A N I M A L N A M E S

Roux

French from Latin

"russet"

Roux is the name of the dashing Johnny Depp character in Chocolat . Roux is French from a Latin word meaning russet or brownish red; it's also a cooking term for a mixture of flour and butter that…

Gus

Diminutive of Augustus, Angus, Gustave, Augustin, Augusten, Augustine, August

Gus is a homey grandpa nickname name that can work as a short form for any of the above or stand on its own as a cutting-edge replacement for Max and Jake--though it was off the Top 1000 from 1978…

Brando

Italian variation of Brand

"firebrand, sword"

Screen legend Marlon's surname has loads more swagger than his first. A little Brando might have to endure references to his famous namesake, though his peers may just assume its linked to popular…

Mckinley

Scottish

"son of the fair hero"

New Presidential name, if you're ready to move beyond Lincoln and Jefferson. At the turn of the last century, during the original McKinley's heyday, as a first name it almost reached the Top 100.

Denali

Place-name and Native American

"the great one"

Alaska's Denali National Park is the home of the highest mountain in the US, officially renamed Denali in 2014, endowing the name with a lofty feel. There were 20 boys and 55 girls given the name in…

Arne

Dutch and Scandinavian variation of Arnold

"ruler; strong as an eagle"

Works better as a full name than Arnie does as a nickname.

Bas

Dutch, diminutive of Bastiaan and Sebastian

"person from the city of Sebastia"

Bas is a fashionable name in its own right in the Netherlands, where it's been in the Top 10. Used throughout Europe, it may have a future here as a straightforward-but-charming nickname name. Baz is…

Bruin

English or Dutch

"bear or brown"

Bruin is the Old English term for bear, taken from the Dutch word meaning brown. Bruin might be a sports fan's choice or an animal name in hiding. As a kind of hybrid of Roone and Bruno, it's…