name for their daughter by reality stars Trista and Ryan Sutter. Blakesley joins other -ley ending names -- Hadley, Finley -- as one of the most popular forms of unisex names with a girlish spin.

Shakespeare's classic drunken fool. In fact, this name, carried to Britain by the Normans, was quite popular until it was brought into disrepute by the low-life character who haunts taverns with Falstaff in Shakespeare's history plays.

And her sisters, Stormy and Sunny.

In Norway, a Grandpa Name.

Olympic skier Picabo Street was allowed to choose her name at the age of three, and picked it possibly (a) after a nearby Idaho town or (b) because she loved to play peekaboo. No longer a single-person name, it is now worn by a number of satisfied bearers.

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 in Japan’s textile industry and eschewed conventional domesticity, openly living with a lover and having her children out of wedlock. Thunderbirds are GO indeed!