Pet Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 23 pages
of 23
English word name
One of the aggressive new boys' names, ala Tracker and Heller, that have become fashionable among parents who are courting trouble.
English
"meadow at the slope of the hill"
A rowdy name nobody ever heard of, till Nick Nolte gave it to his son.
Nature name
"blackberry shrub"
Related to blackberry plants and more colloquially to any thorny shrub, Bramble has history as an English surname. Cozy in sound but spiky in feel, it could even get you nickname Bram.
Word name
Not even for Brandy's twin brother.
Ancient Greek
"sapphire"
Name of the 7th century BC Greek lyric poet born on the island of Lesbos, whose name has been synonymous with lesbian love. Though this name is rarely used today, it certainly could be and, some…
Sashay is an unusual feminine name derived from a French ballet term meaning 'to glide' or 'to strut,' which entered English as both a dance step and a descriptive term for a graceful, confident…
French
"smooth, shiny"
Sensuous to a fault.
A common name for cats with boot-like markings on their feet, in the same vein as Mittens, Socks, and Beans, Boots is also the name of Dora The Explorer's monkey friend and the name of a UK drugstore…
Dutch surname
"orchard"
What it really means: you're a "Casablanca" fan.
"kept from knowledge or view"
Mysterious. In 2016, 13 baby girls in the United States were given this unusual word name -- at least according to the Social Security Administration. We can't help but suspect that some of those…
Scottish
"seal folk"
A mystical name with a watery feel to it, selkies are mythical creatures that resemble seals in the water but assume human form on land. Appearing in Scottish folklore, their name comes from the word…
Queen of Babylon
Semiramis was the most important Queen of Assyria, who conquered much of Asia. Semiramis restored ancient Babylon and protected it with a high brick wall that completely surrounded the city. Then she…
"shade"
A daring word name with a touch of mystique, Shadow is an edgy choice for a baby that some may say is best reserved for pets. Nevertheless, it has been appearing in the US stats for girls since 1974…
Diminutive of Elizabeth, Hebrew
"pledged to God"
The archetypal diminutive, in every sense of the word. Bitsy enjoyed some use as a nickname in the era when children were named after family members and then called by a cute pet name: Chip, Skip,…
It has a variety of associations from Smokey Robinson to Smokey the bear, but Smokey still feels a bit comical for a baby.
English surname
"lively; fiery; one who lives near the shrub"
Sparks was originally used as a nickname in Medieval England, typically as a pet name for a lively person (or in an ironic sense, for one who was not). It was also likely used as a nickname for…
English word name, German surname
"speck; one from Speck, bacon, butcher"
Not only did rocker John Mellencamp name his son Speck, but he appended the middle name Wildhorse to it.
Czech
"white"
Despite the light, pretty sound of Bella for a girl, the boys' name Bela has dark and mysterious undertones, thanks to Dracula actor Bela Lugosi. Béla is also the first name of composer Bartók.
Greek
"flash of lightning"
In Greek mythology, Sterope is the name of one of the seven Pleiads. It is sometimes used interchangeably with Asterope, from the same root.
"russet-haired"
An old English redhead name -- one of the few that doesn't begin with the letter r -- with references both to a famous French knight and a magical horse. Civil Rights leader Bayard Rustin is a…
