Pet Names · Cat Names
By Brynn McKeon · Updated September 2026
Across 10 pages
of 10
Japanese
"thousand questions"
A popular Japanese name used for the young heroine of the animated film, "Spirited Away."
"clever; wise; man"
Finnish
"poem"
An appealing Finnish name, with a touch of literary magic and whimsy, Runo means "poem" in its native language. Traditionally said with a slightly rolled R and a softer 'oh' sound at the end (more…
Welsh
"battle prince"
A rare Welsh name with a wonderful meaning, Cadfael is the name of the detective monk character in Ellis Peters' medieval murder mysteries. It's usually pronounced CAD-vyle in Welsh, although Peters…
English
"one who lives near a stream"
A surname with more force than most.
English word name
"kept from knowledge or view"
Mysterious. In 2016, 13 baby girls in the United States were given this unusual word name -- at least according to the Social Security Administration. We can't help but suspect that some of those…
French from German
"magnificent crow"
This name of famed philosopher, mathematician and Nobel laureate Bertrand Russell becomes slightly more plausible with the French pronunciation, bare-TRAHN. Another noted bearer is French director…
Mongolian name meaning "clever, wise"
"clever, wise"
Similar to the Turkish name Bilge (Bil-jeh), which has the same meaning.
French form of Bartholomew
While Barthelemy does not garner much attention these days, it has a storied history in French-speaking countries. Notable bearers include geologist and explorer Barthélemy Faujas de Saint-Fond,…
Invented name
"by the bank"
Credit, of course, to the artist for inventing this secretive pseudonym, but we actually have Hilary Duff to thank for Banksy as a baby name. Banksy is Duff's nickname for her daughter Banks, born in…
"fair-haired"
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…
Greek
"of Athena"
The most famous bearer of this name was Athenaeus of Naucratis, a Greek rhetorician and grammarian who wrote the Deipnosophistae , which roughly translates to "Dinner Table Philosophers." There was…
" a suspension of airborne particulates and gases emitted from a burning substance"
Word name with an air of mystery and edginess. Influencers Julia and Hunt Havens named their son Smoke Hemmingway in 2023.
Popular choice for silvery pets.
Word name
It has a variety of associations from Smokey Robinson to Smokey the bear, but Smokey still feels a bit comical for a baby.
The name of the beloved Beagle from the Peanuts cartoons may not be a suitable choice for a baby, but would make an adorable moniker for a pet.
"safe power, healthy and strong, whole and powerful"
Associated with the ancient Greek philosopher, Socrates (often spelled Sokratis) is quite common in traditional Greek families, but for others, we think Plato (the name of his pupil) might be easier…
"son of the best"
This name of an early Greek Christian philosopher comes with a wizened, ancient air about it. Still, perhaps the nickname Ari might help it work for a baby to grow into.
Hindi and Sanskrit
"good character, wise"
Sunita is an easily-translated name brought to the American lexicon by astronaut Sunita "Suni" Williams, who holds the record for most spacewalks by a woman.
"phliosophy"
If you're prone to pondering the questions of the universe, this might be the name for you.
