Pet Names · Dog Names
By Brynn McKeon · Updated September 2026
Across 14 pages
of 14
English word name
"land near the sea"
A brisk and beachy word name, conjuring up rugged shorelines and sandy, summery holidays. While Cove seems to have bounced back from its negative (Covid) associations, Coast might be an obvious…
Spanish, Latin American, English, and Filipino diminutive of Mary, Hebrew
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
Actress and author Mariel Hemingway popularized this attractive and unusual variation of Mary, which first emerged in the 20th century. Also the name of a Cuban town — which provided the source of…
Variation of Kailani, Hawaiian
"sea and sky"
Khalani debuted on the US Top 1000 in 2020 thanks to the influence of Khalani Simon — known as Lani Love — a child model and budding star.
Italian and Dutch diminutive of Maria
Lilting and nearly unknown here, with the currently popular ella ending, makes a good Marissa alternative. The meaning of Maria is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots…
Nature name
Sky may be a bit hippie-ish, but it's bright and sunny nonetheless. Sky rejoined the Top 1000 in 2013 after spending many years off the list. Sky was the choice of magician David Copperfield for his…
Latin; Celtic
"heart; daughter of the sea"
Cordelia is exactly the kind of old-fashioned, grown-up name for girls that many parents are seeking for their daughters today. The name of King Lear's one sympathetic daughter, Cordelia has both…
Scottish
"narrow or wooded river"
A tributary of the River Clyde in Scotland, called in Scottish Gaelic Abhainn Cheilbhinn : caol ("narrow") or coille ("wooded") + abhainn ("river"). As a surname, it derives from the name of the…
Japanese
"sea"
Kairi is the name of the main female character in the popular role-playing video game series, Kingdom Hearts . Voiced by Hayden Panettiere in the main series, Kairi is one of the seven Princesses of…
Hawaiian
This appealing multi-cultural name, pronounced KYE, is beginning to be used for girls as well as boys. Among its many derivations and meanings: "sea" in Hawaiian, "forgiveness" in Japanese, "willow…
Hebrew, Greek, and Latin jewel name
"blue"
Sapphire goes waaaaay beyond Ruby and Pearl. This September birthstone, occasionally used a century ago, might be worth a reappraisal, perhaps as a Sophie/Sophia alternative. Sapphire is the…
French medieval variation of Marie, Hebrew
Marian's (and sister spelling Marion's) image has gone through a sea change of late, recalling less middle-aged matron and more Robin Hood's romantic Maid Marian. Some influences: the SJ Parker-M.…
Arabic or Hawaiian
"benevolence; sea"
Gigi Hadid and Zayn Malik notably chose this name for their daughter in 2020, as a variation of Gigi's grandmother's name, Khairiah. In 2021, the name caught on for boys — Khai was a new debut on the…
Japanese, English short form or Eleanor, Leonora, Nora, Honora, or North, form of Nor or Nuri, Arabic, Turkish
"ceremonial rites, doctrine, seaweed; unknown, honor, north; my light"
Nori is one of those names with several origins that would have no trouble assimilating into a variety of cultures. It might also be associated with the dried seaweed used to wrap sushi or with the…
Arabic
"sky"
Popular in Azerbaijan, a fast-rising choice in England and Wales, and a recent debut to the Netherlands Top 500, Sama is a succinct and gentle Arabic name with the lovely, celestial and nature…
Spanish from Arabic
"hidden river, valley of the wolves"
Popular Spanish name that relates to the patron saint of Mexico. It could conceivably, like Soledad and Consuelo, cross the border into multicultural territory, but the name's decline since the…
Variation of Mae, English
"drop of the sea; pearl"
A combination of vintage Mae with popular suffix -lynn , Maelyn feels reminiscent of glamorous Marilyn and contemporary Raelynn. In use since at least the 80s, Maelyn practically doubled in…
"mouth of the Roe river"
Monroe is a presidential surname which feels fresher than Jackson, Lincoln and Taylor. Marilyn Monroe is a famous female namesake, but her smart Scottish surname feels equally usable for either sex.…
Spanish
Azul is the Spanish word for "blue" and was first recorded as a baby name (for girls) in 1995. It's technically considered unisex today, although it is still more than three times as common as a…
Variation of Congo Zaire, variation of Hebrew Jair, "the river that swallows all rivers; to shine"
"the river that swallows all rivers; to shine"
Inspired by the rise of the African place name, Jaire is a recently new creation. The original form derives from a Congo term meaning "the river that swallows all rivers", and is currently a Top 500…
"ocean wave"
An aquatic Japanese choice that would work well cross-culturally. American parents are starting to pick up on this short and sweet international choice, with over 100 baby girls in the US receiving…
