sweet names for pet rats

Clove

English word name

"clove"

Clove is a spice name that is a tad more piquant than Saffron or Cinnamon. It might get more attention now as a member of The Hunger Games family of names.

Cosette

French literary nickname

"little thing"

Cosette is best known as the heroine of Les Miserables . In the Victor Hugo novel, Cosette was the nickname given to the girl named Euphrasie by her mother. Although Hugo invented the name, some…

Cosima

Italian feminine variation of Cosmo, Greek

"order, beauty, universe"

Cosima, the kind of elegant and unusual name the British upper classes love to use for their daughters, is given to a handful of baby girls in the US after being chosen by two high-profile celebs in…

Cypress

Botanical name

Lovely entry into the tree name genre, joining Juniper, Maple, and Willow. Nearly 200 babies were named Cypress in the US last year, about 40 percent of them female.

Darcie

Variation of Darcy, Irish or French

"dark one; from Arcy; from the fortress"

While the traditional Darcy spelling is solidly gender-neutral, the -ie ending of Darcie gives this name unabashedly feminine flair. Darcie is a Top 100 choice in England and Scotland, and briefly…

Dell

English

"shaded valley"

A sweet and simple nature name that could also be short for the surname name Odell, the vintage name Della, or the obscure saint's name Endellion.

Dorothea

Greek

"gift of God"

Dorothea is a romantic Victorian-sounding name that blends elegance, gravitas and a hint of clunkiness too. Popular in the early decades of the twentieth century, it has been off the charts since…

Elke

Dutch, German, and Frisian diminutive of Adelheid

"noble"

Though she has long stood on her own, Elke has many longer cross-cultural connections, to the Dutch/German/Scandinavian Adelheid and Alice and the English Adelaide, as a feminine version of Elkanah…

Eulalia

Greek

"sweetly speaking"

Eulalia is a melodious name with a southern drawl, thanks to those lilting double L s and similarity to similar Eudora and Eula. Familiar in the US in the early 20th century, it was also a popular…

Fawna

English

"fawn"

Fawna refers to fawn, a young deer or the light brownish color associated with these animals. The name evokes images of woodland grace, gentleness, and natural beauty. With its nature-inspired…

Gabbie

Gabbie is a cheerful feminine name typically used as a diminutive of Gabriella or Gabrielle, names derived from the Hebrew name Gabriel meaning 'God is my strength.' With its friendly '-ie' ending,…

Gilly

Literary name

Gilly is a name that's popped up from time to time in different contexts: As a nickname for Gillian, for instance, and as the name of a town in Switzerland. But it's increasingly associated with…

Gwenna

Cornish, Breton

"white, blessed"

Quirky but tough, Gwenna is a name of both Cornish and Breton origin that might work as a long form for Gwen for those unsure of Gwendolen, but fans of Tessa and Willa.

Harriett

English

"home ruler"

This alternative spelling of Harriet has always ranked in the England top 1000, reaching as high as the top 50 in the late 1800s. The extra T changes nothing about the pronunciation but adds a little…

Ida

German

"industrious one"

Many vowel names stylish a century ago are coming back, and Ida seems like a possible, logical successor to Ada and Ava. A century ago, Ida was considered "sweet as apple cider," and was Number 10 on…

Iridessa

Fictional name

A name invented for a fairy in the Disney Tinker Bell series, played by Raven-Symoné.

Jessy

Jessy is a sweet, familiar name used for girls, though it occasionally appears as a male name as well. Typically considered a diminutive of Jessica (which comes from the Hebrew name Yiskah, meaning…

Jewel

Word name

Just like Flora is for botanicals, Jewel is the generic gemstone name, not used much since the early twentieth century, when it was seen as a symbol of how precious a daughter could be. The French…