Pet Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 25 pages
of 25
English
"Woden's day"
Made famous by the iconic and macabre character Wednesday Addams, this name has the spooky and Halloween-inspired feel that some parents might be looking for. The character has appeared in various…
Greek
"doe, gazelle"
Classic name used by the Romans, the Puritans, and the Bard, but pretty much taboo today due to the objectionable connotations of both its front and back ends.
English word name
There's definitely a cold front of names for winter babies moving in, with Summer, Spring and Autumn giving way to Winter--plus North, January, Frost--and Snow. This name feels brisk, fresh, pure,…
"Son of Henry"
This surname name fits in with current favorites like Hudson, but is much less common as a given name. It's widely familiar thanks to the late Jim Henson, creator of The Muppets. Actor Zachary Levi…
Hebrew
"God will judge"
Dinah is a charming, underused Old Testament name with a rich literary and musical resume. In the Old Testament, Dinah was the beautiful daughter of Jacob and Leah and while some conflate her with…
"noble maiden"
Ethel is a name we once declared as 'So Far Out They'll Probably Always Be Out,' but with the return of other names on that list and with its new starbaby cred via Lily Allen, its soft sound and…
Word name
Cedric the Entertainer chose this for his daughter, but most other parents would find it, though optimistic, not exactly substantial.
Pet name for Charles
Only if you're madly nostalgic for sixties TV.
English diminutive of Barbara, Greek
"foreign woman"
Despite the voluptuous doll's various career choices, from astronaut to doctor, her name still remains a euphemism for "bimbo".
German, diminutive of Margarethe
"pearl"
Like Greta, Gretchen is a German Margaret diminutive that has become an American quasi-classic, though not much used today, having dropped off the list in 2009. She was at her high point in the…
Flower name, from Greek
"blue larkspur; precious stone"
Though it may not be as sweet and gentle as, say, Violet, the purple-hued Hyacinth still might hold some appeal for the parent seeking a truly unusual flower name. In Greek mythology, Hyacinthus was…
English, diminutive of Nora
Noreen's in limbo, especially now that Nora has made a comeback.
Modern invented name, variation of Cherie, French
"darling"
As frozen in the pre-Beatles era as short white gloves.
French variation of Tziporah, Hebrew
"bird"
This lovely name is a softened French version of Tziporah, the biblical wife of Moses. Unfortunately, in the US, it's become attached to the cosmetics franchise. The brand Sephora claims to have…
German
"bright, glorious"
Ever since Allied soldiers in World War I dubbed the enormous German cannon "Big Bertha", this name hasn't worked for a sweet little baby girl. But this was not always so. Hard as it might be to…
English word name or diminutive of Candace, Latin
"white, pure, sincere"
Too sugary sweet and inconsequential for a modern girl.
Welsh
"life, spirit"
This Celtic goddess and Arthurian name may sound terminally old-ladyish to many ears--but so did names like Ella and Etta not so long ago. So Enid is yet another forgotten four-letter E-possibility:…
English surname
"one who lives near a gate"
A fresher, less preppy alternative to Thatcher — one without Prime Minister associations.
Sweet but sharp, Lemon was given to a surprising 50 girls back in 2021, while in a more recent year, it was given to just shy of 30. Some parents may find it summery and refreshing, while others may…
Color name
Blue suddenly came into the spotlight, as the unusual color name chosen by Beyonce and Jay-Z for their baby girl Blue Ivy. Blue is also a starbaby middle name du jour, used for both sexes in…
