Pet Names · Dog Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 370 pages
of 370
English word name
"one who strums (a stringed musical instrument)"
Cool word name for boys evocative of rock and roll. Julia Stiles named her son Strummer in 2017.
Greek
"the hateful"
In Greek mythology, the river Styx separates the Earth and the Underworld, named for the goddess who gave it its power. Today Styx is also associated with the 1970s rock band of the same name.
Turkish and Uzbek
"free, independent"
Erkin is an Uzbek vocabulary word from Old Turkic, and is widely used as a unisex name in Turkey. In English-speaking countries, it is unknown but straightforward and with a great meaning.
Word name
You can call your daughter Sugar, but it's probably best to keep it as a term of endearment. For sweet names, you try Dulcie, Honey, Mitsu, Amai, Sherine, Melita, Eulalia, or Melina, but Sugar does…
Spanish place-name
"colored red"
More unusual than Dakota or Austin, Colorado conjures images of majestic mountains and windswept wilderness. Some will prefer the more preppy Aspen, but Colorado feels like the true explorer.
Short form of Angelo
Angie was an accepted nickname for boys at the same time that Patsy was, meaning, too long ago to be relevant now.
American place-name
One of the Great Lakes and a city next to it, named after a Native American people. This name swings between being more popular for boys and girls, but is currently rare for both. It could also be…
Japanese
"plum"
Refers to a particular variety of Japanese plum, the Prunus salicina , although in a literal translation it would mean "sour peach."
Turkish, Japanese, Hausa, Danish, Swedish
"shellduck, drake; sandy shore; reputation, name; daughter"
A sweet, short, and sunny name, with international flair, Suna had its roots in a number of different languages. As a Turkish name, Suna means "duck, drake", or more specifically, it is used to refer…
English
"sun dance"
Long synonymous with the American outlaw Harry Longabaugh, aka The Sundance Kid, who got his nickname from the town of Sundance, Wyoming, where he was incarcerated as a teenager. The place name…
Literary name, Greek
"angel"
If you want to move beyond Maya, you might consider this distinctive last name of poet Maya Angelou. Born Marguerite Annie Johnson, Angelou was given the nickname Maya by her brother and adopted…
Urdu
"golden"
Sunehra is an Indian name that is largely unknown in English-speaking countries, except maybe via its friendly short form Sunny.
Irish surname
"descendant of Coltarán"
The great sax player John Coltrane could be a cool naming inspiration for a jazz fan. Plus, it gives you stylish nickname Colt, if you didn't love Colton or Colter. From it's Irish roots, it means…
Hindi and Sanskrit
"good character, wise"
Sunita is an easily-translated name brought to the American lexicon by astronaut Sunita "Suni" Williams, who holds the record for most spacewalks by a woman.
Icelandic, Norse, Germanic, Arabic
"sun; lily; habit, custom"
A familiar choice in Iceland, the sunny and simple Sunna may be viewed as a nickname for Sunneva or Súsanna, the Icelandic variants of Sunniva and Susannah. As such, it two nature-connected meanings:…
Latinized form of Greek Erastos
"beloved"
The Biblical Erastus was an assistant of Paul's in the New Testament. A name used in the 19th century that has fall off the scope, but may be revived as parents dig deeper for undiscovered Biblical…
"beloved, desired"
Erasmus has long retained the image of the bearded and bespectacled Dutch philosopher, but could be one that the audacious baby namer just might dare to dust off. The fourth century Saint Erasmus was…
Latin
"equal night"
A dramatic nature-inspired possibility for either sex.
English surname
"from Apperley"
Made famous by Gossip Girl character Epperly Lawrence, Dan and Blair's boss at W Magazine.
