Pet Names · Cat Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 122 pages
of 122
Word name
Sunshine was seen as a quintessential hippie name of the 70s, reaching as high as Number 536 in 1975. Now such names are making a bit of a retro comeback, seen, for example, as a character on Glee .
Variation of Hugh, English
"mind, intellect"
Once upon a time, in the 1930s, Huey was a Top 250 name, given to nearly 500 babies in a singer year. Traditionally a nickname for Hugo, Hugh, or Hubert, Huey has been notably borne by actor and…
Hebrew
"twisted, coiled; in modern Hebrew - whale"
Leviathan was a name given to 76 boys in the USA in 2021. It makes a rather unusual Biblical choice, being the name not of a man or angel, but of a sea monster. In literature and popular culture, the…
Make that bird name, and while it does work for both genders, it's far more popular for girls, via Raven Symone.
French from Hebrew
"burning ones"
Seraphine is the Gallic version of the angelic name Seraphina. But while Seraphina has been rising rapidly since Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck chose it for their second daughter, Seraphine has been…
Diminutive of Theodora, Greek
"gift of God"
Cute boyish short forms like Stevie, Scottie, Frankie and Billie are in some ways a relic of the past, when girls were given feminized versions of their father's names, but now, they're back in as…
French feminine diminutive form of Antoine
"priceless one"
This feminization of Anthony, like other early French forms, such as Babette and Nanette, is not heard as often as it once was, but it could be time for a reappraisal of this delicate Gallic choice.…
American place-name
"Charles' town"
Lovers of the languid South Carolina city might be attracted to this rich-sounding name. Could make an interesting update on Charles -- and can certainly work for a girl too. Actor Joey Lawrence used…
Khalessi gained popularity following the success of the television series 'Game of Thrones,' where 'Khaleesi' (with a slightly different spelling) was a title meaning 'queen' or 'ruler' in the…
Diminutive of Sandra or Alexandra, Greek
"defending men"
Nickname name in the era of Grease . Sandy fits well in the era of boyish nicknames for girls - a la Scottie and Stevie - or as an alternative to the rapidly rising Goldie. While it peaked in 1960,…
Sanskrit, Hebrew
"light, peace, nation"
Uma is a sweet, strong name for a Hindu goddess... and a Hollywood one. But as popular as Uma Thurman is, other parents have not yet picked up on her name, making it a rarity. Uma is one of the more…
French from Latin
"lame; enclosure"
Claude is a soft-spoken French name that conjures up the pastel colors of Monet and harmonies of Debussy. In France, it is used for girls as well, in fact in the Tracy Chevalier novel Lady and the…
English occupational name
"coal miner"
This occupational surname could find new life with those wishing to honor someone in their heritage who was connected to the tough-as-nails breed that was the pre-modern coal miner. Coll and Collie…
Spanish word name
"money"
A rising choice in the US, where money-related names are becoming more fashionable.
Place-name
"the house of the soul of Ptah"
We had Egypt listed as a girls-only place-name until singer Alicia Keys and rap producer husband Swizz Beatz used it for their son...and why not? Egypt certainly works as well for a boy as for a…
Diminutive of Wilhelmina, German
"resolute protection"
Minnie was wildly popular at the turn of the last century — it was the fifth or sixth most popular name throughout the 1880s — but is completely obscure in the US today. Blame Mickey's girlfriend.…
Occupational word name
A word name that has sailed onto birth certificates of both genders, especially since Liv Tyler used it for her son. For boys, Saylor and Sailor are used about equally, but were together given to…
English
"the point in the sky or celestial sphere directly above an observer"
Zenith is an uplifting if quirky word name, meaning the top or the peak. Eight boys received the name in one recent year, only a third of those who were called Nadir -- the low point!
Aramaic
"son of the furrow"
Bartholomew is an apostle's name that's been out of favor for centuries but might appeal again to the parent in search of an old but rare choice. The challenge could be to avoid the Simpson-ish…
Nature name
Like Sky and Sunshine, this fluffy name from the hippie 1970s has floated back onto the naming radar. It's similarity of Clyde and Claude help to ground it.
