Pet Names · Cat Names
By Brynn McKeon · Updated September 2026
Across 9 pages
of 9
Short form of Isabelle or French
"beautiful"
Belle has nothing but positive associations, from "belle of the ball" to "Southern belle" to the heroine of Disney's Beauty and the Beast . As if this weren't enough good things, Belle is also one of…
Arabic
"handsome, beautifier"
Traditionally spelled as Zayyan, this concise spelling variant is more popular in the English speaking world. Similar in sound and in meaning to the popular, international-feeling Zayn, it ranks in…
Spanish variation of Jamila, Arabic
Popular in Mexico and familiar in the US, Yamileth is an elaborate and fresh form of Yamila, ultimately derived from the Arabic Jamil. Meaning "beautiful", it shares sounds with other familiar and…
French
"pretty"
Jolie is as pretty as its literal meaning; nowadays it is also seen as a girls’ name , via Angelina for whom Jolie was originally her middle name. Although it is French, Jolie is rarely if ever used…
Norse
"fair; Ing is beautiful"
The luminous Ingrid Bergman's appeal was strong enough to lend universal charisma to this classic Scandinavian name, which has been somewhat neglected in the US. Even today, a child named Ingrid…
"beautiful, handsome"
Hasan is a significant Muslim historical figure — he was the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad and the son of Ali and Fatimah. Shia Muslims consider Hasan a martyr — he died after being poisoned by…
American from Arabic or African
"large eyes, or time, or beautiful flower"
Aiyana is a name that could easily cross cultures. It debuted on the US Top 1000 in 1999 and hovers near the bottom of the Top 1000.
English, Norwegian, and Frisian surname
"agreeable and handsome; from Ave; son of Ave"
Aven is used as a surname in various countries across the globe, and occasionally as an Anglicized variant of the Irish girl name, Aoibheann. In the US, Aven only started to see significant use in…
Italian, nickname from Greek Kaleas
"good or beautiful person"
A highly unusual Italian word-name that is nevertheless attractive and easy to pronounce and spell.
Arabic, African
"large eyes; or time; beautiful flower"
Variant of Ayana with international roots.
Greek
Calla is a botanical name that is much more distinctive than popular Lily or similar Callie. Rarely heard today, it did appear in the popularity lists in the last decades of the nineteenth century.…
Variation of Zuri, African, Kiswahili
"good, beautiful"
One of the fastest-rising names currently, thanks to LeBron James' daughter Zhuri. This spelling entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 2022, following in the footsteps of red-hot Zuri.
"most beautiful"
Spelled with either one 'l' or two, Calista came to the fore in 1997 when Calista Flockhart hit it big as Ally McBeal. Flockhart, who bears her mother's middle name, didn't just introduce a name, she…
Variation of May of Mei-Lin, English, Chinese
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved; beautiful jade"
Maylin is following in the footsteps of Maelynn and Maelyn — two modern invented Mae and Lynn compounds that are on the rise. Maylin could also be considered an Anglicized spelling variation of…
"beautiful, graceful"
Soft and appealing, with a whiff of vanilla.
Basque
"handsome"
This is one Basque name that is very transferable to the American context — and it has a great meaning, too. The feminine version is Eider or Ederne.
Chinese; Hawaiian
"beautiful; plum"
Homophonous with Mae and May, the beautiful (literally) Mei is poised to climb the charts. The hero of the 2022 Disney/Pixar film Turning Red is a Chinese-Canadian teen named Meilin "Mei" Lee, which…
"beautiful voice"
Original form of the more familiar Calliope, the muse of epic poetry. A calliope is a musical instrument sometimes called the steam organ, frequently found on carousels. With its rhythmic sound, this…
"small, handsome one"
One spelling of a well-used Arabic name. Hussein ibn Ali was a grandson of the Prophet Muhammad. It gained in popularity in the USA during the presidency of Barack Hussein Obama.
Scottish
"handsome, fair of face"
Irvin is an Old Man name that has an uncertain future. Losing the final g in Irving makes the name slightly less dated -- but just slightly. There's something about the 'erv' sound that makes Irvin…
