Cat Names That Mean Cat

While not as popular as the Ariel spelling of Little Mermaid fame, this rendition has achieved popularity in its own right.

With a distinctive sound and a robust feel, Laith is a name that also has a touch of breezy charm to it. Currently in the UK Top 1000, it is a cross-cultural boy name that's also on the rise in the US.

As the song says, "Dinah, is there anyone finer?" Dinah is a charming, underused Old Testament name with a rich literary and musical resume.

Allie is one short form that's gotten so popular it's often used as a name on its own. Cute, friendly, yet we'd recommend using one of the proper names such as Alice to give your daughter an option.

This old man nickname feels remarkably fresh when applied to girls and can be used as a short form of Lena, Helena, Magdalena, Lennon or Lennox. The pan-European Leni is identical in sound yet feels a little lighter and fresher, and is a fashionable favorite in Germany.

Just like Sam and Ben, Tom could be revived as a simple, well liked name on its own. Tom, just Tom, is one of the Top 100 Boy Names in France

A Disney name—Nala was the friend who became the wife of Simba, hero of The Lion King. It debuted on the US Top 1000 in 2015.

Levon, an unusual alternative to Levi. has two musical associations: it's the title of an Elton John song, inspired by late, great drummer for The Band, Levon Helm--whose birth name was Mark. Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke chose Levon for their son.

The Koi is a variety of carp especially popular in ornamental gardens in Japan, where they are a symbol of good fortune. In Buddhist culture, the koi is associated with courage. Being one letter away from trendy Kai boosts its prospects as a cool unisex name.

Cataleya is the name of a genus of orchids that gained visibility as a baby name after it was used for the character played by Zoe Saldana in Colombiana. Part Caitlin, part Aaliyah, and part Leah, Cataleya is a trendy choice that just might transcend its momentary popularity. It is a spelling adaptation of Cattleya, named after the British horticulturalist William Cattley.

A strong Māori nature name, famously borne by director Taika Waititi, who is of Māori descent.

Creative choice, evoking the high-kicking can-can girls and other colorful figures in the works of Toulouse-Lautrec.

An Irish and Welsh form of Catherine, Caitlin was a boom name of the eighties, rocketing from obscurity (Americans first heard it via the wife of doomed poet Dylan Thomas) to the height of popularity in the space of a decade. The original name was gradually eclipsed by its myriad spelling variations -- Katelyn and Kaitlyn both soon topping it on the popularity lists.

Hamza was the legendary uncle of the Prophet Muhammad, hero of The Hamzanama, the Story of Hamza.

Tony, as in classy. Or To-nyyy, as yelled out a tenement window.

The Russian version of Katherine is usually Ekaterina, but this form is used throughout Eastern Europe and may be more friendly to the American ear.

The hurricane blew this one out of the realm of possibility.

A short form that is given on its own to a good number of baby girls each year — Cali has been on trend in recent years along with sister names Callie and Kali, as the popular 90s and early 2000s nickname Allie has felt less fresh.

This Katherine variation, used through Ireland and Scotland, is pronounced like Katrina. The name became popular after the Crusaders brought home stories about the colorful fourth century martyr, Catherine of Alexandria. Its later popularity increased following the success of Robert Louis Stevenson's 1893 Catriona, the sequel to Kidnapped.