Pet Names · Dog Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 370 pages
of 370
Russian
"bright shining light"
A light and lovely Russian diminutive of Yelena (Helena), now used in its own right in Russia. Also spelt Alyona.
Māori
"love"
This beautiful Māori name meaning love (cognate with Hawaiian aloha ) is more wearable than the English word and softer Venus or Aphrodite. Former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern named her…
French diminutive of Barbara, Greek
"stranger"
A less common relic of the Claudette-Paulette-Annette era. Babette's Feast is a 1987 Danish film based on a Karen Blixen (Isak Dinesen) story about a cook who wins the lottery and prepares an…
English surname
"bent grass clearing"
Beasley is a fashionable yet undiscovered surname name that is particularly well-suited for baby girls. Bea is a possible nickname. Beasley first made the US charts in 2018, when it was given to…
Latin
"beautiful view"
Has a decidedly middle-aged image.
English diminutive of Elizabeth, Hebrew
"pledged to God"
Although she declared her independence as far back as the reign of Elizabeth I — Good Queen Bess, Bess now sounds less passé than Beth or Betsy.
Spanish
"arms; nature name"
The name of a river that flows through Texas into the Gulf of Mexico is given to a dozen or so baby boys and a handful of girls each year. The name derives from Spanish río de los Brazos de Dios…
Spelling variation of Bryony, Greek
"to sprout, to swell"
Briony may be the variation and Bryony the original, but many parents will see this as the more authentic-feeling version of this attractive botanical name. Melodic and bright, it was once a Top 400…
English feminization of Carl or Charles, German, French
"free man"
A handful of baby girls are still named Carlene every year, but today other feminizations of Charles or Carl, from Carly to Charlotte, are much more popular.
"relating to springtime"
Cerelia is a melodic and unusual choice, perfect for a child born in April or May. Another version is Cerella.
Yiddish
"dark, black"
Popular name in Israel, worth considering for a dark-haired daughter with a bit of a bohemian cast.
Greek
"gold flower"
One of the rarest of the flower names, that of the blossom celebrated in Japan as a symbol of the sun and a possible object of meditation. One of the rare flower names counted among names for autumn…
Word name
"ashes, partly burnt coals"
More distinctive than Ella, if you're inspired by Cinderella, a rarer alternative to popular Ember, perhaps, or even a modern spin on Cindy. Cinder is the name given to partially burnt wood or coals…
Japanese
"to shine"
Pronunciation would not be obvious to Americans.
English
"valley"
An early unisex nature name that has been surpassed by others, Dale is still a simple, sylvan and serene option. Most of Dale's recent best known bearers – father and son race drivers Dale Earnhart,…
Flower name, from French
"lion's tooth"
The bright yellow weed lends itself to a creative baby name, although we don't recommend the nickname Dandy.
Feminine variation of Darrell, French
"dear one, beloved"
Dariel is one of many similar forms and variations of different names—Dara, Dariela, Daria and Darya—that are all unusual and pretty if not quite authentic-feeling.
English word name
"day"
A bright and optimistic middle name choice.
"I have found [it]"
For most, Eureka will be tied up with the bathtub myth of Archimedes' discovery of volumetric displacement, making it linked to the idea of invention, discovery and innovation. Some Australians might…
Italian
"split"
Haute couture baby names are on the rise — particularly Dior, Armani, and Kenzo. Fendi is among them but is still exceedingly rare, with only 8 baby girls given the name in 2024. Borrowed from the…
