Animal Names for Babies

Pacific island member of the currently-in-favor Lila/Leila family and one of the most attractive and unique <a href="https://nameberry.com/search/girls-names/p">girls' names starting with P</a>.

Palila

The feminine form, Paloma, is more popular, but this has potential. 

Palomo

Doubtful if a child would appreciate being given such a horsy name. 

Palomina

Panda, welcome to the baby name menagerie! Panda is an adorable animal name (after an adorable animal) that is sure to be both very rare and very cute. In Skins there was a character called Panda, which was short for Pandora. The name Panda comes from the Nepali word ponya meaning "bamboo eater".

Panda

With Bear and Fox becoming hot baby names, why not Panda? Why not indeed. Both the name and its animal namesake are adorable. And Pan is a nickname right in line with the mythological name trend. The word panda comes from the Nepali word ponya, meaning "bamboo eater" for the panda's favorite food.

Panya is a multicultural possibility with a sound that's pleasing to the English-speaking ear, though the Swahili translation, which might also be "rat," makes it less than savory as an African name.

Panya

The name Parastoo currently seems unusual to the Western ear, with that "too" ending rare in traditional English names. It is sometimes spelled Parastu. Pari or Parisa would make easier imports.  

Parastoo

Though unrelated, this would probably be taken as a fanciful spelling of Patsy. 

Patzi

If there are too many Savannahs in your neighborhood, you might consider this. Pavana is a Hindu goddess of the wind.

Pavana

This is one of the few butterfly names that is distinctly masculine, found as a surname in Finland.

Perhonen

Too tightly tied to the acronym for the activist group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. 

Peta

Most commonly seen as a surname in Finland, where it means "deer." Maybe for a Christmas baby.

Peura

A name with a less conventional animal meaning, rescued by the reputation of the Greek courtesan Phryne (more beautiful than Aphrodite, one of the wealthiest women in classical Athens) and the charming character Phryne Fisher from Australian author Kerry Greenwood's detective series Phryne Fisher's Mysteries, set in the 1930s. 

In the series Phryne is a wealthy Melbourne woman, but goes beyond her class and gender stereotypes - she can fly a plane, drives her own car and sometimes wears trousers. However, while displaying bohemian panache, she manages also to maintain style and class. 

With the Greek pronunciation of the name (FREE-nee), Phryne could be an alluring, unique alternative to Phoebe, although most English speakers would default to the FRY-nee pronunciation.

Phryne

Possible musical tribute name to the waiflike, husky-voiced midcentury French singer who was given this last name because of her birdlike quality. 

Piaf

A cute, chirpy Slovene name with a meaning to match. The Slovene translation of Pippi Longstocking renames her Pika Nogavička.
 
Pika is also an animal name, belonging to a rabbit-like mammal.

Pika

Ptarmigan is the common English name for the genus Lagopus, in the grouse family of birds. The name is derived from the Scottish word for the bird, tàrmachan (meaning unknown), with the initial P- added by erroneous association with the Greek pteron ("wing"). 
Ptarmigan has been spotted on a baby girl in the Telegraph Birth Announcements, but there’s no reason this intriguing nature name couldn’t work for a boy, too. In fact, it sounds a bit Muskateer to many an ear, making it fabulous for the adventurous parent of a son.

Ptarmigan

Japanese feminist Raicho Hiratsuka chose the name Raicho for herself - no doubt because of its fabulously meaning. As a journalist and publisher, Raicho fought for the rights of working class women in Japan’s textile industry and eschewed conventional domesticity, openly living with a lover and having her children out of wedlock. Thunderbirds are GO indeed!


Raicho

If you feel a burning need to gussy up Ray -- think again. 

Rayburn

Re'em

Rooster

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 23)