Pet Names · Cat Names
By Brynn McKeon · Updated September 2026
Across 5 pages
of 5
Latin
"stern"
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…
"white, bright."
The ancient name Albus has modern currency as the first name of the headmaster of Harry Potter 's Hogwarts, more formally known as Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. Can Albus work if…
French
"flower"
Fleur is a generic, delicate flower name that emigrated into the English-speaking world when John Galsworthy bestowed it on one of the Forsytes in his celebrated saga. More recently, there was Fleur…
Greek
"bright, shining, glistening"
Also spelled as Argos, this name appears in Greek mythology, borne by Odysseus's loyal dog, by a giant creature with a hundred eye, a son of Zeus and King of Argos, and an Argonaut ship builder. The…
English
"Dudda's meadow"
It's easy to love a name that rhymes with "cuddly" and is also attached to the surname Do-Right -- once you ignore the "dud" connection. Dudley has aristocratic roots--the name was originally famous…
Flower, animal, and literary name, from Latin
"pertaining to the wolf"
Lupin is an unusual flower name with roots in Old French, from the Latin lupinus , meaning "pertaining to the wolf". In the literary world, it's the surname of Remus Lupin, a popular character in the…
Greek botanical name
Long in our category of so-far-out-it-will-always-be-out category, once seen as a gum-cracking 1940's telephone operator, we think it's time to reassess Myrtle, and look at is as a nature name, a…
Gellert is a masculine name with Hungarian and Germanic origins, most famously associated with the Hungarian composer Gellért Szabó and St. Gellért (Gerard), an Italian missionary who became the…
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.
"apple"
This name of the Roman goddess of fruit trees is also associated with a suburban town in Southern California.
English and French surname
"worker of the granary"
If you're seeking a solid but underused occupational name with a warm, friendly sound - one that isn't Parker, Harper, or Karter, Granger might be an option. The association with Hermione Granger…
French variation of Olympia
Literary name
Gentle giant Rubeus Hagrid is the groundskeeper at Hogwarts in the Harry Potter novels (probably after Hagrid Rubes, the equally kind ancient Greek mythological giant), but that's not the only reason…
German feminization of ROLAND
"famous in the land"
This is a rarely heard feminization of the rarely heard Roland.
Invented name
Hermione's cat in the Harry Potter series.
Roman
"the great provider"
Rosmerta is a Gallo-Roman goddess of fertility, abundance, and prosperity, often depicted holding a cornucopia. In the Harry Potter books, Madame Rosmerta is the landlady of the Three Broomsticks pub…
"northerner"
A British surname that was used only for males until Mrs. Norman Mailer, Norris Church (born Barbara), came under the public eye.
Scandinavian
"holy, blessed"
A traditional Nordic name, Helga was extremely popular throughout Scandinavia in the 19th and early 20th centuries. In Germany, it was a Top 10 pick from 1924 to 1943. And it still ranks in the…
"of the bramble bush"
Made famous by the half-giant character of Rubeus Hagrid in the Harry Potter series, this handsome Latinate name feels like a plausible possibility for a real child too, given its similarity to Ruben…
"famous, brilliant"
Years ago we might have said that this name was unthinkable, but with clunky, old-fashioned names being so popular right now — consider Augustus, Stanley, Wilfred, etc — what's to stop Cuthbert from…
