Pet Names · Dog Names
By Brynn McKeon · Updated September 2026
Across 18 pages
of 18
English word name
"independent, uncontrolled"
Now that names like Cannon and Gunner, fit for comic book heroes, are rising up, Rogue may fit right in.
Romanian and English form of Aurelius, Latin
"golden"
While Aurelio, Aurelia, and Aurelius are all on the rise, this historical and Romanian form of the golden name is yet to share in its relatives' success. Given to just 25 boys in a recent year, it…
English place-name and surname
"Ellis's town"
Ellington is a swinging musical name, evoking the jazzy and elegant persona of the Duke (born Edward Kennedy Ellington). While that reference may seem to make Ellington a male name, it is also…
Spanish variation of Titus
Has diverse associations: the long-term Communist head of Yugoslavia, one of Michael Jackson's older brothers, and an animated Disney character -- none of them a very strong recommendation.
Welsh
"unknown"
Variation on Rhidian, a Welsh saint's name.
"a marauder"
Raider is one of the new genre of badass word names, which also includes Rogue, Rebel, Danger, Wilder, and so on. Choose it at your own peril.
Word name
Starbaby name that might prove too supercharged for real life, but if like director Robert Rodriguez you're interested only in boys' names starting with R , you may need to add Rocket (and Rebel and…
Latin
"citizen of Rome"
He was the original Roman, Remus's twin and a founder of Rome. But parents attracted to this name are advised to read the legend first. Romulus does have some less than savory characteristics,…
"light-bearer"
Lucifer is the name of the archangel cast into hell and while theologians disagree on whether he and Satan are separate beings, it long been on the list of forbidden names for religious and…
Greek mythology
"lord of the earth, husband of the earth"
In Greek mythology, Poseidon is the wild God of seas, storms, earthquakes and horses — which he could tame with a strike of his trident. He is notable for helping the Greeks against the Trojans…
Greek mythology name
Icarus, the mythological figure famous for flying too close to the sun, has a couple of negatives: his rash reputation, and those "icky" nicknames.
"stern"
The association with the infamous Nero, the fiddling Roman emperor, would be unavoidable. But there was also the detective Nero Wolfe, hero of many mystery stories. Nero was born Lucius Domitius…
Diminutive of Dexter
"dyer; right-handed"
Dex, the nickname for Dexter that is sometimes used on its own, has lots of energy and dynamism. It was chosen by comedian Dana Carvey for his now grown son. With the growing popularity of Dexter, we…
Greek
"glory of Hera"
Any boy with this name, a synonym for power via the Greek mythology figure, better be strong of body, and of psyche.
Welsh, from Latin Maximus
"greatest"
Also spelled Macsen, this ancient name manages to sound modern and cool. An heroic namesake was Maxen Wledig, a fourth century Spanish-born general who led the Roman army out of Britain, and as…
Nature name
"hawk, a bird"
Animal names are on the rise, especially more of the aggressive Hawk-Fox-Wolf variety than cute little Bunnys or Robins, and Hawk is a prime example. Hawk is more commonly heard as a surname,…
Place-name
After Dallas, Austin, and Houston, the new cowboy on the block, complete with old-school Western nickname, Tex. Quietly used as a name since at least the late 19th-century, Texas was given to around…
Hawaiian, Polynesian mythology
The name of the second-biggest (and third-most populous) island in Hawaii was one of the fastest-rising boys' names of 2017. A major factor was surely Dwayne Johnson's character in Moana , the…
"a loud rumbling or crashing noise heard after a lightning flash"
This booming word name has been used every year since 1988, yet at most was given to 30 baby boys in a single year. But with names like Thunder, all it takes is one celebrity to bring it to the…
German
"battle warrior"
When it's spelled with two dots over the ' u ' in German, Gunther is pronounced GUWN-ter, but it has a much softer sound when the 'h' is voiced by English-speakers, as it was, for example, for the…
