Pet Names · Dog Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 370 pages
of 370
Botanical name and French
"reddish brown"
A fragrant herbal and color name that could make a sensitive, distinctive choice.
Scandinavian
"lord, exalted one"
Frey is the handsome Norse fertility god, a worthy namesake. Frey remains rare in the US even as the similar Freya picks up in popularity.
Variation of Sosi, Armenian, or diminutive of Susan or Sophie, Hebrew, Greek
"palm tree; lily; wisdom"
Sweet and cosy but with substance too, Sosie is a rare, multicultural name. Used as a short form of Susan, Sosan, Sophie and Sophia, it could make a fresh alternative to Suzy, Izzy, or Josie;…
Old Norse
"lord"
Freyr is the Norse god of fertility, sunlight, and peace. He features prominently in the Icelandic mythology collections the Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda , and is considered an ancestor of the…
French variation of Germanus
"from Germany"
Saint Germain, the intellectual center of Paris, lends the name a creative aura. But most Americans would say jer-mayn. The Latin Germanus may mean sprout or bud, or brother.
French from Latin
This French feminine version of Germain is a unisex choice in the U.S., also spelled Jermaine, Jemaine, and Germain. Rooted in the ancient Latin Germanus, which may mean sprout or brother, it's no…
Irish, Anglicized variation of Tuilelaith
"lady of abundance"
Talullah or Talulla, the old Irish name of two early saints, is almost identical to the Native-American Tallulah. A modern hipster favorite, however it's spelled.
Japanese
"aware of emptiness"
Goku is the name of the protagonist of the popular "Dragon Ball" manga series, which was turned into a live action film. The character of Goku is reportedly based on Sun Wukong, the hero of the…
Short form of Dorotea or Mattea
"gift of God"
As Theo and Thea get more popular, so do Teo and Tea, short forms of the Latinate variations of Theodore and Matthew -- which include Dorotea and Mattea. But like Theo and Thea, Tea can stand…
Short form of Ursula, Latin
"little female bear"
Ursa might be a good choice if you're looking for a bear name for your daughter but want to avoid the She Witch curse placed on Ursula by Disney's The Little Mermaid . Too bad, because Ursula is a…
German
"singled out"
Mystical overtones.
"light or radiance"
A unisex Japanese name with a beautiful and radiant meaning, it is notably borne by chess prodigy Hikaru Nakamura, and is a central character in the manga series The Summer Hikaru Died .
"generous"
Several artistic Hiroshis make this one of the more plausible Japanese imports.
French form of Veronica
"true image"
Veronica seems poised to rise again, along with many other V names, and with it may follow this more romantic French version.
Word name
A name with vision.
French, blend of Vivian and Anne
A smooth and velvety Gallic choice first heard here as the heroine of the movie "Chocolat."
Latin from Greek
"cheerful, happy"
Ilario's merry, jovial sound reflects a shared root with the word hilarious.
Finnish place name; Japanese
"loaded with rice"
A unisex cultural crossover that has seen a little use from the 1990s onwards. In Japanese mythology, Inari is an androgynous deity associated with rice, tea and foxes. In Finland, it is the name of…
Japanese, Welsh
In Welsh, a diminutive of Iorwerth. As a Japanese name, Iori stands alone.
German and Russian variation of Isidore
"gift of Isis"
Isidore and variants are remarkably underused and ripe for revival, a la Theodore and company.
