Pet Names · Dog Names
By Sophie Kihm · Updated September 2026
Across 6 pages
of 6
Spanish
"little one"
As a term of endearment, maybe, but not as a proper name, where it would practically demand the refrain "Banana."
Italian and Spanish diminutive of Nina
"little girl"
Might be carrying things too far -- little little girl? -- though could freshen up this favorite.
Luo; Japanese
"bending or leaning; little beach"
The surname of the 44th US President has been been adopted as a first, for girls as well as boys, by admiring parents around the world. And the O beginning even makes it fashionable. Though Barack…
Japanese
"small field"
Perfect for a child of Japanese Irish heritage.
Pal is a masculine name with multiple cultural origins. In Hungarian, it's equivalent to Paul, derived from Latin 'Paulus' meaning 'small' or 'humble.' In South Asian cultures, particularly India,…
Italian
"little honey"
This operatic Italian name -- it appears in Mozart's "The Magic Flute" -- is a more unusual route to the nickname Pam/Pammy.
African, Swahili; or, Russian, diminutive of Stephania
"mouse, tiny one; or, crowned one"
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.
"boy"
Friendly but flimsy.
Dutch surname
"orchard"
What it really means: you're a "Casablanca" fan.
Word name
Peanut Kai is the crazy celebrity baby name of the son of General Hospital star Ingo Rademacher and his fiance Ehiku. Cute but not recommended.
English
"little Peter"
Perkin sounds a bit Hobbit-ish as a full name, but it might make a good honor name or nickname for a boy called Peter.
Cornish
"little dark one"
Also spelled as Piran, this Cornish saint's name is thought to have derived from the Irish Ciaran. Borne by a 5th-century monk who founded a monastery, it also appears as a place name in Cornwall, as…
English, diminutive of Philip
"lover of horses"
The original Pip was the main character in Great Expectations (full name Philip Pirrip). Cute for a tike, maybe too cute for an adult.
Norse variation of Philippa
Pippi may be cute but isn't very practical. In addition to being forever Pippi Longstocking, there is that variant pee-pee spelling to consider. Try Pippa instead.
French
"brave little one"
Common surname rarely used as a first.
Latin
"small plum"
Most ella names are hot, but this is one that won't catch fire because of the disagreeable connotations of prunes.
Diminutive of Elizabeth
"pledged to God"
Bizzy has a 1930s wisecracking waitress -- think Mitzi, Flossie, Fanny -- feel to it, yet at the same time feels like a fresh, modern nickname for Elizabeth. Given that any Bizzy better be, this name…
Diminutive of Elizabeth, Hebrew
The archetypal diminutive, in every sense of the word. Bitsy enjoyed some use as a nickname in the era when children were named after family members and then called by a cute pet name: Chip, Skip,…
French surname
"little redhead"
Rousseau gives French flair to other red-haired names like Russell and Rory. It is associated with the influential eighteenth century philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, as well as the painter Henri…
