Pet Names · Cat Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 25 pages
of 25
French, Nahuatl
"dweller at the little oak tree; what is to be done, what remedy"
A multicultural option, visually similar to Quinn or Quentin and similar in sound to Kenneth, Cal, and Kelvin. As a French name, it relates to someone who lives near oak trees, while as a Nahuatl…
Yiddish; Slavic
"rose; happy, willing"
This sweet and simple name has origins in both Yiddish and Slavic, each with an equally appealing meaning.
English nature name
Rice is really stretching the nature name boundary to its outer edges. But you may want to take it that far.
Animal name
"salmon, a fish"
nature names are in, and even fish names like Pike and Salmon are open for consideration.
English word name
With River and Ocean becoming mainstream, why not consider Sea?
Native American, Cherokee
"sparrow"
A strong, meaningful name, associated with a famous Cherokee linguistic scholar; also suggests the magnificent California sequoia redwood trees.
Food name and word name
Poppy is the most widely-used seed name, opening the door for Sesame. While Sesame has a pretty sound, it is not often used as a name -- fewer than five baby girls were given the name in the US in…
Word name
Slate, Stone and Steel are on the rise, so why not Shale?
Shell has been used as a short form of Shelley for all genders and Sheldon for boys. That was then: Now, Shell can be a beachy nature name and word name turned baby name.
"land by the sea"
A beachy name, with a strong, certain sound. Perfect for a summer baby or for those who love a rugged shoreline. It's yer to rank in the US stats.
Flower name, from English
"dragon's mouth"
Feisty floral name that would work better as a middle name than as a first, so called because of the flower's resemblance to a dragon's open mouth.
She may have been an appealing Chinese heroine in Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, but her name won't translate for a modern American girl. Better choices: Snow, or Flora.
Snow is increasing in usage mostly as a girls' name, but hero Jon Snow of Game of Thrones just might nudge it into the boys' column. Currently, there are 12 times as many girls named Snow as boys,…
Botanical name and French
"reddish brown"
Sorrel is a gentle, amber-hued herbal and autumnal name that's used most often to describe the color of a horse. Sorrell is a variant spelling. Both make excellent names for autumn babies and can be…
Tree name
Spruce is a very rare tree name, given to only six baby boys last year....and no girls. But there's nothing traditionally gendered about this name, which can work just as well for baby girls.
A handsome, spruced-up post-Bruce tree name.
Fruit name
Another entry in the fruit name category, this one borne by writer Strawberry Saroyan, granddaughter of William, so named by her hippie parents. While fruit names may become more familiar, they'll…
English
"swan"
Obsolete Swanhild gives way to oh-so-modern Swan, joining the flock of newly fashionable bird names such as Wren and Lark. In France, the Swann spelling is fashionable for both sexes. But Swan…
Nature name
"fig mulberry"
Tree name with a pleasant sound and rhythm.
Arabic
"tree and spice name"
A hardwood tree native to Africa, India and other tropical regions, which bears sweet pod-shaped fruits which are used as a flavoring in many world cuisines, including Indian and Filipino. A rare and…
