Names from the Arts and Pop Culture
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 6 pages
of 6
Teutonic
"wand-wolf"
Gandolf and variant Gandulf are legitimate names used in medieval Europe, including by several bishops and dukes. From it comes the name of Castel Gandolfo, the pope's summer residence. However, to…
Latin
"noble wolf"
This softer version of Adolf is sadly still off-limits due to the connotations with Hitler.
Bulgarian
"wolf"
Ivaylo was first borne by Ivaylo of Bulgaria, a 13th-century Bulgarian tsar, and it is still commonly used in its native country. It comes with the fashionable -o ending, a cool animal meaning, and a…
The feminine form of Ivaylo, a historic Bulgarian name with a cool animal meaning. With the popularity of other Evie names like Eva, Evelyn and Evangeline, Ivayla could be an attractive and on-trend…
English surname
"flat-topped hill"
Embry became viable as a first name when it was used for the (male) werewolf character Embry Call in the Twilight series. But its Em- beginning and -y ending give it a feminine sound, so we call it…
French
"of the little farm"
The name of the great French novelist, author of the timeless The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers , would make a surprising middle name choice.
Gaelic
"male descendant of a wolf"
Kennelly could be an upbeat modern namesake for a Grandpa Kenneth; it can also be spelled Kenneally.
Irish
"strong as a wolf"
If there are too many Connors in your neighborhood, this name is equally authentic and much more unusual. Spelled Conal or Conall, it's a prominent name in Irish history, borne by a number of kings…
Native American, Inuit
An interesting possibility if you're looking for a highly unusual animal name.
