Bengal Cat Names

This feminine version of the Welsh name Carwyn could be a good choice for parents looking for something fresher than Bronwen.

Unusual two-syllable choice with a real pronunciation challenge.

A noble surname from northern England that has occasionally been used as a first name.

Banana is one fruity name we wouldn't recommend. Pick Plum instead. There is a Japanese novelist whose pen name is Banana Yoshimoto--birth name Mahoko.

A new one for the ever-growing collection of royal baby names.

The Roman goddess Fortuna personified luck and ruled over fortune and fate. She is often depicted as blindfolded, and remains an important figure in Italian culture today, where a common saying translates to "Luck is blind."

Also spelled Torill, Torril and Torrill, this refined variation is derived from the Old Norse name Þórhildr and its more modern Norwegian form, Torhild. Stylish in Norway in the 50s and 60s, this name could now make a strong, distinctive, and appealing choice to those outside its native country, especially to those interested in Norse Mythology.

This kind of plainspoken nature name (think River and Sunshine) may still carry a whiff of the hippie, but this one has a nice, airy feel. It's slight similarity to Claude and Clyde helps to ground it.

A male name in Wales, Gwyn has been mostly feminine in the US thanks to its resemblance to the more familiar Gwen. It derives from the same Celtic root as the popular Finn family of names.

Most closely associated with Australia's iconic progressive Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam, this name is a great choice for politicos or parents wanting to honor their Welsh heritage in naming a red-haired son.

A name given by the Traveller community in England to a child born when it is raining.

Mosley, former best known as the surname of author Walter, has been put in play as a first name for girls by football great Peyton Manning, who used the name for his twin daughter, sister of Marshall. Alternate spellings are Moseley and Mosely and the first syllable rhymes with Rose.

Olympic athlete Usain Bolt introduced this unusual and electric nature name to the lexicon when he chose it for his daughter's middle name: Olympia Lightning Bolt. Now there's a name with layers of meaning!

Tertia—which is occasionally used in the UK, but rarely in the US, would make an unconventional but interesting possibility for the third child in a family. Terza and Terzo are lively Italian female and male variations.

In the ancient Hindu religion, Indra is the warrior god of sky and rain. The vowel ending could make it sound feminine to the English speaker, though Ezra and Luca work just fine, so why not Indra?

Zenebe is an appealing name well-used in Ethiopia but rarely heard outside its native land. But it translates easily into English and Zen makes for a cool and attractive nickname. A winning choice for those looking for an African boys' names that bridges cultures.

Name of a poet, this will be one for consideration by literary parents. The name fits well with the current trend towards surnames as given names, but beware the three syllable pronunciation, which may be a trap for the poetically disinclined.

Trivia is considered the first epithet of Diana, the Roman goddess of hunting, fertility, and the moon. The name is derived from the Latin word trivium, meaning "triple way," which refers to the goddess's protection of crossroads. Today, of course, Trivia would likely be interpreted as an English word name referencing obscure facts.

Kennelly could be an upbeat modern namesake for a Grandpa Kenneth; it can also be spelled Kenneally.

An anglicised or dutchified spelling of the Icelandic name Eyþóra, brought to fame by the Dutch Olympic gymnast Eythora Elisabet Thorsdottir, whose parents are Icelandic.