Pet Names · Dog Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 21 pages
of 21
Hindi, Japanese
"shadow; sand, bloom + night, palm tree"
A name of both Japanese and Hindi origin, Saya has a bright, sharp sound, reminiscent of Maia and Kaia. Borne by Olympian BMX racer, Saya Sakakibara, wrestler Saya Kamitani, and by weather…
Japanese
"broad, widespread"
Hiro is an apt name for a hero of the show Heroes -- and for our times. Widely used in Japan, sometimes also for girls. Hiroshi is a long form.
"cherry blossom"
Lovely Japanese name that would certainly be appreciated in Europe and the U.S. It was rarely used in Japan until the 1990s, and draws its current popularity from the fact that it is deeply…
Japanese, French, Welsh, Vietnamese, Navajo
"dance; May; cherry blossom; coyote"
Cross-cultural winner.
"archery bow"
This Japanese name is easily accessible to English speakers, and has a cool archery meaning. It first made the US charts in 1960, and was given to under 47 girls in 2022: still rare, but more…
Sanskrit, Japanese
"reddish-brown; Asian moon"
In Hinduism, the god Aruna is the charioteer who drives the sun god Surya across the sky. Aruna is both the traditional masculine form of the name (modernized as Arun) and its feminization. In…
Japanese or English
"loved one; lily"
As a Japanese name, Suki has the sweet meaning "loved one". It's also an English diminutive of Susanna, making it a creative and modern way to honor a Susan in your life.
"bright man"
Japanese name common among older generations.
English, Latin
"June"
Juna, a variation of the newly stylish month name June, goddess name Juno, or literary Djuna, is among the fresher-feeling girl names starting with J . While Juna has never been given to more than…
Arabic
"queenly"
A favorite in Near Eastern cultures, with a charming meaning.
Miri is a charming feminine name with diverse cultural roots. In Hebrew, it means 'bitter' or 'rebellion,' though it's often associated with Miriam. In Swahili, Miri suggests 'mystery,' while in…
"double happiness; peaceful boss"
Koji, also written as Kōji, is a common name among men in Japan. It is also featured as a character name in many anime series.
Persian or Japanese
"honorable or sword"
Katana is a male name in Old Persian and a well-used word in Japanese, but as a girls' name is these days found more often as Kitana, the name of a princess in the video game Mortal Kombat II.
Diminutive of several names
Baby names that started off as diminutives -- Ena, Ita, Etta -- seem too insubstantial for a modern female.
Japanese, form of Buddhism
Parents searching for a simple, peaceful name may be attracted to this one.
Portuguese and Brazilian, diminutive of Benedict
"blessed"
Bento is a diminutive of Benedito, meaning "blessed" or "well spoken of". Popular in Brazil and used as a given name, a nickname, and a surname, the name Bento is not to be confused with the…
Video game name
Kitana is the name of a character in Mortal Kombat II -- she's a princess who looks young but is actually 10,000 years old. It may be related to the male Persian name Katana, which means honorable,…
Japanese, Norse
"doctrine or seaweed; north or small person"
Attractive, simple Japanese choice that, while not strictly unisex, could work even better for a girl, especially now that Kim Kardashian and Kanye West use it as the nickname for their daughter…
Hindi
"gold"
Derived from suvarna , a Sanskrit word meaning "good color".
"born in the spring; clear weather"
A short and straightforward name for a springtime child.
