Pet Names · Dog Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 370 pages
of 370
Scottish
"narrow spit of land"
Not as popular for girls as Kylie or Kyla, but we prefer its simplicity.
Spanish place-name
"covered in snow"
Western place-name that feels equally appropriate for both genders. Note: Natives say rhyme that second syllable with had, so it's not nehv-AH-da.
French
"new town"
More often used in Britain than here, where most names ending in ville fall into the unthinkable class, this might make an exception via fans of the musical Neville Brothers. Charles Dickens used the…
Sanskrit
"quiet"
This name, used in both India and Nepal, is one of those lovely boys names that opts for quiet strength over hypermasculine energy. Bollywood cinematographer Nirav Shah is a notable bearer of this…
Egyptian
"fertile spot in a desert"
Oasis is an ultra-rare word name that has only ever been used for a handful of babies born in the US. Its appeal is undeniable, though. An oasis can be a place of refuge, or a place of beauty, in an…
English
"divine protection"
Once too tightly tied to the aging musical clan featuring Donny and Marie, Osmond may now be able to escape that association and join the cooler group of Os and Oz names, which include Osgood, Ozias,…
Hawaiian
"long"
Though little used as a first name, Loa will be familiar to many from the name of Hawaii's most famous volcano, Mauna Loa, on the Big Island.
Japanese
"second love"
Now that Kenji is rising up the ranks, it's only a matter of time before parents discover Renji. Renji Abarai is a character in the anime series Bleach , in which the kanji used for his name mean…
Marcelle is the feminine form of Marcel, a name with Latin origins derived from 'Marcellus,' a diminutive of Marcus meaning 'dedicated to Mars,' the Roman god of war. Popular in France and other…
Diminutive of Margery
Prime pert-teenager name in midcentury TV shows, replaced by Maggie.
Riku is a Japanese masculine name with a rich cultural background. It typically means 'land' or 'shore,' though depending on the kanji characters used, it can have various interpretations such as…
Diminutive of Roland, German
"famous throughout the land"
As its parent name Roland comes back into style (yep, it’s happening), could there be an uptick in baby Rollies? Certainly as a pet form.
German and Spanish diminutive of Maria
"drop of the sea, bitter, or beloved"
Derived from Maria, the meaning of which is uncertain. Theories include "drop of the sea" (from Hebrew roots mar "drop" and yam "sea"); "bitter" (from Hebrew marah "bitterness"); and "beloved" (from…
English word name
Marvel, now a character name in The Hunger Games series, was a miracle name of yesterday, on the girls' Social Security list until 1941 and reaching a high of 487 at the turn of the last century,…
Mea is a concise feminine name with multicultural origins and meanings. In Hawaiian, it means 'reddish' or can refer to a type of banana plant, while in Māori it translates to 'thing' or 'item.' In…
Word name, surname, and literary name
Stark is an ancient surname derived from the Old English word stearc, meaning firm and unyielding. In modern parlance, stark means severe or plain. But Stark's use as a first name -- 15 boys were…
Turkish, Japanese and Thai
"women; night, dream"
A multicultural choice with an appealing sound. In Arabic, it means "women" and is the name of the fourth chapter of the Quran (surah an-Nisa). In Thai, it means "night" or "dream". In Japanese, it…
"rainbow"
Colorful, yes, but also probably among the hippiest of hippie names. Holly Madison recently chose it for her little girl.
Word and occupational name
In this era of Scout and Ranger and Hunter, we suppose Trapper is an inevitability. About 30 baby boys got that somewhat frightening name in the US last year.
Rosette is a delicate feminine name with French origins, functioning as a diminutive form of Rose. It literally means 'little rose,' referring to the small, rose-shaped decoration or ribbon…
