Pet Names · Dog Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 370 pages
of 370
Welsh
"warmth from the sun"
A sweet little name with one of the most poetic meanings around: it means "warmth from the sun" in Welsh. Though it's among the undiscovered Welsh names , it's one that deserves wider use.
English, diminutive of Theresa, Greek
"to reap, gather"
With Tillie a new favorite of avant-garde parents, the British music-hall Tessie might conceivably follow.
Greek, feminization of Fotis or Fotios
"light"
Toula came to light as the name of the heroine of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding," short for Fotoula, a variant of Fortini, a feminine version of Fotis or Fotios, meaning "light". Toula is cute and…
Spanish place name
Triana is a Top 50 girls' name in Spain largely unknown and unused in the US: Only 10 baby girls in the US were given the name in 2017. Also a surname, Triana is the name of a distinctive…
Vietnamese
"sky, heaven"
Also spelled Thiên in Vietnamese, this is the middle name of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's son Pax, adopted from Vietnam in 2007.
Scandinavian
"will, determination"
Ulla, the beautiful Swedish secretary in The Producers (played by Uma Thurman in the movie) who purrs, "Ven you got it, flaunt it," has changed the image of this name forever. Ulla may stand on its…
Norwegian, Finnish, German, and Dutch variation of Timothy
"honoring God"
Popular in its own right in Germany and definitely makes a more intriguing and grownup short form of the classic Timothy than Timmy or even Tim.
German, pet form of names such as Waldemar
"to rule"
Its jaunty o-ending makes this name more appealing than most of its Germanic brothers, and we hope we're beyond the constant response to his name being "Where's Waldo?" The weighty reputation of…
Word name
Asking for trouble.
Spanish variation of Sarah
Rhythmic, tangoish name quite popular in Spanish-speaking cultures.
Slavic
"golden dawn"
Both a first and last name, Zorina has a pretty, ballerina-like quality.
American variation of Jansen, Dutch, Native American
"son of Jan; yankee"
Yancy has two separate American origins — first as the Native American term for "Yankee," and second as the Americanized variation of the common Dutch surname Jansen. Jan being the Dutch form of…
Hebrew
"to flow down, descend"
The name from which Jordan arose, Yarden has a nice combination of river imagery and a sound connoting a garden. Like Jordan, used for both sexes.
Botanical name, English
"rough stream"
Highly unusual as a baby name for either gender, Yarrow is an herb that grows wild and has long been used for its medicinal property. It's named for the mythical Achilles, who was said to carry…
Japanese
"gentle person"
An alternative transcription of Yūto, a Japanese name that has a variety of meanings, depending on which kanji combinations are used. Possibilities include: "gentle person", "excellent, superior…
Sumerian
"she who treads on the sea"
Asherah is probably one of the most ancient of mother goddess symbols, recorded in the pantheons of several civilisations from the tenth century BCE. As the mother to innumerable gods and goddesses,…
American place name from Greek
"Atlantic Ocean"
The capital of Georgia is far from the ocean, but got its name from the Western and Atlantic Railroad which ran through the city. Best known as a hub of industry and transport, and for its roles in…
Native American place name
"great land"
Alaska is a state name that's gaining a following, along with Montana and Dakota. While it was used exclusively for girls in the 2020 US name statistics, there's no reason it can't work just as well…
English word, Old English
"an inlet of the sea where the land curves inward; berry"
One of the most usable of the pleasant, newly adopted nature/water names (like Lake and Ocean), especially in middle position. It's gentle, slightly whimsical, but grounded by its similarity to May…
Arabic, Spanish
"lady; berry"
Bright, friendly, and multicultural, Baya is both an Arabic title-name meaning "lady" and a Spanish word name, with the sweet meaning of "berry". Most of its real world usage is owing to its Arabic…
