Pet Names · Cat Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 122 pages
of 122
Irish variation of Cecilia
"blind"
Sheila peaked in popularity from the 1930s to the 1960s (she reached Number 49 in 1965), along with Maureen and Colleen; parents today would probably go back to the original Cecilia or forward to…
German
"rich; powerful"
Riker gets relatively little use as a variation of Ryker, likely because of the connection to Riker's Island, the New York City prison. It was named after NYC magistrate Richard Riker, whose ancestor…
Word name
One of the more unusual of the current crop of strong, single-syllable boys' names, evoking the images of both old-fashioned blackboards and modern stepping-stones and countertops.
English animal name
Sable is often associated with the Dynsaty soap opera, but it is actually a type of animal historically hunted for its fur. Sable is also used as a word for a warm, rich black color. Both…
Hebrew
"fortunate, blessed, happy one"
Asher is of course a very popular Biblical boys' name, but Australian actress Asher Keddie puts this in the girls' column too. Nearly 70 baby girls were named Asher in one recent year, about 1…
Diminutive of Elizabeth
"pledged to God"
This Elizabeth nickname has a decidedly retro feel--think Betsy Ross and the Betsy Wetsy doll-- once seen as a perkier, younger-sounding alternative to Betty. But with Betty on the brink of a…
German, diminutive of Friedrich or Frederick
"peaceful ruler"
Since female cousins Mitzi and Fritzi have entered the realm of possibilities, there's a chance that Cousin Fritz could as well. Fritz is the name of several notables, from early German-born film…
English place name
"Geirr's island"
The New Jersey cities of Camden and Trenton are in, but the name of the state has not caught on to anywhere near the same extent, possibly due to its association with knitted pullovers and reality…
Irish, variation of Una
"lamb"
Oona is a name made famous by Eugene O'Neill's daughter, who became Charlie Chaplin's wife. One of the original Oona's granddaughters was named after her, and is now an actress famous in her own…
Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Japanese
"secret lore; moon"
A strong and stylish alternative to the super-fashionable Luna, with a double background as a Scandinavian and Japanese name. It's the female form of the Nordic male name Rune, meaning "secret lore",…
Sanskrit
"fortunate, auspicious"
Shreya is an Indian name with several positive meanings--beautiful, fortunate, auspicious, favorable--and ties to the goddess Lakshmi. Shreya was on the U.S. popularity list from 2002 to 2005.
German and Dutch
"white or blond"
This presidential name is in style limbo today - or, some might say, in the the sweet spot of familiar but little-used.
Diminutive of Leonard, German
"brave lion"
This old man nickname feels remarkably fresh when applied to girls and can be used as a short form of Lena, Helena, Magdalena, Lennon or Lennox. The pan-European Leni is identical in sound yet feels…
Spelling variation of Lily or diminutive of Lilian
Lili has been blooming in many forms for a couple of decades now. The Lili version will surely get more attention now that the Duke and Duchess of Susses, aka Harry and Meghan, are using is as a…
Diminutive of Christina et al
Tina, despite its petite and tinkly image, is apt these days to be replaced by the more elegant originals, Christina and Martina.It does have some strong namesakes, though, in Tina Turner (born Anna…
Animal name
One of the fierce new animal names new to name lists, helped by its strong x-ending.
Greek
"victory of the people"
This rarely used New Testament name could make an unusual route to the cool nickname Nico. Borne by the person who helps to entomb Jesus following his crucifixion, it has the powerful meaning of…
English from Latin tree name
"cedar tree"
A fresh and fragrant nature name, Cedar is one of the new tree/wood names that parents are starting to consider. While it is currently more popular for boys, it sounds similar enough to Selah, Celia,…
English
"from a coal town"
One of the first reality show-inspired names (he was a Texas hunk on an early season of "Survivor"); hugely trendy for boys but just starting for girls.
French diminutive
Joining the likes of Coco and Fifi, Gigi has a style but some may feel it lacks substance. Model and TV personality Gigi Hadid (born Jelena) has likely drawn attention to this name, while designer…
