Cat Names · Pet Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 28 pages
of 28
Word name
Sunshine was seen as a quintessential hippie name of the 70s, reaching as high as Number 536 in 1975. Now such names are making a bit of a retro comeback, seen, for example, as a character on Glee .
Hebrew
"twisted, coiled; in modern Hebrew - whale"
Leviathan was a name given to 76 boys in the USA in 2021. It makes a rather unusual Biblical choice, being the name not of a man or angel, but of a sea monster. In literature and popular culture, the…
English occupational name
"coal miner"
This occupational surname could find new life with those wishing to honor someone in their heritage who was connected to the tough-as-nails breed that was the pre-modern coal miner. Coll and Collie…
English
"the point in the sky or celestial sphere directly above an observer"
Zenith is an uplifting if quirky word name, meaning the top or the peak. Eight boys received the name in one recent year, only a third of those who were called Nadir -- the low point!
Nature name
Like Sky and Sunshine, this fluffy name from the hippie 1970s has floated back onto the naming radar. It's similarity of Clyde and Claude help to ground it.
At one time, Moon might have felt like a celebrity-only option, memorably chosen by Frank Zappa for his daughter Moon Unit. Now, with Sunny, Goldie, Wren, Star, Storm, Ocean, Onyx, and Scout in the…
English or Irish
"people of Cana or wolf cub"
While the most famous Channing is the very male Channing Tatum, the name is now given about a third of the time for girls. Television executive Channing Dungey is a well-know example of a female…
Hard and shiny, Steel projects an image that's smooth, macho...and cold to the touch.
French
"blue"
The Frenchified color name Bleu is notable in baby-naming history as the then-outrageous middle name of John Travolta and Kelly Preston's daughter Ella, born in 2000. Perhaps because blue is…
"young wolf"
Lowell is an upstanding and somewhat conservative name that calls to mind the genteel patrician families of nineteenth century New England, such as the one poet Robert Lowell was born into. Two other…
English diminutive
Originally a unisex nickname for a redhead -- red hair is called "ginger" in Britain -- or for the name Virginia, Ginger perennially wears pink gingham and spike heels.
German
"grey battle"
Griselda is a famous folklore figure, noted for her patience and obedience. Her story has been told by Petrarch, Chaucer, Boccaccio and set to music by Scarlatti, Vivaldi and Massenet. In the most…
Danish and German
"thunder bear"
A familiar name in the Nordic countries that hasn't yet gained popularity in the English speaking world. But it could, now that Old Norse names like Thor and Odin are on the rise. It derives from…
English word name
While the most famous Dusty, Dusty Springfield, might be female, Dusty as a boys' name is derived directly from Dustin. And there are about twice as many baby boys named Dusty as baby girls -- 33 to…
Irish
"red-haired warrior"
Clancy, one of the original crossover Irish surname names, is as energetic and appealing as ever — full of moxie, more distinctive than Casey, and also one of the less obvious of the red-headed…
French from Greek
"of Delphi; womb"
Delphine is a sleek, chic French name with two nature associations — the dolphin and the delphinium, a bluebell-like flower, a well as a link to the ancient city of Delphi, which the Greeks believed…
Spelling variation of Wilder
"wild, untamed, uncontrolled"
Wilder is one of the hottest boy names of this decade, and now Wylder has entered the Top 1000 for boys as of 2021. More parents are beginning to consider Wilder and Wylder as a bold and adventurous…
"animal name"
Other wild animals like Fox, Wolf and Bear are catching on as baby names, and Tiger is a rarer option with several famous namesakes, including golf champ Tiger Woods, who was born Eldrick. Other…
Hindi
"nebula, mist"
More unusual alternative to Tiara.
French, feminine variation of George
Has a musty 1940s feel. Try Georgia -- or Georgiana.
