Pet Names · Cat Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 122 pages
of 122
English
"musk nut"
Aromatic spice used in cooking, and a cute route to Meg, Nutmeg is predominantly used on pets rather than humans.
Musical name
Long associated with jazz great Ornette Coleman, this name's main problem is that almost all other ette-ending names -- from Annette to Paulette -- are unequivocally feminine.
Word name, English from French and Latin
"trumpet"
Tuneful variation on the Claire names.
Greek mythology name
"the darkness of the night"
Name of the legendary ancient Greek poet and musician — whose music was so beautiful it made trees dance and rivers stop to listen — would provide a child with a challenging but indelible identity.
English word name
"three musical notes played together"
Chord may be considered a variation of the cowboy-cool name Cord, or an independent musical name. Actor Chord Overstreet, of Glee fame, introduced this name to many American parents.
French
"lemon"
A Gallic twist on a word or nature name, which has a nice lemony feel.
Animal name
While we don't see many parents adopting Otter as a name for their own babies, Zooey Deschanel put this one in the lexicon when she used it as a middle name for her adorably-named daughter Elsie…
English, word name
Otter first came onto the baby name radar when Zooey Deschanel used it as a middle name for her daughter in 2015. It entered the US charts the same year, but as a boy name. Cute, sleek and wild, it's…
French form of Octavius, Latin, or English word name
"eighth; musical and poetry term"
Octave shortens Octavius to a more manageable length, keeping the "eighth" meaning. In English speaking countries, however, people could easily confuse this with the musical and poetrry term octave .…
Word name, English from Greek
"cinnamon"
A sweet and rare spice name, which made its first and only appearance on the US baby name charts in 1969 — the year Neil Young's song "Cinnamon Girl" was released.
French and English, diminutive of Ottolie
"prospers in battle"
Curiously appealing, in a hoop-skirted, wasp-waisted way, Ottoline has recently entered the realm of modern possibility, especially since Sienna Miller chose it as the middle name of her daughter…
German
"wealthy"
The memorable folk singer, an early single-name celeb, brought this into the spotlight. The French variation is Odette.
"little ash-girl"
One familiar name never used for real people, for obvious reasons. Read more about Cinderella and other Disney Princess Names in our featured blog.
Irish
"dark"
Now that the Irish Ciaran and Ciara -- aka Kieran and Kiera -- are becoming more popular beyond their native shores, the short and strong Ciar might find some favor. As of now, more than 160 baby…
Greek
"all or shepherd"
Pan is the Greek god with the legs of a goat and the body of a pipes-playing man known for his mischievousness. Pan is also the god of shepherds, pastures, and fertility. Pan is also a Hindi name…
"bamboo eater"
Panda, welcome to the baby name menagerie! Panda is an adorable animal name (after an adorable animal) that is sure to be both very rare and very cute. In Skins there was a character called Panda,…
Odie is a charming feminine name that often functions as a diminutive for names like Odette, Odelia, or Odessa, though it has also gained usage as an independent name. With Greek roots, it's related…
African, Swahili; or, Russian, diminutive of Stephania
"mouse, tiny one; or, crowned one"
Panya is a multicultural possibility with a sound that's pleasing to the English-speaking ear, though the Swahili translation, which might also be "rat," makes it less than savory as an African name.
French variation of German Otthild
Odette's evil Swan Lake twin -- gives the name a sinuous, sensuous appeal. It was a popular choice in France in the 20th century and made the Top 40 back in 1952, however, it has since fallen out of…
A paradox is a statement that while seeming true contradicts itself. With the less-than-pleasant "Doxy" as an obvious nickname, Paradox is perhaps a better name for a cat than a baby.
