Animal Names for Babies

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 Ayal.

Ayala

Amaru

Hart could be the hero of a romantic novel, but on the other hand, it's short, straightforward, and strong sounding. The most famous bearer of the name was tragic poet Hart (born Harold) Crane, but it also has musical cred via Lorenz Hart, of the classic Rodgers & Hart songwriting duo and a literary tie to playwright Moss Hart.
 Hart would make an interesting middle name choice--with heart.

Hart

An animal related name, associated with strength, Fahad is derived from the Arabic fahd which can refer to a variety of big cats. It may indicate someone who owns or trains panthers, leopards, or cheetahs, or the animals themselves. A fast rising choice in the UK in 2023, actor and producer Fahad Mustafa is a notable bearer.

Fahad

Edna is one of those names that, until what it seemed like a few minutes ago, felt so terminally frumpy that no one could imagine a parent choosing it for an innocent modern baby girl. But with the great upswing in names honoring ancestral family members, several of them being other four-letter, e-ending names, we wouldn't be so sure.
 Edna, which means delight, is a semi-biblical name--in the Apocrypha she is seen as a loving mother-- and was enormously popular in this country in the late nineteenth century, reaching as high as Number 11. It also relates to Eden--another, more contemporary sounding, option.
 Three literary bearers of the name are Edna St. Vincent Millay, Edna Ferber and Edna O'Brien, and to some the name might be identified with the campy character, Dame Edna Everage.

Edna

Once a common boy name in Ireland, the dynamic Darby now has a definite unisex feel. A bit like a mash up between Darcy and Ruby, it appeared in the US Top 1000 in the 90s, peaking in 1995 when it reached #499. It's likely this sudden interest in Darby was owing to the 90s book and film, The Pelican Brief, starring Julia Roberts as a law student called Darby.
 
A name with two separate origins, Darby may be considered English surname, meaning "from the deer estate", ultimately derived from Old Norse elements djúr "animal, deer" and býr" settlement". It would have been traditionally used as a last name for those from the English town of Derby. 
 
Alternatively, the name has Irish roots, and was used as a diminutive for the surname Ó Diarmada, meaning "descendent of Diarmaid", or, if you borrow Diamaid's meaning, "free from envy".
 
Actor Paul Rudd has a daughter named Darby and it has also featured in a Winnie-the-Pooh spin-off called My Friends Tigger & Pooh and in the TV series Love Life in which Anna Kendrick played a Darby. 
 
While Darby feels like it could fit in with modern trends, it has actually been on the decline in the US, with just 50 girls and 10 boys called Darby in a recent year. At its 90s peak, nearly 500 girls were given the name.

Darby

Israeli-born singer Keren Ann introduced this traditional Hebrew name to the US, where it could well be mistaken for Karen. Nevertheless, 100 girls were given the name in a recent year. 

Keren

Ravyn is a modern feminine variant of Raven, derived from the bird name. This alternative spelling with 'y' instead of 'e' adds a distinctive touch while maintaining the original's mystical qualities. 

Ravens have symbolized wisdom, mystery, and prophecy across many cultures, giving the name a somewhat Gothic and elegant appeal. While never reaching mainstream popularity, Ravyn began gaining modest usage in the United States during the 1990s as part of the trend toward nature-inspired names with creative spellings. 

In this case as in many others, the y spelling tilts the name girlwards, with about ten percent of the female babies given the Ravyn spelling, as opposed to none of the boys.

The name conveys strength, intelligence, and a slightly unconventional spirit. Though less common than Raven, it provides a unique option for parents seeking a name with natural symbolism and a touch of mystery.

Ravyn

Gentle meaning and bona fide Hebrew history, but feels old-mannish, like Herman and Menashe. 

Hershel

Sable is often associated with the Dynsaty soap opera, but it is actually a type of animal historically hunted for its fur. Sable is also used as a word for a warm, rich black color. Both associations carry hints of luxury.

Sable

Othniel is mentioned in the Bible and Tanakh (in the Book of Judges) where he is the first of the biblical judges mentioned. Othniel was related to Caleb, which might make these two names a nice biblically themed sib-set.

Othniel

Oona is a name made famous by Eugene O'Neill's daughter, who became Charlie Chaplin's wife. One of the original Oona's granddaughters was named after her, and is now an actress famous in her own right for playing Talisa of Volantis in HBO's "Game of Thrones." The double-o beginning gives their name a lot of oomph.
 In Irish legend, Una/Oona was a daughter of a king of Lochlainn. The name was very popular in Ireland in the Middle Ages, and is currently seeing a comeback--also spelled Oonagh.

Oona

Philippa is a prime example of a boy's name adapted for girls that was common as crumpets in Cornwall, but rarely heard stateside. That was before the advent of royal sister-in-law Philippa Middleton, who goes by the lively nickname Pippa.
 Philippa has still never appeared in the Top 1000 in the US, quite an accomplishment for a classic name that's been around for centuries. It does, however, rank on England's as well as Nameberry's own internal lists.
 
Pippa doesn't rank in the US either, but is far more popular than Philippa in the rest of the English-speaking world. It ranks in the Top 100 in Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand, and in the Top 200 in England and Scotland.
 
Philippa has been fashionable in England since the fourteenth century when King Edward married Philippa of Hainault. There have been several early Saint Philippas, and it was the name of the wife of Geoffrey Chaucer.
 Novelist Philippa Gregory authored the bestselling historical novel The Other Boelyn Girl.

Philippa

This name has considerable meaning in the Islamic world, as Hamzah the brave was the uncle and protector of the Prophet of Islam.  A more contemporary Hamzah is the eldest son of the late King Hussein and Queen Noor of Jordan. More commonly encountered in English-speaking countries as Hamza.

Hamzah

One of the fierce new animal names new to name lists, helped by its strong x-ending.

Lynx

Leviathan was a name given to 76 boys in the USA in 2021. It makes a rather unusual Biblical choice, being the name not of a man or angel, but of a sea monster. In literature and popular culture, the term Leviathan has since come to be used as a synonym for any gargantuan, monstrous creature or object (think of the bag in VEEP).
 Before this meaning turns parents-to-be off, the term leviathan in modern Hebrew simply means whale, making this a great choice for parents looking for an unusual nature name.

Leviathan

Make that bird name, and while it does work for both genders, it's far more popular for girls, via Raven Symone. 

Raven

The Koi is a variety of carp especially popular in ornamental gardens in Japan, where they are a symbol of good fortune. In Buddhist culture, the koi is associated with courage. Being one letter away from trendy Kai boosts its prospects as a cool unisex name.

Lion is a masculine name taken straight from the name of the animal, associating it with strength, courage, and nobility across many cultures. With Germanic, French, and English language roots, Lion functions both as a standalone name and as a shortened form of names like Lionel. 

Though relatively uncommon as a given name in English-speaking countries, as Fox, Tiger, Wolf, and Raven become more familiar, Lion could work as a twist on Leon and Leo. Given to 31 boys in a recent year, it was additionally chosen as a middle name by YouTubers Savannah Jean and Josh Alexander (Sav&Josh) for their son born in 2026. 
 
Additionally, Lion is occasionally used as a Hebrew name, blending the elements Li and On to give it the meaning "my strength". In this case, it would be considered unisex, and pronounced as lee-ON.

Lion

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 7)