Animal Names for Babies

If you like Bambi but want something just a shade less cutesy, Fawnie might be the one for you. A nickname-y elaboration of Fawn, it means "young deer", and while it is still very sweet, its sounds are similar enough to Fern, Bonnie, Marnie, and Franny that it feels more solid than its Disney counterpart.
 
Chosen by influencer Nara Smith for her daughter in 2025, Fawnie feels almost tame besides her siblings, Rumble Honey, Slim Easy, and Whimsy Lou. And while Fawnie may never have ranked in the US charts, source name Fawn made the Top 1000 back in the 1970s.

Fawnie

Typically used as a surname, Louarn is notably associated with activist Alan Louarn and his descendants: his daughter Lena, a politician, his son Malo, a comic book artist, his son Tangi, an activist, and his granddaughter Gwennyn, a singer. 
 
Gentle in sound but rugged at the same time, it rather fittingly means "fox".

Louarn

The name of a river in West Asia, Tigris may have its origins in Ancient Greek, in which case it means "running water" or "swift water". Alternatively, it's a saintly choice, possibly borne by a sister of St. Patrick, and derived from Celtic and Gallic to mean "lady". 
 
Tigris was used by Suzanne Collins in her popular Hunger Games series, a cousin to President Snow and a stylist who has had her face surgically altered to look feline. In this instance, and from its Latin origins, the name would mean "tiger" or "tigress".

Tigris

That double a invests the old Arthur nickname with fresh life. 

Aart

A blend of gentleness, sharpness, and trendiness, Dovian is a modern invention, inspired by the word name Dove or by the Hebrew name Dov, meaning "bear". Blended with the popular -ian suffix, the name evokes peace and calm or strength and power. You could say it as DUV-ee-uhn or DOHV-ee-uhn, depending on which associations you want.

Dovian

Candice Swanpoel and Hermann Nicoli gave this uncommon Portuguese name to their son in 2016. It's the Portuguese word for the red-fan parrot, putting it in the fashionable bird name category.

Anaca

Also appearing as Percília, this distinctive choice appeared in the Brazilian charts in the 1930s and 1940s. While it may look like a relative of Percival or Priscilla, it does ultimately come from an Ancient Greek word meaning "perch" or "dark-spotted". Used as the name of a genus of ray-finned fish that are native to Chile, it could feel a bit too fishy for some, but for others, it could be a name with a cool nature connection and a rarer alternative to Cecilia, Philippa, and Perla. 

Percilia

A rare name, most notably borne by Opha May Johnson, who became the first woman to officially join the United States Marine Corps in 1918, Opha may appeal to those who like the sounds of Aoife, Opal, and Sophia. The exact origins of the name are unknown, but it may well have emerged as a short form of stylish, Shakespearean Ophelia meaning "help, assistance" or as a variation of the Biblical Ophrah (from the Hebrew ofer) meaning "fawn".
 
The name has also been used as an enemy species in the video game Borderlands, which leads to another possible source:the ophanim, a type of celestial being whose name means "wheels, spheres, whirlwinds" and appear in one of Ezekiel's visions in the Bible.They are sometimes considered alongside Cherubim and Seraphim, beings who guard the throne of God.
 
In addition to this, it's the acronym of various health associations across the globe.

Opha

Cygnus is a northern constellation of the Milky Way, derived from the Latin word for "swan".

Cygnus

The white winged stallion in Greek mythology who sprang from the blood of Medusa when she was beheaded by Perseus. Pegasus was ridden by the hero Bellerophon in his fight against the Chimera. The name may derive from the Greek for "from a water spring"; according to legend, a spring burst forth wherever Pegasus struck the earth with a hoof. So as well as being an animal name and a mythological name, you might consider this one of the <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/10/water-baby-names">names meaning water</a>.

Pegasus

Also spelled as Swithun, this rare choice was notably borne by a 9th-century bishop who became the patron saint of Winchester (England) and of the weather. Said to be the one to pray for during a drought, St. Swithin is perhaps best known for his feast day (July 15th), which is used as a weather predictor.
 
