Pet Names · Cat Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 122 pages
of 122
Latin
"strength, health"
This name of a Roman emperor and of a sedating plant is still used quietly, given to about a dozen baby boys in the US last year. It has a strong, rhythmic sound and could make a modern-feeling honor…
French variation of Tziporah, Hebrew
"bird"
This lovely name is a softened French version of Tziporah, the biblical wife of Moses. Unfortunately, in the US, it's become attached to the cosmetics franchise. The brand Sephora claims to have…
Diminutive of Charles
The jazziest nickname for Charles.
German
"bright, glorious"
Ever since Allied soldiers in World War I dubbed the enormous German cannon "Big Bertha", this name hasn't worked for a sweet little baby girl. But this was not always so. Hard as it might be to…
English word name or diminutive of Candace, Latin
"white, pure, sincere"
Too sugary sweet and inconsequential for a modern girl.
Diminutive of Desiderio, Spanish
"desired one"
Forever Lucy's.
Welsh
"life, spirit"
This Celtic goddess and Arthurian name may sound terminally old-ladyish to many ears--but so did names like Ella and Etta not so long ago. So Enid is yet another forgotten four-letter E-possibility:…
Mande from Arabic
"captivating, a woman who abstains"
A West African version of the Arabic name Fatima, also used by diaspora communities, e.g. in France. The name of the fruit soda brand was created by the German branch of Coca-Cola in 1940. It derives…
"strong lord"
A classic Welsh name, softer than Griffin and friendlier to spell than Gruffudd - that hasn't had as much love as it deserves elsewhere. Namesakes range from medieval kings to the philanthropist…
Cornish variant of George, or diminutive of Jordan
A rarely-used name even in its native Cornwall, Jory nevertheless feels very wearable, thanks to its similarity to familiar picks like Rory, Corey and Joey. Jory Cassel is a minor character in the…
"light-bearer"
Lucifer is the name of the archangel cast into hell and while theologians disagree on whether he and Satan are separate beings, it long been on the list of forbidden names for religious and…
Word name
For basketball fans, in honor of Magic Johnson. Or anyone who believes in magic.
Italian, diminutive of Nicola
"people of victory"
A much more dynamic nickname than Nicky for any of the Nic-names. Part of a growing trend of boyish nicknames for girls - alongside Stevie and Lou - Nico has cheerful, snappy sounds, and a fresh,…
Color name
Blue suddenly came into the spotlight, as the unusual color name chosen by Beyonce and Jay-Z for their baby girl Blue Ivy. Blue is also a starbaby middle name du jour, used for both sexes in…
Albanian
"exalted, strong"
The Albanian form of Aaron has a stylish look and sound, sharing that Au- beginning with stylish choices like August and Auden.
English word name
"secret"
Runes are symbols in ancient Germanic alphabets. They are often viewed as mysterious and therefore as a name, Rune imparts a feeling of folkloric mystery. As intriguing as that might be, the homonym…
"little female bear"
A saint's name with a noteworthy literary background, including uses by Shakespeare in Two Gentlemen of Verona and Much Ado About Nothing , by Ben Johnson, Walter Scott, Longfellow, D. H. Lawrence…
Arabic
"fortunate, prosperous"
Popular girls' name in Syria. In Yiddish, pronounced ZAE-dah, this is a term for grandfather.
Greek
"west wind"
Zephyrus was the Greek god of the west wind, and all names associated with him have a pleasantly gentle, breezy feel. With its cool Z initial and similarity in sound to Stephie and Serafina, Zephyr…
"security, hostage, pledge"
Homer is a name of two halves, associated with the ancient Greek poet of the epic Odyssey and with the (often) doltish patriarch of The Simpsons . So does that make Homer a classic and scholarly…
