Pet Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 17 pages
of 17
Greek
"kingfisher bird"
This highly unusual name -- the Halycyone was a mythic bird who could calm the seas -- conjures up images of utter peace and tranquility because of the phrase "Halycon days"...and the sleeping pill.
Heaven, Peace, Serenity: parents seem especially attracted to word names that signal paradise, but Halcyon sounds quite feminine, and might conjure up the sleeping pill Halcion.
English
"shellfish-gatherer"
Surname of Declaration signer sure to present playground complications.
Italian place-name
Singer Perry is long gone, but the beautiful northern Italian lake conjures up a clear and tranquil image.
word name
This cosmological name has a zippy feel that might work well for the galactic parent looking for the perfect name for their own little star.
English occupational name
"shepherd's hook"
fuhgeddaboutit.
Irish
"sea tide"
Hurley is a possibility as a unisex surname-name ending with the "lee" sound. It is perhaps most associated with British actress Elizabeth Hurley, and is much rarer than Harley, because the "ur"…
Spanish from Native American word name
"hurricane"
Hurricane is a storm, but it's also an American name , thanks to rising tennis star Hurricane Black -- whose sister's name is Tornado. There's no reason this tempestuous choice can't work for boys…
Nickname name
Old-school nickname ala Spike and Babe that's favored by some hipster parents.
Turkish
"river"
Two names meaning "river" make the Turkish Top 100 for girls — Nehir and Irmak. Irmak is the less popular of the two.
Modern nickname, also color name
Has too many slangy connotations to be considered.
Bucky is a masculine diminutive nickname that typically derives from names like Buchanan, Buck, or sometimes William/Bill. With American roots, it carries a friendly, approachable quality with a…
Word name or nickname
Boo may have started out as a nickname for the male character Arthur "Boo" Radley in To Kill A Mockingbird and these days may be closely associated with another male Boo, the "world's cutest dog" or…
Diminutive of Robert
Bobo was the name of one of the most famous clowns in American circus history, who performed from the 1920s until the 1970s. But that's not the only reason this makes a less-than-optimal nickname.
Diminutive of names beginning with Ju-
An informal nickname for names such as Julia, Juliette, and June.
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,…
Word name
A name best for pets.
Diminutive of Elizabeth
A modern version of the dated Betty. You might want to consider varying Elizabeth, too, to the Italian Elisabetta.
English word name
"an edible seed, typically kidney-shaped"
Bean is a unisex word name with a cute and quirky feel. Early reader series Ivy and Bean features a young girl named Bean, short for Bernice Blue. It has appeal as a casual nickname or middle name,…
Nature name, English word name
"a shore of a body of water"
With the tide coming in on a new wave of word names, this one just might catch on, especially for parents who relish sun, sand, and surf. Forest lovers can spell it Beech, like the tree.
