Pet Names · Cat Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 122 pages
of 122
Latin
"fiery"
Diminutive of Ignatius or its female form Ignatia – or, if you're thinking outside the box, of Ingrid or even Indigo. British actor, presenter and comedian Noel Fielding named his second daughter…
French, English
"fashionable, stylish, of the moment"
Synonymous with style, Vogue is the name of a global fashion magazine and a word referring to something popular and on trend. Derived from Old French, it originally meant "wave" or "course of…
Dutch
"land of legal protection against armed violence"
Fashion icon and Vogue editor-in-chief Diana Vreeland adds an air of glamour to her distinctive Dutch surname. It would make a striking name for the daughter of a parent in the fashion industry. Easy…
"to flash"
Vulcan was the Roman god of fire (from which, volcano) and metalworking, but this name is now more familiar as the pointy-eared humanoids on "Star Trek," represented by Mr. Spock.
Word name
"string instrument"
When Australian actress Rachel Griffiths chose this highly unusual name for her son, many assumed it was a bizarre invention, but noted Australian poet and writer of Waltzing Matilda , Banjo…
Word or occupational name
"outlaw, thief"
We hesitate to call Bandit an occupational name, any more than Rogue or Vandal are occupational names, yet its use by one of the bandmembers of My Chemical Romance (for his daughter: we're thinking…
Literary animal name
Tigger is the bouncing not-a-tiger from Winnie the Pooh , a symbol of buoyancy and resilience. As Tigger says in the books, he's "the only one", and it should probably stay that way when it comes to…
Word name, English from Spanish and Portuguese
"banana"
Banana is one fruity name we wouldn't recommend. Pick Plum instead. There is a Japanese novelist whose pen name is Banana Yoshimoto--birth name Mahoko.
Japanese, Hungarian
"prosperity, charity; young hind"
Eniko Hart makes this Japanese name familiar in the US. In Hungary, it's a literary name invented by the poet Mihály Vörösmarty in the 19th century. He based it on the name of the legendary mother of…
Native American
"rain falling"
A Miwok tribe name with a pleasant meaning.
Bamboo is a plant name that you might want to save for the zoo's name-the-panda contest. It was used for a starbaby in 2000, though, the rapper Big Boi.
Tildy is a feminine name that typically serves as a diminutive of Matilda, which comes from Germanic origins meaning 'mighty in battle' (from 'maht' meaning might and 'hild' meaning battle). As a…
Spanish from Native American word name
"hurricane"
Hurricane is a storm, but it's also an American name , thanks to rising tennis star Hurricane Black -- whose sister's name is Tornado. There's no reason this tempestuous choice can't work for boys…
Cherokee
"black fox"
Perky Cherokee boy name with a great meaning. Foxes symbolize cleverness and playfulness in Cherokee culture.
English word name
"undulating"
Short for Waverly or a fresh twist on Navy, Wavy is a quirky and interesting new word name option.
Greek
"God protects the king"
Balthasar was one of the biblical Three Kings who visited the infant Jesus, also used by Shakespeare and in the oil-rich Getty family; offbeat and intriguing. Balthazar is another, equally…
"wolf"
Waya pays homage to the wolf — one of the most respected creatures in Native American culture.
German
"brave friend"
One "bald" name we can get behind, thanks to pioneering African-American author James Baldwin – though the name is now also associated with the Baldwin brothers, particularly Alec.
Literary name
"tiger"
Rudyard Kipling created the name Bagheera for the black panther character in his classic collection The Jungle Book . It was derived from the Hindi word bagh , meaning "tiger." Today, Bagheera is a…
"equal night"
A dramatic nature-inspired possibility for either sex.
