Pet Names · Cat Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 25 pages
of 25
French
"lily"
One of the few French words/names not attractive to the American ear. It's pronounced moo-gay, not a winner on either syllable. Alternatives: Liliane, Lily, Lilou, Manon.
Nature name
As a name, it's linked to Sir Mulberry Hawk, a character in Charles Dicken's Nicholas Nickleby.
Dutch variation of Myrtle
This botanical name is one of the few Dutch names that could work outside the Netherlands, especially in Germany or Scandinavia.
Scottish
"river with alder trees"
A name with a pleasing nature meaning, a surname style, and pleasant Scottish burr. Reminiscent of Mare, Raine, and Blair, it is as yet undiscovered as a first name.
Hawaiian
"sunflower"
The Hawaiian word for sunflower is also used figuratively for people who gaze toward the sun, and has a nice resonance with Lion King name Nala.
Greek
"daffodil"
This Greek flower and mythological choice doesn't make it into the pantheon of possibilities because of its association with narcissism. But narcissa is December's flower of the month, so Narcissa…
Greek; Aboriginial
"sea nymph, mermaid; red waterlily"
This is one of the more unusual examples of a group of Greek names connected to the sea, which makes sense for a nation of coastline and islands. The Nereids or water nymphs were the daughters of sea…
Maori
"reflections on the water"
New Zealand writer Ngaio (born Edith Ngaio) Marsh is the best-known bearer of this Maori nature name, properly pronounced ng (like the end of sing) -EYE-oh. It is the name of a tree indigenous to New…
Latin nature name
"dark cloud"
Nimbus is a word from nature for a type of cloud that has occasionally -- very occasionally -- been used for a human. But it's evocative and upbeat and certainly makes an intriguing and stylish…
Mythological name
"ocean"
Oceanus was the Titan in ancient Greek mythology who rules what they thought was the body of water that surrounded the Earth. Oceanus was, appropriately enough, the name of the baby born on the…
Botanical Name
The name of this pretty Mediterranean shrub is reminiscent of vintage Olive, and interestingly its etymology appears to overlap too: oleander most likely derives from Greek rhododendron "rose tree",…
Latin
"golden"
A bird name from the same Latin root as Aurelia, Oriole is extremely rare as a name: No babies were given the name in the US in 2022. But most people are aware of the Oriole bird, which makes this…
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…
Ocean name; from Latin
"tranquil"
Pacific is an adventurous kind of place-name, with the added bonus of the association with peace.
English flower name from French
"thought"
Pansy is an early floral name that lost credibility when it became a derogatory slang term for gay people. Better these days: Posy or Poppy.
Turkish
"daisy"
A virtually unknown choice in the U.S and rare in its native Turkey too, Papatya is nevertheless attractive and usable for the baby namer who truly wants something different, but with a familiar and…
A red spice made from dried bell peppers. As a name, notable bearers include Danish actress Paprika Steen (born Kirsteen), and Paprika from the children's TV show Blue's Clues
This fragrant name was sometimes seen in hippie communes in the days of flower power. There were no babies named Patchouli in the US last year, but there were about 25 baby girls named Indica and…
Arabic
"a green gemstone"
Peridot is the gem of the month of August, a vibrant green mineral, said to be good for helping people put the past behind them, and an interesting, undiscovered jewel name. It was regarded in…
English from Greek
"leaf"
Petal is the soft and sweet-smelling name of a character in the novel and film, The Shipping News . With the rise of such flower names as Poppy and Posy, we believe Petal — down-to-earth yet romantic…
