Doggie Names

William

German

"resolute protection"

William is one of the most enduring of classic names for boys. It's also among the most popular boys' names, as American parents see it as being ideally conservative yet contemporary, and hands-down…

Milo

Latin and Old German

"soldier or merciful"

Milo is most commonly considered to be Germanic name derived from the Latin word miles , meaning "soldier." However, there is evidence to suggest it also may have independently spawned from the…

Archie

Diminutive of Archibald, Teutonic

"truly brave"

Archie made global news as the surprise first name of the newborn royal baby, son of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex (aka Harry and Meghan) back in 2019. Already a popular choice in England, Wales,…

Bruce

Scottish, English, French

"from the brushwood thicket"

Bruce is a Norman place name made famous by the Scottish king Robert the Bruce, who won Scotland's independence from England in the fourteenth century. Hugely popular in the 40s and 50s, it has since…

Leonard

German

"brave lion"

Leonard is the name of several saints, including one who is the patron saint of childhood, and another medieval saint who's the patron of prisoners--known for freeing prisoners he deemed worthy of…

Rodney

English

"island near the clearing"

Rodney peaked at Number 33 in 1965 and has been on a steady decline ever since. As its popularity history indicates, this name is more fitting for someone born in the mid-twentieth century instead of…

Gerald

English and Irish from German

"ruler with the spear"

Both a saint's name and a presidential one via Gerald Ford—who was born Leslie—Gerald is a quintessential 1930s-40s name, when it ranked as high as Number 19. Hence all those nice middle-aged and…

Jordy

Diminutive of Jordan

A cutesy short form of Jordan that's never been overly popular. Pro Bowl wide receiver Jordy Nelson is one famous bearer.

Ripley

English

"strip of clearing in the woods"

The "Believe It or Not" jokes will get old fast, but this surname feels fun and on-trend for both girls and boys, reminiscent of Riley, Tripp, Bridger, and Oakley. Deriving from the Old English…

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…

Ziggy

German, diminutive of Siegfried and Sigmund

"victorious peace; victorious protection; victory"

Perhaps the ultimate nicknamey name, Ziggy manages to sound cool, cutesy, spiky, and energetic all at once. It brings to mind the glam-rock of Bowie's Ziggy Stardust and the cool vibes of reggae…

Buck

English

"male deer or rabbit"

Comedian Roseanne Barr chose this macho nature name for her son. In the 18th century it was used to describe a dashing, fashionable dressed man. Buck fits in well alongside names like Beck, Jack and…

Lyndon

English

"linden tree hill"

An English surname-turned-first-name whose most famous bearer is former US president Lyndon B. Johnson. His appointment in 1963 caused a huge spike in use for his unusual name the following year,…

Carlisle

English

"from the walled city"

This stuffy English surname and hotel name took on Twilight cool when attached to vampire Carlisle Cullen. Inspired by the character, it's more popular in this spelling than as Carlyle and more…

Mick

English, diminutive of Michael

Most often associated with Rolling Stone Jagger, Mick is also used as a generic, and derogatory, term for an Irishman.

Iggy

Latin, diminutive of Ignatius

"fiery"

Iggy is the quintessential pop star name, though it's the nickname Cate Blanchett uses for son Ignatius. Iggy does bring any grander-sounding name down to earth.

Fitzroy

English

"son of the king"

An English surname originally given to the illegitimate sons of a monarch. It might be a nice middle name choice to honor an ancestral Roy, though as a first, it does have a cool meaning.

Skipper

English

"captain"

Sure, and we hope he has a good time playing with Buster and Buddy.

Barnaby

English variation of Barnabas, Aramaic

"son of consolation"

Barnaby, a genial and energetic name with an Irish-sounding three-syllable lilt, is an ancient appellation that manages to be both unusual and highly attractive and deserves to be used more than it…

Fitzwilliam

English

"son of William"

The Christian name of the dashing Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice — it was his mother's maiden name— is just one of several Fitz names, including Fitzroy, Fitzgerald, Fitzpatrick, that…