Pet Names
By Grace Royal · Updated October 2026
Across 4 pages
of 4
Short form of Gertrude
Gertie has a certain homespun charm, summoning to mind butter-yellow braids and denim overalls, summoning mind the adorable character played by little Drew Barrymore in E.T. Is the world ready for…
Diminutive of Margaret, Greek
"pearl"
Meg, perennially one of the Little Women, is a Margaret short form that manages to be neither quite in nor quite out of style. Meg is sleeker and more sophisticated than Maggie, more contemporary…
English, word name
As the former stage name of TLC founder Perri Reid and the name of the youngest member of the animated Flintstones clan, it's got some pop culture cache. But it'll be too cutesy by half for most…
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…
Irish
"sea tide"
Hurley is a possibility as a unisex surname-name ending with the "lee" sound. It is perhaps most associated with British actress Elizabeth Hurley, and is much rarer than Harley, because the "ur"…
English word name
A popular classic for cats, alongside Mittens, Snowball, Kitty, Shadow, and Tabby. Whiskers is also a cat food brand.
English
"cookie"
Cookie is most often used as a dog name, and it should stay that way.
"spell, curse, bringer of bad luck"
A popular choice for black cats, Jinx has become a quietly used option for baby boys in the US. Previously, it had been largely given to girls, likely because it appeared in the James Bond movie Die…
Short form of Chewbacca, or word name
"honored friend"
Popular for pets, especially of the shaggy, furry nature, Chewie is a Star Wars inspired choice, used in the movie franchise as a nickname for the tall Wookie companion of Han Solo. The full form…
Diminutive of Albert, Bertram etc
Long a royal nickname in England, it's coming back there along with Archie and Alfie. British singer Kate Bush calls her little boy Bertie.
"an immature bean pod used as a vegetable"
The unisex word name Bean, distant cousin of the infamous Apple, was used for the name of a child in Louise Penny's novel "A Rule Against Murder." A cute choice, it's likely best reserved for a…
Invented nickname
Up-and-coming actress Beanie Feldstein is attracting attention toward her unusual — but rather cute — nickname. She was born Elizabeth Greer Feldstein but nicknamed "Elizabeanie" by her childhood…
English, diminutive of Philip
"lover of horses"
The original Pip was the main character in Great Expectations (full name Philip Pirrip). Cute for a tike, maybe too cute for an adult.
Flower name, from English
"yellow wildflower"
Though Buttercup is most often reserved for cows (and pets of other kinds), this humble flower name was given to the princess in "The Princess Bride" and to one of The Power Puff Girls . Yet to rank…
Word name
Bubbly and playful, this one is probably best reserved as a nickname, a middle name, or for a pet — though big fans of The Powerpuff Girls could be tempted, Bubbles being one of the three…
A cute, foodie name, derived from an Old French word meaning "twice baked", Biscuit is most often reserved for pets. The similar, plural form Biscuits is also familiar.
Rolo is a playful masculine name with multiple possible origins. It may be a diminutive of names like Roland or Ronald, or derive from the Old Norse name Hrólfr (which evolved into Rollo), meaning…
"a very large nail"
Spike is part mid-century nickname-name, ala Buster or Buck, and part word name, with an all-over cool creative dude feel thanks to directors Spike Lee and Spike Jonze. Mike Myers named his son…
