Cat Names That Mean Survivor or Fighter

Largely male throughout Europe, this name--spelled with or without the c, is an energetic choice that has really taken off for girls here; it's been used for the daughters of Steven Spielberg, Jerry Seinfeld, and Vanessa Williams. The Barack Obamas use Sasha as the nickname for their younger daughter, whose proper name is Natasha. Sasha Alexander, on the TV show Rizzoli & Isles, was born Suzana.

Signy — also spelled Signe — would make another distinctively offbeat alternative to Sydney. Signy appears in Norse mythology as the twin sister of Sigmund.

Durant's meaning signifies staying power, a good quality to impart to your child. Notables with the surname Durant include Pulitzer Prize-winning authors Will and Ariel Durant, most famous for their eleven-volume The Story of Civilization, and William Crappo Durant, co-founder of General Motors and Chevrolet.

Strong African name with a meaning to match.

Irish surname names are hugely popular for girls in the US these days, with Riley and Kennedy ranking high on the official popularity lists. Connery is uncommon, but certainly attractive and usable.

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.

Not to be confused with the identically spelt Greek feminine form, which is pronounced with three syllables, Zosime is the French form of the male name Zosimus. Zosime or Zosimus is a quirky Z starting name with a long history. It has been the name of several early saints and a pope, as well as the Byzantine author of a history of the Roman Empire, published in the sixth century CE.

Lova, a Louise relative virtually unknown in the US, is one of the top girl names in Sweden.

Just a few years ago, Dustin, Dylan, and Daryl seemed like radical, edgy names for girls; now even Great-aunt Alberta wouldn't raise an eyebrow.

A fictional name from the League of Legends video game franchise. Its meaning has been suggested as "fighter, leader or powerful", due to the carrot.

Zosimus is a quirky Z starting name with a long history. It has been the name of several early saints and a pope, as well as the Byzantine author of a history of the Roman Empire, published in the sixth century CE.

Unlikely to catch on in the Anglophone world, where parent name Ludwig still conjures up images of Beethoven. But Ludvig actually ranks among the top boy names in Norway and Sweden, while German form Ludwig ranks among the Top 100 boy names in Germany and Ludovico is cool in Italty.

Kamau is from the Kikuyu language native to Kenya. It is recognizable as the middle name of comedian W. Kamau Bell.

A possible new entry in the Hayden-Corbin two-syllable boys' name club.

Caedmon is considered the first English poet -- a nice literary tie-in to the streamlined version.

Jayant is the name of the son of the Hindu God Indra. Its meaning is derived from the Sanskrit word Jaya, meaning victory.

Introduced to the lexicon by the husband of Little House on the Prairie writer Laura Ingalls Wilder, most scholars agree that this unusual name comes from the Arabic El-Mansur.

Despite its ancient sound and meaning, this is a relatively modern coinage from two ancient Norse elements. A strong and striking choice.

The surname of influential French fashion designer Marc Bohan could make a modern-sounding two-syllable boy's name, though it might be confused with Bowen.

Rauno originated in Finland as a variation of Norse names beginning with Ragn-, most notably Ragnar. The name is also heard in neighboring Estonia.