Pet Names · Cat Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 122 pages
of 122
English
"desires peace"
Wilfred is one of those Old Man Names that still sounds fusty in the US but is fashionable in the UK. It comes with readymade short forms Will, Wilf, or Fred and might make an adventurous alternative…
English diminutive of Elva, Irish
"leader of the elves"
If Ellie and Evie are fashionable, why not Elvie? This is a diminutive of the Anglicized version of the Irish name spelled Ailbhe.
French form of Latin Augustus
"great, magnificent"
French version of August, for both sexes. And for those who feel the spelling of August is too plain.
French, feminine variation of George
Has a musty 1940s feel. Try Georgia -- or Georgiana.
Anglicized variation of Welsh Dewi, nickname of Dafydd
"beloved"
Not heard since the 1980s, Dewey shot into the Top 20 in 1898 thanks to the popularity of Spanish-American War naval hero Admiral George Dewey. Dewey has subtle links to his Welsh roots and relation…
Basque, Spanish
"strong"
The name of an ancient saint, a legendary holy man and martyr who is the patron saint of the city of Pamplona in Navarre, Spain. The popular week-long festival Sanfermines, which takes place in…
Arabic or Semitic
"goddess of the sun"
Nuha is an Arabic name meaning wise, and also a name from Semitic mythology of unknown origin, belonging to an ancient sun goddess.
English or Gaelic surname
"descendent of the champion"
Rooney is one of many bouncy Irish surnames that could make an agreeable first, once tied to Mickey Rooney (who was actually born Joseph Yule) in his young and spunky Andy Hardy period. Young "Girl…
Diminutive of Roxanne
Audacious offshoot of Roxanne, the wayward heroine of the musical Chicago.
Italian
"joyous"
In music, the term allegro means "quickly, lively tempo," which makes this quintessential Bohemian ballet dancer's name all the more appealing. Allegra is one of the most distinctive yet accessible…
Irish
"fire"
This phonetic Anglicization of the Irish name Eithne was made familiar by the single-named Irish singer and composer. St. Eithne was the daughter of a king and an early Irish convert to Christianity.
"holy"
Possible Gaelic alternative to Kevin and Devon.
Greek mythology name
"night"
Nyx is the name of the Greek goddess of the night, and while it does lean feminine in the US, 27 boys did receive the name in a recent year compared to 69 girls. Short, snappy, and distinctive in…
Latin
"red-head"
Rufus is a rumpled, redheaded (it was the nickname for red-haired King William) ancient Roman name popular with saints and singers (e.g. Rufus Wainwright); now, Rufus is on the cutting edge of cool.…
Spelling variation of Taran, Celtic
"thunder"
Taron and its twin Taran may both be variations of Taranis, the name of the Celtic thunder god. Taranis is thought to be a counterpart to the better-known Norse god Thor. There was also a 7th century…
English, German
"wild boar"
Clunky yet cuddly, Wilbur is a stylish name in the UK where it currently sits in the Top 600, as cool as Rupert or Wilfred. Its merits are starting to be rediscovered in the US, where it was last…
Diminutive of Albert or Albus, English, Germanic, Latin
"noble and bright; white, bright light"
Gentle and friendly, but also full of energy and spark, Albie is a bubbly diminutive, usually of Albert, but also of Alban, Albus, Albie has become a big favorite in England and Wales in recent…
English word name
There's definitely a cold front of names for winter babies moving in, with Summer, Spring and Autumn giving way to Winter--plus North, January, Frost--and Snow. This name feels brisk, fresh, pure,…
Finnish and Sami variation of Helga, diminutive of Aileen, Anglicization of Eilidh
"holy, blessed; bright and shining light"
An attractive Scandinavian take on Helga, or a potential Helen nickname.
Variation of Grayson, English
"son of the bailiff"
This inventive spelling of Graycen was among the fastest-risers of the year in 2019. It hit a peak in 2020, and dropped for both genders in 2021.
