Pet Names · Dog Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 370 pages
of 370
French, English
"to stay a while"
African-American and women's rights activist Sojourner Truth was born as Isabelle into enslavement. She adopted her new name when she began traveling and preaching abolition in 1843. Sojourner is a…
English word name
"shine brightly"
Over-the-top glitzy. Sparkle debuted in 1976 and peaked in 1979 when it was given to 124 baby girls. Since then, it has only been given to a small handful of girls most years in the US. Pretty…
Japanese
"elegant, refined"
Simple and, yes, elegant -- until you think of the wrestlers.
"treasure, jewel"
A lovely Japanese alternative to Tamara.
Talie is a feminine name with multiple origins. It can be a diminutive form of Natalie, which derives from the Latin 'natalis' meaning 'birthday' or 'birth,' specifically referring to the birth of…
English, Frisian, Spanish, Slavic
"thought or sweetheart"
An Ethiopian place-name and multicultural diminutive for many names, including the Slavic Tatiana and the Spanish Cayetana. Tana is also a rare Frisian name, meaning "thought", as well as a masculine…
"harbor wave"
Tsunami is a Japanese word, derived from the elements tsu meaning "harbor," and nami , "wave." It was first used as a name in 2004 and 2005, then left the charts and reemerged in 2020. At the very…
Celtic
"gem of the sea"
Ula is among the unusual U names that may have a range of origins and meanings, from the Celtic one given here to its possibilities as a short form of Eulalia or Ursula. Ulla is a Scandinavian name…
Tahitian
"sea cave"
A pretty, mellifluous name from the Tahitian phrase vai ana o te mato teitei , meaning "water from the cave of the high rock". The Disney heroine Moana is called Vaiana in most European countries,…
Spanish
"good fortune"
Ventura started life as a shortening of Bonaventura, Spanish for good luck or good fortune, but now stands on its own. It has a pleasant sound and the stylish 'V' ending, but Angelenos would…
"wave"
Wave is used as a name in its own right, but on girls, it's most often seen as a nickname for Waverly. It lends a beachy, bohemian air to the classy English surname.
"whimsical or fanciful"
Whimsy is a new entry to the ever-expanding word name lexicon, sister for Pixie and Bliss. While it has an undeniable offbeat English aristocratic charm (maybe we're thinking of Dorothy Sayers'…
German
"charming friend"
Native-American feel via similarity to Winona.
Hebrew
"to flow down, descend"
The name Jordan comes from Yarden, which is also the name of the River Jordan in Hebrew. In Israel, Yarden is a Top 200 name for girls.
Botanical name, English
"rough stream"
Yarrow is a flowering herb that grows wild in Europe and North America, and has long been used in several Native American and European cultures as a healing plant. Named for the mythical god Achille,…
Pita is a feminine name with diverse cultural origins. In Greek, it means 'rock' or 'stone,' symbolizing strength and stability. In Spanish-speaking countries, it often serves as a nickname for names…
English modern coinage
"picture cell or element"
Coined in the 1960s to define the smallest photographic element of a televised image. It's a portmanteau of "picture" + "cell" or "element".
Italian and Spanish
"serene"
A name that's more familiar in its male form, Placido, but this can be a similar-feeling alternative to Serena.
Spanish variation of Placida
"quiet, calm"
Derived from an ancient Roman name, this is best known in its male form Placido, thanks to the tenor.
