Pet Names · Dog Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 18 pages
of 18
Medieval English variation of Tristan, “noise or sorrowful"
This version of Tristan, known to English Lit students from the novel Tristram Shandy , is rarely used in this country, but, though its similarity to the popular Tristan could prove confusing, still…
English
"divided in two"
Twain can be thought of as a modernization (and possible namesake) of the dated Wayne, seasoned with the humor of Mark Twain, who adopted it from a river term.
Scottish form of Katherine, Greek
"pure"
This Katherine variation, used through Ireland and Scotland, is pronounced like Katrina. The name became popular after the Crusaders brought home stories about the colorful fourth century martyr,…
Latin
"little wave"
Mythological water spirit with the more common spelling of Ondine, heroine of an Edith Wharton novel.
English surname
"crane"
This elegant surname has great potential to turn into an unusual first name, especially with its literary associations to both Stephen and Hart Crane. Crane is a surname that originated for a tall…
Italian
"who dominates the will"
Unusual Italian name for boys that relates both to the vividly stylish Viv names such as Vivienne and Viveca, and to the Italian musician Vivaldi.
French variation of Vivian
"life"
Embroidered lace hankie of a name, used in a Thomas Hardy novel. That literary cred lends some gravitas. An exceedingly rare name -- Viviette was used for no baby girls In the US last year -- it…
Literary name
The surname of father-son British writers Kingsley and Martin could work very well as a first, though its Amy connection makes it sound a tad feminine.
Italian, Latin
"famous"
The obscure yet not unappealing name of a legendary heroine of Rome, likely derived from the Roman family name, Cloelius. It is believed to come from the Latin word cluere , meaning "to have renowned…
Variation of Wolf, animal name
The spelling Woolf inevitably conjures writer Virginia. If you're a fan of Mrs. Dalloway and the Bloomsbury group, Woolf might be a creative way to combine a trendy animal name with an original honor…
Native American
"yankee"
A fancy TV western name that didn't catch on like fellow cowboys Luke and Josh, but definitely has a certain amount of charm. It is also spelled Yancy, as in the 1950s series Yancy Derringer . It was…
Scottish, English
"the gates"
Admirers of the haunting works of esteemed Irish poet and playwright William Butler Yeats might consider this surname-style name, especially for the middle spot. Ultimately derived from the Old…
Literary surname
Crusoe, as in castaway hero Robinson, is a literary invention by author Daniel Defoe. In the novel, the character says his name is an Anglicization of the German Kreutznaer, which may be a place name…
Authors or Francophiles – or both – could consider this zippy name in honor of renowned French writer Émile Zola, author of Germinal , Thérèse Raquin and the infamous open letter J'Accuse...! .
The original Zooey, hero of J.D. Salinger's Franny & Zooey , was male, but nowadays the name is more closely associated with actress/singer Zooey Deschanel. With Zoe at number 31 for girls and Zoey…
"prince portrait"
Samuel Johnson invented the name Rasselas for the title character of his novel, Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia. Rasselas is actually the son of the prince. TV auteur Sally Wainwright recently used the…
The well-loved, sassy and headstrong fairy Tinker Bell is one of the most recognizable Disney characters. Her name, however, is not the most useable for a baby in real life. Read more about Tinker…
Vilgefortz is a character from The Witcher series -- one as unappealing as his name.
Latin literary name and bird name
Fringilla Vigo is a sorceress and villain in The Witcher series. Her name comes from a genus of singing finches.
Place-name; Choctaw
"vegetation gatherers"
Alabama is a hot southern place-name, picking up from Georgia and Savannah. This is not a geographical name come lately, though--there have been girls named Alabama dating back well over a century.…
