Pet Names · Dog Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 5 pages
of 5
Eighth letter of Greek Alphabet
Theta is the name of the eighth letter of the ancient Greek alphabet, which is also the symbol of death. As such, it has rarely been used as a baby name.
Spanish
"good fortune, good luck"
Upbeat choice.
Australian Aboriginal
"rainbow"
One of the few rainbow names that is masculine, Walken is a Noongar Aboriginal word.
"blessed one"
There are several fine Ben-beginning boy's names, such as BENJAMIN and BENEDICT, but girls names like this and BENJAMINA don't fare as well.
Lithuanian
A colorful name with lively sound to match, Vaiva is derived from the Lithuanian word for "rainbow" ( vaivorykštė ). Popularized by the writer Vincas Krėvė-Mickevičius in 1922, it has mythological…
English
"dweller at the rabbit lake"
A strong, distinctive surname with a quaint meaning and rugged air, Arledge is associated with American sports broadcaster, Roone Arledge. It may hold contemporary appeal thanks to its similarities…
Sanskrit
"god of the multitude"
The name of the elephant-headed Hindu god of wisdom is rarely heard outside India.
Welsh
The Welsh name Enfys is a unisex name, although it is more commonly used for girls. With the beautiful meaning "rainbow", it is a rare choice in the UK, given to just a handful of babies each year,…
Spanish variation of Latin
"luck, fate, wealth"
Brimming over with a sense of good fortune. Could make a little girl feel very lucky.
"fisherman"
Unusual alternative to Fisher with a brisker surname appeal.
French
"chance, luck"
Chance has risen far on the baby-naming charts, but Hazard has a considerably more dangerous edge. It was the middle name of famed US naval commander Oliver Hazard Perry.
Italian
"lucky"
Felix is rising in the chart for boys, and its feminine variations are sure to follow. The best knows these days, thanks to the TV character, is Felicity, but there's also Felicia and Felice. Like…
Yoruba, "lucky, good fortune, blessed"
"lucky, good fortune, blessed"
A beautiful Yoruban name associated with honor and good fortune. Both fy-o-la and fay-OH-luh are used as pronunciations. Instagrammer Fayola Leo and musician Sri Fayola are notable bearers.
Latin
"fortunate one"
Because the legendary Faust sold his soul to the devil, few parents would choose this for a child, although Fausto is commonly heard in Italy and Spain.
Hebrew
This feminine name, pleasingly reminiscent of Kismet, has a similarly lovely meaning: Rainbow.
Japanese
"fortunate"
Kiaria is pretty but sure to prove confusing given all the more familiar Kiara and Keira variations out there.
Short form of Lafayette, French, English word name
"faith; predestined, destiny, chance"
Briefly in the US Top 1000 in the late 19th century, Fate likely emerged as a short form for the old French name, Lafayette. In the contemporary landscape however, it may well be perceived as a word…
"fair, white, blessed"
Welsh heritage choice that's rare today even in its native land.
"fortunate, benefactor's son"
Also spelled Madog, which was the name of an early Welshman, Madog ap Owain Gwynedd, reputed to have been the first European to discover North America in 1155. Maddox, the name of Angelina Jolie and…
French and German
"boundary with clover"
This surname-name oozes Southern charm; nevertheless, its most famous bearer was a New Englander, Rhode Island senator Claiborne de Borda Pell, who sponsored education legislation leading to the much…
