Pet Names · Cat Names
By Brynn McKeon · Updated September 2026
Across 9 pages
of 9
Norse
"brave warrior, or Thor's stone"
Dustin's popularity in recent years has probably had more due to its similarity to Justin than to idolization of Dustin Hoffman -- himself named after silent screen cowboy star Dustin Farnum -- who…
French variation of Marcellus
"little warrior"
Marcel, despite distinguished namesakes including Proust and Duchamp, suffers from a terminal headwaiter image in this country. But along with its sister name Marcella and French variation (and…
Irish
"sea warrior"
This jaunty Celtic surname — one of the most common family names in both Ireland and the US — is totally viable as a first. The arguably most famous Murphy is TV's Murphy Brown, and indeed the name…
Spanish
"elf warrior"
Traditionally written with an accent (Álvaro), this is a well-used Spanish saint's name with a lot of flair that could definitely cross over to more general usage. It reached its peak in the United…
German
"famous warrior"
In the World War II era, Roger had nothing but the most positive associations, actually used by military personnel to mean 'Received and understood'--or A-OK, and though it is now on extended…
Indo-Iranian
"warrior, honorable"
Aryan derives from the Sanskrit word ārya , meaning "honorable" or "high-born." As a term, Aryan was used to describe Indo-Europeans—particularly Iranians—who shared common religious, cultural, and…
Italian and Spanish
"young warrior"
Based on the ancient name Marcellus, drawn from Mars the god of war, Marcello -- it's pronounced mar-chell-o -- is one of the most lush and attractive Latin names.
Italian, Spanish
"renowned warrior"
This streamlined Italian and Spanish spelling of Louisa is currently very popular in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Portugal, where it's usually spelt Luísa.
Variation of Koa or Koach, Hawaiian, Hebrew
"warrior; strength"
Koa and Noah are both contemporary favorites, so it was only a matter of time before Koah caught on too. Likely used as a variation of the Hawaiian Koa (meaning "warrior"), it may also be seen as a…
Latin
This ancient Roman family name, first borne by the distinguished Marcus Claudius Marcellus and later by two popes, is a possibilty in the hot new category of names from antiquity.
Old Norse
"Victory"
Mia, Gia, and now Sia! Born Sia Kate Isobelle Furler, the Australian singer-songwriter scored a major international hit with "Chandelier" in 2014, and put her short, uncommon name on the radar. Sia…
Scottish
"dark warrior"
Duncan is jaunty, confident, and open, a Scottish royal name that's brimming with friendly charm and makes it into our golden circle of names that are neither too popular nor too strange. Popularity…
Scandinavian, Russian, and Eastern European variation of Victor
The Viktor form of this classic name is widely used throughout Europe and is rising in the US as well.
Diminutive of Victoria, English, Japanese
"victory; bird"
A more modern nickname for Victoria than Vicky, Tori is used fairly frequently on its own, kept in the public eye by singer Tori Amos and actress Tori Spelling. Still, it's far from fashionable,…
Greek and Coptic place-name
"Enduring and beautiful"
Tied to the bluesy southern city and to the world heritage cite in Egypt after which it was named, Memphis is a modern choice with ancient history. Currently significantly more popular for boys in…
Spanish and Russian variation of Herman, German
"warrior"
German might seem like an unlikely occupant of the Top 1000 list, unless you realize that it's a Spanish name, with the accent on the second syllable. It's been on the U.S. list since 1973.
Hawaiian
"warrior; flowing tree native to Hawaii"
The popularity of the Biblical Noah has led to a rise in Koa for boys, and since it boosted Noa up the charts for girls too, it was only so long before the rhyming Koa caught on as a unisex…
"the warriors"
Nakoa is a Top 100 name for boys in Hawaii. It became more widely known after actors Lisa Bonet and Jason Mamoa chose it for their son.
English
"battle warrior"
Despite all the "hanging," "dangling," and "pregnant" chad jokes of the 2000 election, this saint's name and remnant of the Brad-Tad era didn't get a boost in popularity. But Chad still holds some…
Diminutive of Louis or Lewis, French and German
Lou, all by itself, is become fashionable for girls, which usually makes a name LESS fashionable for boys. But Lou, like Bill or Jim, is rarely used on its own for boys anyway. (You wouldn't name a…
