Pet Names · Dog Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 370 pages
of 370
Spanish, Thai
"table; April"
Mesa is both the term for a flat-topped mountain, derived from the Spanish word for "table", and the Thai variation of April.
Irish
"of the bright sea, sea-bright"
Once a poetic Celtic name, that of the angel who governs the month of June, Muriel has for a time, become the mom or grandma of TV sitcoms. A Top 200 name from 1912 to 1933, Muriel might just be due…
Italian variation of Raphaela, Hebrew
"God has healed"
Oh, the many spellings of Rafaella. Those with Fs and double-Ls denote Italian origins, while an F and a single L is Spanish and Portuguese. The original Hebrew form is Raphaela. Rafaela is the most…
Welsh
"white spear; famous friend; fame and joy"
A fabled storybook name via the heroine of Sir Walter Scott's novel Ivanhoe (1819), which featured a heroine called Rowena of Hargottstanstede, and also a Harry Potter name, as Rowena Ravenclaw,…
Greek
"calm, healer"
Many will associate this name with Galen of Pergamon, the second-century physician considered to be the founding father of medicine. A more recent reference is Star Wars character Galen Erso. The…
Norse
"fair victory"
Sigrid is a distinctly Scandinavian name that is starting to edge out into the wider world, a la cousin Ingrid. Unfortunately, short form Siri is now off the table, but Sigrid is still a possibility.
Hindu
"dark, tawny"
Familiar via Harry, but much more worldly.
Latin
"life"
Vital and vivacious, Vita is stirring back to life along with many of her V-themed sisters -- Vivian, Vivica -- and is becoming a new celebrity baby favorite. Vita Sackville-West was a British author…
Hebrew
"beloved friend"
Like its better known cousin Jedidiah, Jebediah is one of those four-syllable Old Testament names that is being shorn of its long white-bearded image, with the help of its modern-sounding Jeb…
Arabic
"warrior"
This Arabic names has many spelling variations but this is the one that of the more phonetic transliterations and is therefore most used in English-speaking countries.
Hawaiian
"the free one"
Kanoa is a fashionable Hawaiian boy name that resembles Kainoa in sound and style, but not in frequency of use. Kanoa is currently undiscovered, but is definitely a name to watch.
English word name
"land near the sea"
Coast conjures up images of big waves, beach days, and expansive shorelines and could be a cool alternative to Cove, Ocean, or Bay. Given to just 15 girls in a recent year, compared to 184 boys, it…
Color name
Grey is the more common spelling in Britain and Australia. This color name has a softness and ambiguity which makes it equally lovely for a boy or a girl.
"a marauder"
Raider is one of the new genre of badass word names, which also includes Rogue, Rebel, Danger, Wilder, and so on. Choose it at your own peril.
Variation of Courtney, English from French
"short nose; courteous, from the court"
This spelling variation of Courtney has been popularized by celebrity Kourtney Kardashian.
Place-name
Has a lively and swaggering sound, and also some unfortunate associations with Reno, city of gambling and failed marriages.
Word name
Starbaby name that might prove too supercharged for real life, but if like director Robert Rodriguez you're interested only in boys' names starting with R , you may need to add Rocket (and Rebel and…
"citizen of Rome"
He was the original Roman, Remus's twin and a founder of Rome. But parents attracted to this name are advised to read the legend first. Romulus does have some less than savory characteristics,…
Turkish, Spanish
"blue; beloved + victorious"
Mavi is both a gender-neutral Turkish name with a colorful meaning and a Spanish short form of the double name, Maria Victoria. Also the name of a jeans company, it would be pronounced as MAH-vee in…
English
"son of Dennis"
Few people would have considered the surname of this famous Victorian poet as a first name until Russell Crowe chose it for his son in 2006. But, as a rhythmic three-syllable patronymic, Tennyson has…
