Pet Names · Dog Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 370 pages
of 370
Diminutive of Ralph
"wolf-counsel"
Ralphie is one of those short forms that have been out of style for so long it just might have a chance of coming back in, if you can get past seeing it as a desperate attempt to cute-ify a stodgy…
French nickname and Japanese
"double happiness"
Kiki is one of the Coco-Gigi-Fifi-Lulu bohemian-type French nickname names from the turn of the last century, which have endless energy and sparkle. Artist Kiki Smith is its most well-known…
Persian
"tall, strongly-built, brave"
This variation of Rostam might be more English-friendly given its resemblance to the familiar Russ or Russell.
Latin
"wise"
This name of a famous ancient Roman jurist is sometimes heard in the Hispanic community.
English word name
"an account of incidents or events"
A new unisex word name with a lot of charm, especially appropriate for the child of writers. Soleil Moon Frye named her second baby boy Story and Jenna Elfman called her son Story Elias.
"shining sea"
Marilla is a names that's familiar via its resemblance to Mary and variations, but also distinctive: It hasn't been on the Top 1000 since the 1800s and was given to only 27 baby girls last year.…
Short form of Martha or Martina, Aramaic or Latin
"lady or warlike"
Marty and Martie are old-fashioned gender-neutral nickname names, boyish nicknames not heard much since the middle of the last century. That could change, though, with the rise of vintage boyish…
English
"building site"
A solid, brief but not brusque single-syllable surname with a presidential pedigree.
"tank"
Military word names, from Cannon to Major, are in, but Tank might push things a bit too far.
Tavi is a short masculine name with multiple possible origins. It can be a diminutive form of Octavius or Octavio, Latin names meaning 'eighth,' historically given to the eighth child in a family. In…
Scottish place-name
This name of the largest river in Scotland, renowned for its salmon fishing, is usually thought of as a nickname for Taylor.
"prickle"
Rose and Briar are popular, and Hawthorn is cool – so why not the equally prickly Thorn? Add an E to give it a surnamey spin.
Japanese
"beautiful snow / beautiful happiness"
The meaning of this sweet Japanese name varies depending on the combination of kanji used, but the first element mi means "beautiful".
Nayvie is a feminine name that appears to be a modern variant spelling of Navy. The name evokes the deep blue color of the sea and references the naval military branch. This contemporary spelling…
Greek, diminutive of Nicole
Streamlined version of outdated Nicki.
Sanskrit
"night"
Simple but sophisticated, Nisha is a pretty Sanskrit choice that hit the popularity charts in England in the late 1990s. The meaning "night" adds a slightly mystical element to name and it is a…
Variation of Noel, French
"Christmas"
If Joely (as in actress Richardson) is a name, why not Noely? As nickname-names become both more acceptable and more fashionable, Noely may be a fresh spin on one traditional name for Christmas…
Word name or diminutive of Woodrow, English
"row of houses by a wood"
While Woodrow is too forbidding, its nickname Woody is a bit cartoonish, as in Woody Woodpecker and the animated cowboy character in Toy Story. Woody also has a slang meaning that no teenage boy will…
Yago is a masculine name with Spanish and Portuguese origins, functioning as a variant of James (Santiago in Spanish). Derived ultimately from the Hebrew name Ya'akov (Jacob), meaning 'supplanter,'…
North American Indian
"son of a chief"
The a ending gives it a feminine feel.
