Pet Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 25 pages
of 25
French diminutive of Susannah, Hebrew
"lily"
Suzette has a kind of clunky retro charm – so kitsch it's almost cool again.
English, Literary, meaning unknown
Though modern parents seeking to honor an ancestor named Thelma might opt for the airier Thea instead, Thelma is starting to make its way back onto adventurous vintage name lovers' radars. It is…
Latin
"little female bear"
A saint's name with a noteworthy literary background, including uses by Shakespeare in Two Gentlemen of Verona and Much Ado About Nothing , by Ben Johnson, Walter Scott, Longfellow, D. H. Lawrence…
Greg is a masculine name that originated as a diminutive of Gregory, which comes from the Greek name Gregorios, meaning 'watchful' or 'alert.' While Gregory has been used since early Christian times,…
Greek
"she who brings victory"
A name with a surprising amount of history--it was the name of the wife of Ptolemy I of Egypt, occurs in the New Testament, and belonged to a fourth century saint. In the US, it has long been spelled…
Variation of Brandy, English from Dutch
"burnt wine"
Only slightly fewer girls are named Brandi each year than Brandy, 45 versus 57 in the US. Both spellings have their advantages and disadvantages.
English
"place on a ledge or bank"
We're not too surprised that Shelton Lee changed his name to Spike.
"glory of Hera"
Any boy with this name, a synonym for power via the Greek mythology figure, better be strong of body, and of psyche.
English word name
This shimmery Age of Aquarius unisex flower child name is making a comeback, along with metal and gem names like Steel, Jade, and Ruby.
German
"spear of strength"
Innocent, sincere, and bright-eyed, and as outdated as its mother name, Gertrude.
An attractive and now underused nature name belonging to a tree whose wood is prized for its dark color and dense texture, which shines when polished. Ebony joined the most popular girl names list in…
Wyoming place-name, French
"canopy of leafy boughs"
Swaggering western place-name with a lot of cowboy bravado and panache.
Diminutive of Odell, Otis; English, German
"of the valley; wealthy"
This old-timey nickname for Otis and Odell is strongly tied to Garfield’s canine companion in the Garfield comic, movie, and TV franchise. Actress Ashley Williams gave it signs of life when she used…
"lucky"
A lacy, lucky name very popular in the Hispanic community a decade ago, less so now.
Henlee is a feminine name that exemplifies the modern trend of adapting traditionally masculine names for girls. It appears to be a creative variation of the surname or masculine name Henley, which…
Shelly is a feminine name that originated as a diminutive of Michelle or as a reference to seashells, giving it both personal and nature-inspired origins. Popular during the 1960s and 1970s in…
Chief is a masculine English word name derived from the Old French 'chef', ultimately from Latin 'caput' meaning 'head'. As a name, Chief directly evokes leadership, authority, and responsibility.…
"will helmet"
Velma likely originated as a phonetic spelling of the German name Wilma, itself derived from Wilhelmina. Velma Dinkley is a smart, if nerdy, character in Scooby Doo .
Hebrew
"married"
A name with a sound that is both unique and familiar, Beulah is a Biblical name, reminiscent of Bella, Luna, and Selah. In the Bible, Beulah is a place, applied to the land of Israel by the prophet…
English, diminutive of Patricia
"noble, patrician"
This sassy, spunky name was used for the mostly Irish jump-roping pigtailed girls of the thirties and forties -- and some Irish and Italian boys as well. Its most noted bearer was iconic country…
