Pet Names · Dog Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 370 pages
of 370
Nature name and surname, English
"rivers"
The name Rivers combines two major trends: nature names like the popular River itself, and S-ending surname-names such as Brooks, Rhodes, and yes, Rivers. Rivers is most notable as a first name via…
Irish
"girl"
Midcentury Irish-American favorite, never used in Ireland itself, being the generic word for "girl"; rarely given today.
Japanese
"smiling child; beautiful child"
A fresh and pretty Japanese name which would be an unusual route to the popular Emmy/Emi nickname. In Japanese, this name can be formed from a variety of different kanji combinations with different…
Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese form of Silvius
"wood, forest"
A shiny and sylvan choice, this sleek yet spirited name feels familiar yet is rarely used.
French diminutive
Joining the likes of Coco and Fifi, Gigi has a style but some may feel it lacks substance. Model and TV personality Gigi Hadid (born Jelena) has likely drawn attention to this name, while designer…
Hebrew
"gift of Jehovah"
The Hebrew variation of Jonathan, occasionally heard in the US.
Arabic
"pleasant"
A popular Muslim girl name in the UK, possibly boosted by its similarity to familiar classic Hannah.
French, variation of Alan
Alain gives the midcentury Alan a bit of gallic dash.
Place name
Kensington is a place name with a number of referents; there are cities by the name in Australia, Canada, South Africa, the UK, and the US. As a girls' name, it entered the US Top 1000 in 2015,…
Scandinavian variation of Christine
Lovely, authentic name -- but any Kirsten will be condemned to a lifetime of hearing "Did you say Kristen?" They're both genuine Scandinavian names but too interchangeable.
Latin
"cut"
Caesar, the name of the greatest Roman of them all, is rarely used outside Latino families, where the Cesar spelling is preferred —as in activist Chavez and Dog Whisperer Millan. Its original meaning…
Spanish diminutive of Maria
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
Used especially in Latin America, this would make a funky spin on Maria. The meaning of Maria is uncertain, but theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea");…
Persian
"little star"
Spelled with one 'n', this was the name of the wife of Alexander the Great, and is more attractive than the better-known Roxanne.
Numerical word name
Seinfeld's George threatened to name his future child Seven, and then singer Erykah Badu actually did it.
Spanish, Portuguese
"hyacinth"
Less familiar than the feminine Jacinta. Jacinto is a sweet floral boy name that was most popular in early 20th century Spain and Brazil.
English variation of Gervase, meaning unknown
Jarvis, one of the original two-syllable nouveau boys' choices, is a saint's name with a certain retro charm and a nice quirky feel. Though Jarvis peaked in the late 1880s, he is beginning to sound…
French variation of Brighid
"strength or exalted one"
Brigitte is the French version of the ancient Irish Brighid long associated with 1950s sex symbol Brigitte Bardot. If you want to pronounce Brigitte the French way, it's brih-ZHEET.
Greek
"she who hides"
Melodic, rhythmic, and poetic in sound, Calypso is a name with connections to music, mythology, space, and pop culture. A distinctive was to nickname Callie or even Pip, it has that charming -o…
English place-name and surname
"Ellis' town"
Ellington's popularity may be inspired by jazz great Duke, but the name is used slightly more often for girls today, perhaps because of its trendy El- beginning. Like a host of other El- names, from…
Greek mythology name
"wrathful"
The name of the brave, resourceful hero of Homer's epic saga, Odysseus is associated with hatching the Trojan Horse plot, and with his long and challenging journey home to his kingdom. Possibly…
