Pet Names · Dog Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 370 pages
of 370
Word name
A tad spacy.
German
"battle warrior"
When it's spelled with two dots over the ' u ' in German, Gunther is pronounced GUWN-ter, but it has a much softer sound when the 'h' is voiced by English-speakers, as it was, for example, for the…
American invented name, Japanese place name
A novel creation in the vein of Amari and Akari. Imari is also a place name, connected to the Japanese city, and is the English term for Arita porcelain.
Spanish
"the sun"
More familiar to English speakers in the Italian Elio form.
Hebrew
"borne in pain"
Jabez has a rare combo of three appealing elements: a Biblical heritage, a captivating Southern accent, and a jazzy feel. It was popular with the Pilgrims and on into the nineteenth century (there…
Japanese
"righteous; beautiful hope; valuable and beautiful"
This simple, bright Japanese name is used on both boys and girls and has numerous meanings. It can be interpreted as meaning "righteous" and "prince", or a combination of mi meaning "beautiful" and…
Ventureño Chumash, Native American
"the surf sounds loudly"
Malibu, the name of a California beach city, evokes sunshine, surfing, and glamour. With its fashionable "oo" sound — as seen in names like Luna and Ruby — Malibu is an unexplored place name worth…
Miko is a multicultural feminine name with rich and varied origins. In Japanese, it can mean 'beautiful child' or refer to a shrine maiden or female shaman. In Hungarian, it serves as a diminutive of…
"of Nazareth"
Occasionally heard Spanish name referring to Christ's native village.
Wyoming place-name, French
"canopy of leafy boughs"
Swaggering western place-name with a lot of cowboy bravado and panache.
"water nymph"
If you love Dixie, Trixie and Pixie, this name of a mermaid-like sprite in German folklore may be for you. It might also make an update for Nicki.
Egyptian
"fertile spot in a desert"
A distinctive word name with musical ties, Oasis was given to 20 girls in 2024, compared with 14 in 2023.
Arabic
"angel"
Malak is an Arabic and Turkish name high on the popularity list in several European countries on the girls' side.
"child of joy"
Sachi, often short for Sachiko, was given to 25 girls in the US in a recent year. While it is technically Japanese, this short form has an unidentifiably international feel and might be a relative of…
English word name
"of the sun"
This sunny new word name is gender neutral, used for 13 baby girls and 12 boys in 2021. Along with other celestial and weather choices, we can see Solar getting hotter.
Variation of Auberon
"elf king; noble bear"
The Shakespearean character Oberon in A Midsummer Night's Dream is King of the Fairies, but the name, with its bold 'O' beginning has plenty of strength alongside its magical qualities. Oberon was…
Scottish diminutive of William, German, English
"resolute protection; from Wylye"
The Wylie spelling (with that feminine Y) is much more common among girls than Wiley, but both have been climbing the ranks. Could Wiley be the next Riley?
Diminutive of Odell, Otis; English, German
"of the valley; wealthy"
This old-timey nickname for Otis and Odell is strongly tied to Garfield’s canine companion in the Garfield comic, movie, and TV franchise. Actress Ashley Williams gave it signs of life when she used…
Short form of Rafael
Rafa is an adorable short form introduced to the world by actors Rose Byrne and Bobby Cannavale, who used the name for their second son. Rafael is the Latin cognate of the Hebrew boys' name Raphael,…
"powerful protector"
Richmond is a place-name — it's the capital of Virginia, US, and a town in London, UK — that makes a fresh way to honor an ancestral Richard.
