Pet Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 25 pages
of 25
English and French diminutive of Matilda, German
"battle-mighty"
Maud, lacy and mauve-tinted, was wildly popular a hundred years ago but has been rarely heard in the past fifty. Some stylish parents are starting to choose Maud again, especially as a middle. Maude…
English, diminutive of Elizabeth
"pledged to God"
Yes, it's a word name, but Busy is also a rare pet form of Elizabeth. And yes, actress Busy Philipps was christened Elizabeth--she was given the nickname because she was such an active child. She…
Flower name, from Greek
"asphodel"
Yes, though it seems so extreme, girls were actually sometimes given this name a century ago; now it is so uncommon it would make a strong springtime statement. Biggest obstacle: the nickname Daffy.…
English diminutive of Elizabeth, Hebrew
Buffy was a one-time sorority girl with a roommate named Muffy, then a fearless vampire slayer, though still basically fluffy. You might think of Buffy as the feminine version of Chip or Bud -- an…
English word name
"someone who dances"
A word name that's appealing when applied to a person boogying or doing ballet; a different story in the context of Santa's reindeer.
Food name and word name
Poppy is the most widely-used seed name, opening the door for Sesame. While Sesame has a pretty sound, it is not often used as a name -- fewer than five baby girls were given the name in the US in…
English
"shade"
A daring word name with a touch of mystique, Shadow is an edgy choice for a baby that some may say is best reserved for pets. Nevertheless, it has been appearing in the US stats for girls since 1974…
Modern nickname, also color name
Has too many slangy connotations to be considered.
Short form of Margaret, Greek
"pearl"
Marge used to be as common as Maggie or Megan, ranking on its own in the girls' Top 1000 from 1900 until right after World War II, when so many Old School names fell off the list in favor of a new…
Norse
"armed for battle"
Variant of Brunhild, still clad in heavy armor. Though the heroine Brunhilda of Quentin Tarantino's recent film Django Unchained may have given this version of the name new appeal.
"steep-sided valley"
Like Marvin and Melvin, Sheldon has been perceived as about as far out as you can get, though there are very pretty towns in Devon and Derbyshire that inspired it. Sheldon Lee Cooper is the lead…
Fruit name
Mango might be cute as a short form of a related name like Manuel, or for a pet name. But we're not feeling it as a full baby name for a child of any gender.
Shellina is a feminine name likely derived as an elaboration of 'Shelly,' which itself is a diminutive of Michelle (Hebrew, 'who is like God') or a reference to shells found on beaches. The suffix…
Brownie is an uncommon feminine name derived from the English word for the small chocolate dessert or from the color brown. As a name, it has a sweet, endearing quality with a touch of whimsy and…
French surname
"shadow outline"
Étienne de Silhouette (1709–67), French author and politician, gave his name to this portraiture technique – although, strangely, no one knows why.
Silk is an uncommon English word name derived directly from the luxurious fabric. The name evokes qualities of smoothness, elegance, softness, and luxury. As a given name, Silk has been used very…
Silkie is a whimsical, uncommon feminine name with several possible origins. It might connect to the Silkie folk tales from Scottish and Irish mythology about seal-like creatures that can transform…
Silky is a delicate female name that embodies softness and luxury. Derived from the English word for smooth, lustrous fabric, the name evokes a sense of elegance and refined grace. While uncommon as…
Silverie is a delicate feminine name with roots in Latin, derived from 'silva' meaning 'forest' or 'woods.' It can be considered a variation of Silveria or an elaboration of Silver. The name carries…
English, from German
Easter has been used as a name for several hundred years, as part of the day-naming tradition; now, this rarely heard holiday celebration name would make a novel choice for a springtime baby.…