According to an old English proverb which states whatever the weather on St. Swithin's Day, will hold for the next 40 days: a rainy July 15th means a rainy August; a sunny one means sunshine over the next month. It may sound fanciful, but there is scientific backing: the feast day tends to coincide with the jet stream above the UK settling into a pattern that typically continues until the August, in turn leading to steadier weather). 
 Blending the Old English elements, swiþ and hun, Swithun is an animal and nature related choice, meaning "strong bear cub". Neither the Swithin or Swithun spelling have appeared in the US stats, though Swithin was given to three boys in England and Wales in 2008.
 
Thomas Hardy used the name for one of the central characters of his 1882 novel, Two on a Tower , in which it's borne by astronomer Swithin St. Cleeve.

Swithin

Variously spelled as Swithun or Swithin, this distinctive sounding name is belonged to St. Swithun, an Anglo-Saxon bishop known as the patron saint of Winchester and of the weather — making him the saint to pray to during a drought. More popularly however, the name may evoke the Old English proverb, which predicts that whatever the weather is on St. Swithin's feast day (July 15), will continue for the next 40 days. 
 
(A bit of trivia: there is actually scientific evidence behind this! The feast day tends to coincide with the jet stream above the UK settling into a pattern that typically continues until the August, which might explain why the weather remains similar from that point.)
 
Blending the Old English elements, swiþ and hun, Swithun is an animal and nature related choice, meaning "strong bear cub". Neither Swithin or Swithun have appeared in the US stats, though Swithin was used in the UK (very occasionally) in the 2000s.

Swithun

The name of a maiden of King Arthur's court in some accounts. It is a contraction of Welsh "ty" (thy) + Eleri.

The Teleri were also a race of High Elves in Tolkien's work.

Teleri

The name of a small songbird, similar to a Lark – but far less commonly used as a name. Could give you the adorable nickname Pip.

Pipit

Idzi is an intriguing name used mostly in Poland, a relative of Giles via its original Latin form Aegidius. If you're looking for a very unusual animal or vowel-heavy name, this might make an excellent choice.

Idzi

If Abigail's too popular and Tabitha is too...."Bewitched."

Abitha

The addax is a white antelope that resides in the Sahara Desert. 

A cool and usable addition to the pool of <a href="https://nameberry.com/list/415/baby-names-with-animal-meanings">animal baby names</a>.

Addax

Derived from the Welsh word for bird, this name might just be ready to have her moment: a nature-connected meaning, a fantastical air, a way to nickname Addie, and a similar style to Elowen, Arwen, Adair, and Eowyn. Given to just 5 babies in England and Wales in a recent year, it makes a rare choice.

Aderyn

Often found as a brand name in the hi-tech and industrial worlds. 

Aegis

In its native Nigeria, Agu is a surname that signifies strength and being a force of nature. Agu as a first name has some pedigree, however: most notably via Agu Casmir, a famous Nigerian-Singaporean soccer player.

Animal names for babies include the obvious, such as Robin or Fox, and names with secret animal meanings, such as Paloma (which means dove) or Arthur (bear).

Animal names have become wildly fashionable for babies

, especially in their blatant form. Bear, Fox, Hawk, and Wolf are all bounding up the charts for boys, while 

 Wren, Birdie, and Lark are reaching new heights for girls.

Animal names are a subset of the ever-widening world of 

. While many traditional names carry animal meanings -- the Old Testament Rachel means ewe, for instance, while the royal Philip means horse lover -- the newest and arguably 

 are unique choices such as Wolf, Birdie, and Bear.

 contains both those that announce themselves clearly and those whose animal meanings are more hidden. This range of animal baby names would be perfect for your wild child.

Animal Names for Babies - boy names and girl names with animal meanings, including Wolf, Bear, and Wren (Page 15)