Cat Names That Mean Curious

  1. Sherlock
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "fair-haired"
    • Description:

      If ever there was a one-person name, it's probably Sherlock. But Sherlock Holmes the character has arguably never been hotter: he's been played by Robert Downey Jr., Ian McKellen, Jonny Lee Miller and, most memorably, Benedict Cumberbatch, in various film and TV adaptations over the last few years. So you never know.
  2. 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.
  3. Seamus
    • Origin:

      Irish variation of James
    • Meaning:

      "supplanter"
    • Description:

      Parents who have tired of Sean are now contemplating Seamus, the Irish form of James, which has a lot more substance and verve.
  4. Natasha
    • Origin:

      Russian diminutive of Natalya
    • Meaning:

      "birthday of the Lord"
    • Description:

      Natasha, an appealing, still unusual name, entered the American mainstream post-Cold War but seems to have peaked in the eighties, replaced by the more straightforward Natalie. As is common for Natashas the world over, the Obamas shorten their Natasha's name to Sasha.
  5. Severus
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "stern"
    • Description:

      Though it has literary credentials--making an appearance in Jane Austen's Mansfield Park and as the mean-spirited teacher Severus Snape in the Harry Potter books, most modern parents would find it too--well--severe.
  6. Kendall
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "valley of the river Kent"
    • Description:

      Originally an English surname, borrowed from the place name, Kendale, Kendall was given almost exclusively to boys until the 40s when it began to be used for a small number of girls each year. By the 80s, it was a gender-neutral choice, however, since the 1993 appearance of the character Kendall Hart in the soap opera All My Children, it has been leaning feminine.
  7. 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.
  8. Kelly
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "war"
    • Description:

      A predominantly male name in the US until the late 1950s, the name continued to rise for both sexes for both sexes for a further decade, before starting to decline for boys. Despite dropping out of the boys' Top 1000 in 2002, Kelly retains a rugged Irish charm.
  9. Shannon
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "old and wise"
    • Description:

      Irish place-name -- it's a river, a town, and an airport -- once popular but now supplanted by such newer immigrants as Saoirse and Seanan.
  10. 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.
  11. 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.
  12. Zeno
    • Origin:

      Anglicized form of Greek Zenon, related to Zeus, king of the gods
    • Description:

      Zeno, the name of two ancient philosophers, has a muscular dynamism that's lightened by its cheerful final vowel, resulting in a kind of offbeat sci-fi feel. Zeno of Citium was the founder of the Stoic school of thought, Zeno of Elea was another early, original Greek thinker, famed for his Paradoxes.
  13. Ellery
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "island with elder trees; descendant of Hilary; cheerful, happy"
    • Description:

      In the past few years Ellery has gone from middle-aged male detective -- from old school fictional hero Ellery Queen -- to a plausible girls' name, a la Hillary.
  14. 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.
  15. 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.
  16. 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.
  17. 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.
  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. 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.
  20. Alix
    • Origin:

      French
    • Meaning:

      "noble type"
    • Description:

      A chic and sassy French choice, popular in France but likely to be confused with the more prosaic Alex in English-speaking countries. Although sometimes used in the US as a variant spelling of Alex, the French name Alix actually derives from a medieval French form of the name Alice or Adelaide.

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