Pet Names · Cat Names
By Brynn McKeon · Updated September 2026
Across 9 pages
of 9
Diminutive of Joanna or Josephine, Hebrew
"Jehovah increases"
Fun, friendly and fresher than Jo or Josie as a nickname for Joanna or Josephine. Joey can be thought of as one of the Stevie/Billie/Frankie boyish nicknames for girls so fashionable today.
Greek
"bearer of the heavens"
While Atlas is a decidedly male god and this name is in the US Top 300 for boys, it is used for an increasingly significant number of baby girls in the US. And undeniably, it's a name that imparts…
Greek and Coptic place-name
"Enduring and beautiful"
Tied to the bluesy southern city and to the world heritage cite in Egypt after which it was named, Memphis is a modern choice with ancient history. Currently significantly more popular for boys in…
Variation of Clark
A rising choice for girls that fits in with tailored surnames such as Sloane, Greer, and Blair.
English word name
"royal"
A superlative word name along the lines of Saint, King, Princess, and Chosen, Royal was mostly used for boys — as in Wes Anderson's anti-hero Royal Tennenbaum — until Lil' Kim named her daughter…
Hindi, Sanskrit "destiny, spiritual force; deed, fate"
"destiny, spiritual force; deed, fate"
Some parents are hoping to bestow good karma on their children with this name, derived from the Sanskrit word for "fate". Associated with the Hindu and Buddhist belief that someone's actions in this…
Welsh
"fair, blessed"
Wynn is an attractive Welsh name, originally male but now also used for girls outside of Wales. The authentic feminine version would be Gwen, which derives from the same very productive gwyn element,…
English surname
"king's meadow"
Regal Kingsley seems like an all-boy name, but a growing number of parents have bestowed this name on a girl. Credit the ever-trendier -ley suffix. Kingsley Wilson is a MAGA influencer and a…
Place-name
Given to children of both sexes as far back as colonial times, this carries a lot of baggage. However, parents continue to take the risk. Actress America Ferrera may be have inspired some families to…
Scottish
"blond"
Music legend David Bowie lends his adopted surname considerable charisma to this stylish Scottish name for girls and boys. Born David Robert Jones, he changed his name to avoid confusion with The…
English
"a small roadway or path"
Lane is a unisex name equally accessible to boys and girls. Breezy, cool and contemporary, it might equally put in mind country lanes and banks of wildflowers. As a word name, Lane means "small…
"meadow of deer"
An attractive North Carolina unisex place name, Raleigh's soft sound is particularly appropriate for a girl.
Jamaican
"positive and powerful"
A name used in the Caribbean, taken from the Rastafarian term that translates best to "positive and powerful." Rastas often greet each other by saying, "Are you feeling Irie today?"
"hill"
Bryn is an up-and-coming gentle, yet substantial, Welsh name that would also be effective in the middle spot. In Wales it's a traditional boys' name, but it's far more popular for girls now in the…
Hebrew
"highest point"
A Biblical place name and a unisex choice that has been on the rise in the US in recent years. With its bright sound and cool, zippy Z beginning, it blends religious significance and trendiness.…
Spanish, condensed form of Santa Ana
Santana is a saintly name...or Latin rock band. While traditionally masculine, character Santana Lopez on the show Glee showed the name's potential for a girl as well. Sound-wise, it feels like…
Word name
Most parents today would prefer the softer-sell Stella. But Star has symbolic power related to Christmas, so this could make one of the perfect names for December babies .
"one who lives on the hillside or riverbank"
Banks as a girls' name was brought into the lexicon by actress Hilary Duff and musician Matthew Koma, who chose it for their daughter, Banks Violet. As both a surname and a word name, Banks refers to…
Japanese
"water lily, lotus"
In Japan the lotus is the Buddhist symbol of purity and perfection. In the US, Ren can also be short for Lauren or Renee, but it could be misspelt as the more popular Wren.
Latin
"godfather"
Jupiter may be known as the father of all the gods, but it's baby girls who have claimed his name for their own. Mythological and celestial baby names are hot across the board, so Jupiter was bound…
