Cat Names That Mean Curious

  1. Fisher
    • Origin:

      Occupational name
    • Meaning:

      "fisherman"
    • Description:

      As a member of two trendy name categories, animal and occupational, this name broke into the Top 1000 in 2004 and would make a nice tribute to an angler Grandpa.
  2. Tuppence
    • Origin:

      English word name
    • Meaning:

      "two pence"
    • Description:

      This quirky British nickname-turned- real-name is most famously borne by English actress Tuppence Middleton, who was named for her mother Tina’s childhood nickname. There is also a British literary namesake in Agatha Christie’s fictional detective Tuppence Beresford, whose real name is Prudence.
  3. Nikita
    • Origin:

      Russian, Sanskrit
    • Meaning:

      "victor; house"
    • Description:

      Sharp and spiky with international potential, as a feminine name, Nikita has its roots in Hindi, Marathi, and ultimately Sanskrit. It comes from niketa, meaning "home, habitation", and may also be spelled as Nikitha.
  4. Drew
    • Origin:

      English diminutive of Andrew, Greek
    • Meaning:

      "strong and manly"
    • Description:

      Drew is an elegant formerly male-only alternative to Andy that joined the stylishly upscale Paige-Brooke-Blair sorority, thanks largely to Drew Barrymore. Barrymore comes by her first name legitimately: it was the maiden name of her paternal great-grandmother, Georgiana 'Georgie' Drew Barrymore, one of many esteemed actors in her family history.
  5. Ned
    • Origin:

      English, diminutive of Edward
    • Meaning:

      "wealthy guardian"
    • Description:

      Ned is a gently old-fashioned Nancy Drew-Bobbsey Twins-era short form for Edward that sounds cooler than Ed and is enjoying a small style renaissance.
  6. Locke
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "enclosure or fortified place"
    • Description:

      Usually adding an e to the end of a name makes it more feminine, but Locke is at most recent count used only for baby boys. Still, this stylishly strong one-syllable name is theoretically gender-neutral.
  7. Emerson
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "son of Emery"
    • Description:

      The combination of Emily and Emma's popularity -- and the fact that Desperate Housewives star Teri Hatcher's daughter is named Emerson -- have put this formerly strictly boys’ name, embodying the gravitas of Ralph Waldo Emerson, in the limelight for girls.
  8. Damon
    • Origin:

      English variation of Damian
    • Description:

      Damon is a name with a strong, pleasing aura (much like the persona of Matt D.) and extremely positive ancient associations. From the classical myth, Damon and Pythias have become symbols of true friendship, as Damon risked his life to save his friend from execution. And Damon of Athens was the fifth century philosopher who taught both Pericles and Socrates.
  9. Runa
    • Origin:

      Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Japanese
    • Meaning:

      "secret lore; moon"
    • Description:

      A strong and stylish alternative to the super-fashionable Luna, with a double background as a Scandinavian and Japanese name. It's the female form of the Nordic male name Rune, meaning "secret lore", and also a Japanese name meaning "moon" – making this an undiscovered celestial choice.
  10. Delphi
    • Origin:

      Greek place name
    • Meaning:

      "of Delphi; womb"
    • Description:

      An interesting unisex possibility, with an air of mystery connected to the Delphic Oracle, the most important oracle in ancient Greece; it was also a major site for the worship of the god Apollo.
  11. Juni
    • Origin:

      Scandinavian
    • Meaning:

      "June"
    • Description:

      Juni is the Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, and Finnish form of the month name June. While Juni feels cute and fresh, most Americans would assume it was a nickname or a Joni variation. We prefer Juna or the English June.
  12. Poe
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "peacock"
    • Description:

      An evocative unisex one-syllable name, Poe is most distinguished by its literary reference. Edgar Allan Poe was an influential American author and poet, credited with inventing the genres of detective and science fiction, which might provide inspiration for parents who are fans. And now its choice as the name of the hero played by Oscar Isaac in the new Star Wars movie is sure to catapult it from literary choice to major favorite.
  13. Erasmus
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "beloved, desired"
    • Description:

      Erasmus has long retained the image of the bearded and bespectacled Dutch philosopher, but could be one that the audacious baby namer just might dare to dust off.
  14. Noam
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "pleasantness, charm, tenderness"
    • Description:

      Noam is an underused modern Hebrew name with any number of attractive attributes attached to its meaning; it doesn't have the biblical weight of Noah, but could make a more distinctive alternative to that popular choice. Noam is a Top 10 boys' name in Israel.
  15. Phryne
    • Origin:

      Greek
    • Meaning:

      "toad"
    • Description:

      A name with a less conventional animal meaning, rescued by the reputation of the Greek courtesan Phryne (more beautiful than Aphrodite, one of the wealthiest women in classical Athens) and the charming character Phryne Fisher from Australian author Kerry Greenwood's detective series Phryne Fisher's Mysteries, set in the 1930s.
  16. Aldo
    • Origin:

      Italian from German
    • Meaning:

      "old and wise"
    • Description:

      A spirited German name very popular in Italy and occasionally used here, Aldo is one of the unique baby names with international flair. And names that mean wise have an enduring appeal.
  17. George
    • Origin:

      English variation of Georgios, Greek
    • Meaning:

      "farmer"
    • Description:

      For girls, typically used as a nickname for names such as Georgia and Georgiana, although Orange is the New Black stars Samira Wiley and Lauren Morelli recently used it as a full name for their daughter George Elizabeth.
  18. Rainier
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "wise army"
    • Description:

      European royal name, and to Americans a place-name evoking the majestic mountain in Washington state.
  19. Trixie
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Beatrix, Latin
    • Meaning:

      "she who brings happiness"
    • Description:

      A sassy, spunky name for the bold parent who doesn't remember Mrs. Ed Norton on The Honeymooners or who's into the nicknames-as-given-names trend sweeping the UK and returning to the US.
  20. Boris
    • Origin:

      Slavic
    • Meaning:

      "to fight"
    • Description:

      Boris is one of the old Russian names being revived by chic Europeans; it hasn't quite made a comeback yet in the U.S., but it does have potential.

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