Baby Name Meanings · Nature, Place and Word Names
Animal Names for Babies
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Arlen
English surname
"hare land"
Arlen might be thought of as an update on the midcentury Arlene or as a unisex surname-name. Arlen was given to 22 girls in the US last year vs 57 boys and those numbers may grow with the fashion for…
Arley
English
"from the rabbit meadow; eagle's woodland; noble"
Similar in sound to Harley, Marley, and Arlo, this surname-style name is familiar in Brazil and a Top 1000 choice in England and Wales. Pronounced as AHR-lee in English and ahr-LAY in Latin America,…
Arne
Dutch and Scandinavian variation of Arnold
"ruler; strong as an eagle"
Works better as a full name than Arnie does as a nickname.
Arnelle
English
"eagle power"
Feminine spin on Arnold that received a brief flurry of use in the early 1990s.
Arnold
English from German
"ruler, strong as an eagle"
Strange as it may now seem, the venerable St. Arnold was a Greek by birth, a musician who became a member of the court of Charlemagne. The name is said to have been introduced into Britain by the…
Art
Diminutive of Arthur
"noble one; bear man"
Though short and brisk, no nickname name could have a more creative image. Comic actor Chris O'Dowd named his son Art, as in his native Ireland it's used as a name on its own, separate from Arthur.,…
Artis
Celtic
"bear"
Unusual multicultural choice that may appeal to the artistically inclined. The bear meaning gives it a new trendy edge as an animal name.
Artis
Celtic
"bear"
Some sources say Artis is a form of Arthur, and it certainly has the same root and meaning of bear. But Artis is a name in its own right with a 60-year history on the US Top 1000, from about 1900…
Astor
Provencal; Icelandic
"hawk; thunder god"
Similar to the floral name Aster, this spelling derives separately from Old Provençal astur "hawk") and from the Icelandic name elements as ("god") and þor ("thunder"). As a surname, it has several…
Auberon
English, French, German
"elf ruler, bright elf; noble bear"
Rarely heard in the US, Auberon has a gentle autumnal feel rare in a male name. A Shakespeare-adjacent choice, Auberon started out as as a pet form of Auberi, the French form of German Alberich.…
Auster
German surname
"oyster"
Fans of writer Paul Auster might consider this a worthy alternative to the trendy Austin.
Avelot
Old English
"bird"
This name stems from the Latin term Avis, meaning bird. Related names include Avice, Aveza and Aveline.
Averil
English
"boar battle"
One of the rare English surname names originally derived from a female given name: Eoforhild (Everild), meaning "boar battle". Also spelled Averill, it's an extremely rare choice today, but shares…
Avis
Latin
"bird"
Avis is a bird name that's been in hibernation for awhile, possibly due to the car rental association, but it could make a return on the wings of Ava. Baldwin brother Daniel chose it for his…
Ayal
Hebrew
"stag, gazelle"
Ayal is a boys' name used in modern Israel but virtually unknown in the US. Even more popular in Israel is the female form, Ayala.
Ayala
Hebrew
"doe, gazelle"
This animal-themed name is among the most popular for girls in contemporary Israel. Parents who want to move beyond the mega-popular Aliyah and sisters might want to consider Ayala. The male form is…
Ayelet
Hebrew
"deer, gazelle"
Ayelet is an unusual -- and somewhat challenging -- Israeli name familiar thanks to sometimes controversial Jerusalem-born novelist-essayist Ayelet Waldman. Well used in Israel, the name was taken…
Baggio
Italian
"toad"
Not the most obvious animal for a nature name, but perhaps for fans of Mr Toad of Toad Hall in The Wind in the Willows .Some may find the pronunciation too close to "baggage" for comfort.
Baran
Turkish and Persian, Russian
"rain; ram"
Baran is barely known in the US -- unless it's mistaken for royal moniker and Trump son name Baron -- but it might make a perfect choice for a boy born under the sign of Aries.
Bardolf
English
"axe-wolf"
Shakespeare's classic drunken fool. In fact, this name, carried to Britain by the Normans, was quite popular until it was brought into disrepute by the low-life character who haunts taverns with…