Pet Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 14 pages
of 14
Norse
"thunder"
Tora is the female version of Tor or Thor, the name of the Norse god of thunder. Actress Jeanne Tripplehorn chose it for her daughter.
English, diminutive of Albert and Bertram
A once-popular nickname for Albert and Bertram now being polished up by hip Brits, but still hibernating in the Land of Nerd over here.
Greek
"sea-green jewel"
Dated British favorite that never caught on in this country, where Jade remains the green gem of choice. Interesting namesakes: British writer Beryl Bainbridge and British aviatrix Beryl Markham.
Punic and Assyrian
"grace of Baal, god of fertility and fortune"
These days, it's thought of less as the name of the great general and more as the first name of Lecter the fictional cannibal. Either association is too heavy for a child to bear.
Greek botanical name
Long in our category of so-far-out-it-will-always-be-out category, once seen as a gum-cracking 1940's telephone operator, we think it's time to reassess Myrtle, and look at is as a nature name, a…
German, pet form of names such as Waldemar
"to rule"
Its jaunty o-ending makes this name more appealing than most of its Germanic brothers, and we hope we're beyond the constant response to his name being "Where's Waldo?" The weighty reputation of…
Variation of Barnabas
"son of comfort"
The name Barney is hot among hip Londoners and it has been above the Top 500 in the UK since 2012. You can see why - it's got a friendly happy sound and a lovely meaning and is more easily worn than…
Italian place-name
"pond, lake"
Laguna Beach is a famous California spot -- though there's "goonie" teasing potential.
English word name
"extremely angry"
A very small number of boys are given this intense and aggressive name each year, but that could increase given that Rowdy is now in the Top 1000.
Nature name
Usain Bolt chose Lightning as the middle name for his daughter — Olympia Lightning Bolt. Mainstream parents have taken a liking to Lightning as a boy name — it debuted on the charts in 2021, and was…
Toriano is a melodic masculine name with Italian roots, likely derived from the Italian city of Turin (Torino). It can be considered an elaborated form of Tori or an extension of names like Toro or…
Variation of Tupa or Tupaq, Quechua
"royal, noble"
Rapper Tupac Amaru Shakur was named after 18th century Peruvian revolutionary Túpac Amaru. There was also a 15th century Incan ruler whose name was an extension of the Quechua Topa or Tupa, and the…
Latin
"from the sea"
Marine was trending for a long time in France, but the far right politician Marine (born Marion) LePen has dampened the mood.
Swedish or Cornish
"fairy"
Pixie is a cute -- quite possibly too cute -- name that suddenly feels possible thanks to the craze for names that contain the letter x. Though its origin may be uncertain, a pixie is internationally…
Scottish habitational surname
"from the hillocks"
Popularized for girls after Kirsten Dunst portrayed high school cheerleading captain Torrance Shipman in the 2000 movie Bring it On . Tori is an easy nickname.
English
"captain"
Barbie's little sister, and like Barbie, Skipper is one of many Kindercore names — evoking nostalgia through beloved childhood characters — that is getting more attention. Skipper debuted in the US…
Japanese
"harbor wave"
Tsunami is a Japanese word, derived from the elements tsu meaning "harbor," and nami , "wave." It was first used as a name in 2004 and 2005, then left the charts and reemerged in 2020. At the very…
The kind of nickname name you wouldn't want your own child to get stuck with.
Dutch
"of the dyke"
Though it has worthy associations with the Old Master painter and singer-songwriter Van Dyke Parks, this would be tough on a child because of the slang meaning of the second syllable.
Italian
"green"
This is an outside possibility for opera-lovers, with the additional eco/color factor.
