Cat Names · Pet Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 28 pages
of 28
French variation of German Otthild
"prospers in battle"
Odette's evil Swan Lake twin -- gives the name a sinuous, sensuous appeal. It was a popular choice in France in the 20th century and made the Top 40 back in 1952, however, it has since fallen out of…
Feminization of Onni, Finnish
"happiness; luck"
An attractive name that's uncommon even in its native Finland. Onneli ja Anneli is a Finnish children's movie translated to English as Jill and Joy , although the names are unrelated.
Fruit and color name
No babies of any gender were named Orange in the US in the most recent year counted. But that doesn't mean, in this era of anything-goes baby names, that it couldn't happen. In fact, Orange did…
Latin
"golden"
A bird name from the same Latin root as Aurelia, Oriole is extremely rare as a name: No babies were given the name in the US in 2022. But most people are aware of the Oriole bird, which makes this…
Anglo-Saxon
"noble, wealth"
Eadlin and its variants Eadlyn and Edelyn are uncommon in real life, but feel bang on-trend and shorten to the adorable vintage nickname Edie/Eadie. The name may derive from the Anglo-Saxon elements…
Italian
"wealth"
A medieval Italian name that could work in modern times.
Manx
"sullen; tempest"
This name stems from an Irish word meaning sullen, but in the Isle of Man is used to refer to sullen weather, rather than sullen people (hence the tempest meaning). It's a cute and spunky name that…
German
"ancient thunder god"
Futuristic, in a 1930s kind of way.
French and English, diminutive of Ottolie
Curiously appealing, in a hoop-skirted, wasp-waisted way, Ottoline has recently entered the realm of modern possibility, especially since Sienna Miller chose it as the middle name of her daughter…
Type of cotton cloth
Dimity is fairly common in Australia, but unheard of outside of it, which is surprising given its similarity to names like Amity, Verity, and Cassidy. The fabric probably became used as a name given…
Greek
"all or shepherd"
Pan is the Greek god with the legs of a goat and the body of a pipes-playing man known for his mischievousness. Pan is also the god of shepherds, pastures, and fertility. Pan is also a Hindi name…
African, Swahili; or, Russian, diminutive of Stephania
"mouse, tiny one; or, crowned one"
Panya is a multicultural possibility with a sound that's pleasing to the English-speaking ear, though the Swahili translation, which might also be "rat," makes it less than savory as an African name.
English word name
Most likely to be borne by a spotted cat or dog.
English fruit name
Unlike the other fruit names that are just coming onto the baby name menu, Peaches is an old-timey nickname previously reserved for spangled showgirls, and now would be considered an outrageous --…
Diminutive or Derek or Dermot or Irish place-name
"like an oak"
With the fashions for tree names, place names, and nickname names, Derry is a three-way winner. The unusual Irish Derry was given to zero babies of either gender in the US last year, but it's a merry…
Welsh
"pretty and blessed"
If you like soft, lispy Welsh names like Gwyneth, or want an alternative to Delilah, Adele, or Edith, consider this out-of-the-ordinary option.
English, Sanskrit
"berry"
More popularly used for girls, this peppy word name has been worn by football player Pepper Johnson (born Thomas and given the childhood nickname for sprinkling pepper on his cereal) and appears in…
Native American, Blackfoot,or Greek, "golden eagle, or rock, stone"
"golden eagle, or rock, stone"
Too tightly tied to the acronym for the activist group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
English
"a planet visible in the east just before sunrise; (poetic) the sun"
