Pet Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 17 pages
of 17
Animal name
While we don't see many parents adopting Otter as a name for their own babies, Zooey Deschanel put this one in the lexicon when she used it as a middle name for her adorably-named daughter Elsie…
Ocean name; from Latin
"tranquil"
Pacific is an adventurous kind of place-name, with the added bonus of the association with peace.
Diminutive of Pavel or Praskovya, Russian
"small, humble; preparation"
Sweet and soft but outdoorsy too, Pasha could make an interesting alternative to Sasha. Typically used as a diminutive for Russian male names like Pavel, it has also been used for the feminine name…
English
"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…
Native American, Hopi
"clear water"
A sweet and clear Hopi name with a lovely natural meaning to match.
English fruit name
Unlike the other fruit names that are just coming onto the baby name menu, Peaches is an old-timey nickname previously reserved for spangled showgirls, and now would be considered an outrageous --…
English, word name
As the former stage name of TLC founder Perri Reid and the name of the youngest member of the animated Flintstones clan, it's got some pop culture cache. But it'll be too cutesy by half for most…
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…
Sanskrit
"possessing water"
Saraswati is the Hindu goddess of knowledge, learning, music, and the arts. She is also a river goddess, associated with the mythical Saraswati river, which played an important part in the Vedic…
English from Greek
"to attempt, attack"
Pirate is best known as one of the middle names of pop sensation Billie Eilish, who was born Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O'Connell. In a 2017 BBC interview, she revealed, "Pirate was going to be my…
French
"swimming pool"
The full name of Pi from The Life of Pi .
"pit"
If used at all these days, it would be to honor artist Jackson, whose first name would be far preferable.
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…
"salmon, a fish"
nature names are in, and even fish names like Pike and Salmon are open for consideration.
Surname name
Soul fans may wish to use this unusual name as a reference to singer Jimmy Ruffin and his younger brother David, one of the lead members of The Temptations.
Irish
"fair-haired"
This is an ancient saints' name well used in Ireland but a rarity here and unlikely to ever reach the popularity of other Finn-ish names. St. Finbarr (the more common spelling) is the patron saint of…
Italian
"deep brook"
Unique choice, with a pleasant antique feel.
English from French, word name
"Saturday Night Live" cast member Finesse Mitchell often mocks his own and similar names when portraying the character Starkeisha on the show.
Finetta is a feminine name with Italian and French influences, functioning as a diminutive form of names like Serafina or Josephine. The suffix '-etta' adds a meaning of 'little' or 'small,' giving…
Finette is a delicate feminine name of French origin, functioning as a diminutive of Josephine or Delphine. The '-ette' suffix traditionally indicates 'little' or 'small' in French, giving the name a…
