Pet Names · Dog Names
By Pamela Redmond · Updated September 2026
Across 24 pages
of 24
Modern invented name
Jaycee is a modern invented name, likely inspired by the similar sounding Casey and Macy. While these names peaked in the 1990s and 2000s, their energetic and contemporary vibe has kept them relevant…
Irish
"the stately, dauntless one"
The short but solid Irish surname Shea works well for both genders thanks to its soft, succinct sound. The traditional Irish form is Séaghdha, though it could also be used as a short form of Séamus,…
Variation of Casey, Irish
"brave in battle"
Casey-with-a-K never quite reached the heights of the original, but it broke the Top 500 for boys in the late '80s and early '90s.
Latin
"light"
Lux, one of the light-filled names that include Lucy and Lucian, broke onto the scene as a girls' name but now it's decidedly gender neutral. In fact, at the last count there were slightly more boys…
English and Scottish surname
"son of the marsh dwellers"
Very popular surname choice — it's in the Boys' Top 100 — beginning to catch on for girls. First female association: novelist Carson McCullers.
Diminutive of Asher, English
"ash tree"
Ash has Southern charm plus the arboreal-nature appeal. Plus your little boy will prize Ash as the name of the hero of the Pokemon cartoons. Ash can also be a dashing short form of Asher, Ashton, or…
English, Scottish
"from the Wylye River, from the willow clearing; resolute protection"
Wylie is a friendly rodeo name with the unisex vibe of Riley and the cowboy air of Wesley and Wyatt. Also spelled as Wiley, two forms have been out of the US charts since the 1940s and 1970s…
English word name
"always, constantly, eternally"
Similar in sound to Evan and Everett, Ever is an evocative word name that's currently on the rise. Used by Alanis Morissette and Souleye back in 2010, Ever was given to more than 200 boys in 2024,…
Greek
"west wind"
If you're looking for a name that's light and breezy, this could be it. A name from mythology: Zephyrus/Zephyr was the Greek god of the west wind, and with its similarity in sound to the likes of…
English
"island with elder trees; descendant of Hilary; cheerful, happy"
In the past few years Ellery has gone from middle-aged male detective -- from old school fictional hero Ellery Queen -- to a plausible girls' name, a la Hillary. Ellery is one of the golden names…
English surname
"rock hill or army hill"
A glamorous surname name most famously borne by 1930s icon Jean Harlow (born Harlean Carpenter), Harlow is also the name of a town in the English county of Essex. Outside of the UK, Harlow would fit…
Word name
Blessing is among the Top 1000 girls' names in the UK and recently joined the ranks in the US as well. With modern spiritual names like Shiloh, Chosen, and Halo trending upwards, Blessing is likely…
Scottish
"blond, yellow"
Baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn put this name in play as a first name, but David Bowie (born with the considerably less marketable moniker of David Robert Jones) gave it charisma. He changed his…
English and French from Latin tree name
"cedar tree"
Cedar is, like Ash, Oak, Pine and Ebony, one of the new tree/wood names that parents are starting to consider; this one is particularly aromatic with a similar feel to more classic options like…
Mineral and word name
This super-charged variation of Jett is on the rise -- along with the unlikely newcomer Jetson.
"violent civil disorder"
Riot has all the sounds of a trendy name — the first syllable that of trendy choices like Ryder, Ryker, and Rylan, rhyming with Wyatt. But the strong negative connotations of the word, suggesting…
Diminutive of Dionysius, Greek
"child of heaven and earth; of Zeus"
A variation of Greek Dionysius, itself derived from the name of the god of wine, revelry, and dance, Dion gives a nod to mythology while also having historical ties to a student of Plato, to a Greek…
Japanese
"beauty, flow, lapis lazuli"
Rumi is a Japanese girl name, with a sweet yet substantial sound. Reminiscent of other popular choices in the West — think Ruby, Remy, and Romy — it is currently achieving more notice thanks to…
Spelling variation of Cody, English
"helpful, pillow"
The Kodi spelling of Cody, a gender neutral name that was in the Top 25 for boys in the early 90s and also on the Top 1000 for girls, found new life recently via actor Kodi Smit-McPhee and also the…
"new"
Nova might be a much more commonly used a girls' name, but enough parents saw unisex appeal in it for it to debut on the US Top 1000 for boys in 2017. Nova is an astronomical term for a star that…
