Pet Names · Cat Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 122 pages
of 122
German, from a pet form of Mathias
Diesel, which you can think of as a word name for the fuel or as a German surname that derives from a pet form of Matthew or Mathias, is a new entry to the American name lexicon thanks to celebrities…
Greek
"fourth letter; island formed at the mouth of a river"
Delta is an unusual vintage option, blending the sounds of Della and Etta. The fourth letter of the Greek alphabet and a geographical term, used to describe an island formed at the mouth of a river,…
English
"hallowed stone"
This choice feels more familiar than other hall-related English surnames, thanks to designer Halston, the single-named disco-era society playmate of Liza and Elton.
Welsh
"sea fortress"
This name of the famous fifth-century sorcerer and mentor of King Arthur may or may not be a bit wizardy for a real-life modern child. Its most noted modern bearer: football star turned actor Merlin…
"good victory"
Eunice is a New Testament name of the mother of Timothy, long associated with one of the Kennedy sisters, the founder of the Special Olympics. As high as Number 106 in the early 1900s, it lasted on…
Anglicized form of Aonghus, Aonghas, Gaelic
"one strength"
Angus is a traditional yet stylish choice in the UK, especially in Scotland. And it's a cool choice for US parents too, particularly those whose roots go back to Glasgow. The ancient Celtic form…
The heroic movie figure Indiana Jones was often called Indy, as in the equally testosterone-laden Indy 500 car race. It could also be short for Indigo or Indio, or just use it as is.
Diminutive of Peter
"rock"
Sixties-style short form that sounds cool again -- though the unscrupulous Pete on "Mad Men" is not a character to emulate.
Short form of Russell
Though as a formal name Rusty is a little, well, rusty, it spent half a century among the Top 1000, departing only in 1995. Only 45 baby boys received the name in the US in one recent year and it's…
Sanskrit
"blessing"
An Indian name that has seen a recent uptick, especially in Canada. Asees was the title character of a 2018 Netflix family drama, and Asees Kaur is an Indian singer.
Diminutive of Theodora and Isidora, Greek
"gift"
Dora is poised for a comeback, right behind Laura, Nora, Cora, and Flora. First-time parents who haven't watched cartoons in a couple of decades should be aware of the Dora the Explorer connection,…
English word and virtue name
"honor"
Honor is a somewhat more straight-laced virtue name than Hope or Grace, placing a high standard on any girl carrying it, but it's a goal worth setting. By choosing Honor for her daughter, Jessica…
"lives near a high cliff"
Clive started life as a surname for someone who lived near a cliff, making it a secret outdoorsy name. Its use as a first name began in honor of Robert Clive (aka Clive of India), an…
Irish
"old and wise"
Irish place-name -- it's a river, a town, and an airport -- once popular but now supplanted by such newer immigrants as Saoirse and Seanan.
Latin
"seek; mission"
Cool new Q-starting possibility which suggests a sense of curiosity and purpose.
Surname-name or spelling variation of Sailor
Used much more often for girls -- about 1000 girls were named Saylor or Sailor last year, versus about 100 boys -- Saylor is a medieval German surname that means ropemaker, which is also related to…
Botanical name
Lovely entry into the tree name genre, joining Juniper, Maple, and Willow. Nearly 200 babies were named Cypress in the US last year, about 40 percent of them female.
"place of great bliss"
Well, parents are naming their children Eden and Heaven...so why not?
"dark eyes"
Stylish and boyish but could work for a girl -- especially one with brown eyes -- and Sully is a quirky and jaunty nickname.
Arabic
"powerful and beloved"
Aziza is a zippy palindromic choice that is the female variation of Aziz and is found in several Middle Eastern and African languages and cultures. All in all, an attractive and interesting option; a…
