Cat Names · Pet Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 28 pages
of 28
Hawaiian, Greek, Basque
"dolphin; to flow; wave, sea foam"
A multicultural option that's equally intriguing but more unusual than Maia. Connected to water and the ocean, it is a Top 100 choice in Spain and Puerto Rico and has been rising up the charts in…
Spanish
"breeze"
Brisa is commonly used in Latino families, all but unheard of in others.
English, German, and Portuguese variation of Larisa, Greek and Russian
"citadel"
Daintily pretty without being frilly, Larissa is familiar but more quietly used than its sound-alikes Melissa and Alyssa. Though this is the more common variation in the Western World, the original…
Irish
"little wolf"
The fierce image of the Barbarian made a complete turnaround thanks to amiable talk show host O'Brien, making Conan one of the newly desirable Irish choices, a perfect alternative to Conor/Connor. In…
"cloud"
Niall is pronounced nye-al--something like Neil, but this Irish spelling of the name makes it much more current and cool. This is an ancient name borne by several of the high kings of Tara, the most…
Nature name
Mostly feminine, though "Office" star Rainn Wilson gives it a slight masculine twist. You might also use this as a short form of Raines.
Welsh
"blessed, happy"
Because of Gwyneth Paltrow, this has almost become a one-person name, but not in the prohibitive there's-only-one-Oprah sense. Also seen as Gwenyth and Gweneth, this mellifluous appellation is…
English or Irish
"people of Cana or wolf cub"
Channing is a sophisticated surname name whose use is probably linked to actor Channing Tatum and Channing Crowder, former linebacker for the Miami Dolphins.
English, Dutch, German
"gray, black; hare"
Hazen is a variation of the Dutch surname Hasin, which has two separate origins. The first is as a nickname for Haso, a Germanic given name derived from haswa , meaning "gray" or "black." Hasin was…
Bosnian, Turkish
"iron"
This tough and attractive name is popular in its native Bosnia and Turkey, though globally, it might be better known in the form of Timur. Deriving literally from the Turkish word for the metal iron,…
Animal name or diminutive of Wolfgang, German
" traveling wolf"
Wolf is a name with a split personality. It can be seen as one of the fierce animal names, like Fox and Bear and Puma, with a touch of the werewolf, or it can be viewed as a quieter, Wolf Blitzer…
English from Latin, Sanskrit, "the pepper plant; berry"
"the pepper plant; berry"
With its bubbly sounds and stylish feel, Pepper joins a small but distinctive group of names inspired by the spice rack: Saffron, Juniper, Cassia, Sage, Ginger, and Rosemary. Enough like Pippa, Piper…
Word name
"sturdy cotton"
Navy, Indigo, Sky, Ocean, and Sapphire already rank as current US favorites, and Demin is another shade of blue that's on the rise. With the stylish, sturdy, and versatile feel of the fabric it…
Word name; variation of Storm
Stormy is on the rise following the birth of Kylie Jenner's daughter Stormi, although the starbaby's spelling has taken over the lead.
Hindi river name; Hebrew
"rain"
Refers to one of the seven sacred rivers of India.
"redhead"
Rogan makes a great, roguish alternative for the more popular Logan, Ronan and Rowan.
Galician and Catalan form of Luna, Portuguese, Latin
"moon; to set free"
Properly spelled Luã, this is a light and bright alternative to mega-popular Luna, with the same celestial meaning. Lua is also an attractive choice for tech-heads, with Lua being a popular…
Windswept and dramatic, but perhaps asking for trouble. Quite popular in Denmark and Sweden, where it derives from Stromr, which is a fairly common surname. Storm Thorgerson is a famous bearer of the…
English
"ash tree place"
Hot star Ashton Kutcher is pushing this unisex choice toward the boys' camp, but its variation Ashtyn is on the rise.
"gray-haired"
Floyd was a Top 100 name from the 1880s to the 1940s that somehow developed an almost comical hayseed persona along with a touch of retro jazz cool; it's beginning to appeal to parents with a strong…
