Nature Names for Cats
- Castor
Origin:
Greek; LatinMeaning:
"beaver; pious one"Description:
Forget the oil. It's one of the twins that make up the constellation Gemini, and a mythological name on the cutting-edge of fashion; used by Metallica's James Hetfield.
- Acacius
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"thorny; or, innocent, not evil"Description:
Acacius is a Latinized form of the Ancient Greek Akakios and can be interpreted to relate to the same root as the name Acacia, for the thorn bush, or Akakios which means "not evil." With the modern taste for ancient names that end in "us," this obscure but attractive choice may have a chance of new life. Acacius is the name of three early saints.
- Quill
Origin:
Irish, diminutive of Quillan or Quiller; also English word nameMeaning:
"lion, scribe, writer with a quill pen"Description:
Quill is a unique possibility for the child of writers -- even if they do use computers rather than pens; could also serve as a rhyming tribute to an ancestor named Gil, Phil, or Bill (or Jill).
- Drake
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"dragon; or, male duck"Description:
A simple one-syllable name that has been on the popularity list since the mid-1980s, Drake is most associated today with the single-named rapper (born Aubrey). The name peaked at Number 197 in 2010 and has since been on a slow decline, but it still can be counted among the stylish contemporary boy names starting with D.
- Woody
Origin:
Word name or diminutive of Woodrow, EnglishMeaning:
"row of houses by a wood"Description:
While Woodrow is too forbidding, its nickname Woody is a bit cartoonish, as in Woody Woodpecker and the animated cowboy character in Toy Story. Woody also has a slang meaning that no teenage boy will thank you for. Woody Allen was born Allen.
- Coralie
Origin:
French from LatinMeaning:
"coral"Description:
Coralie is a French name not often heard here, though she's gaining some recognition via Neil Gaiman's similar sounding spooky and lovely children's book, Coraline. Other literary appearances: Coralie is the stage name of an actress in Balzac's Lost Illusions, and a French girl in an 1850 Thackeray novel.Coralie is currently very popular in French-speaking Quebec, and there is a contemporary French singer named Coralie Clement.
- Portia
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"pig"Description:
Portia is a perfect role-model name, relating to Shakespeare's brilliant and spirited lawyer in The Merchant of Venice, and is now also a Hunger Games name .
- Mars
Origin:
Roman mythologyMeaning:
"god of war; male; red planet"Description:
Mars is a name with interesting potential, ticking the boxes as a mythological name, a space name, and a single syllable choice ending in -s. For parents wanting something unexpected, Mars could work as an alternative to popular Brooks, Max, Atlas, or Miles - and given to around 124 boys - and 27 girls - in a recent year, it is unusual but recognisable.
- Sky
Origin:
Nature nameDescription:
Sky is an ambigender nature name that was first legitimized as the character of Sky Masterson in the 1950 musical Guys and Dolls, played in the film version by Marlon Brando. It's a name we appreciate for its clear, wide-open feel, less hippyish than others like Rainbow and Starlight, and makes an appealing middle name possibility.
- Briony
Origin:
Spelling variation of Bryony, GreekMeaning:
"to sprout, to swell"Description:
Briony may be the variation and Bryony the original, but many parents will see this as the more authentic-feeling version of this attractive botanical name. Melodic and bright, it was once a Top 400 name in the UK back in the 90s but has since fallen out of favor, as has Bryony.
- Keziah
Origin:
HebrewMeaning:
"cassia tree"Description:
This lively Old Testament nature name (belonging to one of the three beautiful daughters of Job) entered the US Top 1000 list in 2024, and ranks highly here on Nameberry — making it one to watch!
- Marguerite
Origin:
French variation of Margaret; also a flower nameMeaning:
"pearl; daisy"Description:
Marguerite is a classic French name with a remnant of old-fashioned Gallic charm; and is also a variety of daisy. Chic again in Paris, it's definitely ripe for revival here.
- Xochitl
Origin:
Nahuatl, AztecMeaning:
"flower"Description:
Xochitl is a Nahuatl or Aztec floral name used in southern Mexico and pronounced SO-chee-tl or SHO-chee-tl, although sometimes the "tl" at the end is not pronounced. Internet entrepreneur Xochi Birch is probably the best-known bearer in the US – except for the Xochitl brand tortilla chips. Definitely among the most intriguing international flower names and a beautiful choice for those looking to honor Nahuatl heritage.
- Lavender
Origin:
English color and flower nameMeaning:
"purple flower"Description:
Lavender lags far behind sweet-smelling purple-hued sister names Violet and Lila, but is starting to get some enthusiastic attention from cutting-edge namers along with other adventurous nature names like Clementine and Marigold. In fact, 2024 saw it enter the US Top 1000 for the first time, when it was given to nearly 260 girls.
- Aspen
Origin:
Nature and place-nameMeaning:
"a poplar tree that quakes in the breeze"Description:
As trendy as the chic Colorado ski resort, with a hint of whimsy from the shimmering trees, Aspen has been climbing the charts for boys since the early 90s. While it has always been more popular for girls, it could work for a boy too.
- Sorrel
Origin:
Botanical name and FrenchMeaning:
"reddish brown"Description:
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 used for either gender.
- Nori
Origin:
Japanese, English short form or Eleanor, Leonora, Nora, Honora, or North, form of Nor or Nuri, Arabic, TurkishMeaning:
"ceremonial rites, doctrine, seaweed; unknown, honor, north; my light"Description:
Nori is one of those names with several origins that would have no trouble assimilating into a variety of cultures. It might also be associated with the dried seaweed used to wrap sushi or with the nickname Kim Kardashian and Kanye West use for their daughter North.
- Amaryllis
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"to sparkle"Description:
If you love both unique baby names and flower names for girls, Amaryllis might be a perfect choice for you.
- Wolf
Origin:
Animal name or diminutive of Wolfgang, GermanMeaning:
" traveling wolf"Description:
Wolf is a name with a split personality. It can be seen as one of the fierce animal names, like Fox and Bear and Puma, with a touch of the werewolf, or it can be viewed as a quieter, Wolf Blitzer kind of name, fairly common in German (where is pronounced Vulf) and Jewish families, sometimes as a short form of Wolfgang, or even Wolfram or Wolfhart.
- Bramble
Origin:
Nature nameMeaning:
"blackberry shrub"Description:
Related to blackberry plants and colloquially to any thorny shrub, Bramble also has history as an English surname.
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