names 4 cat

Breton cognate of Angela, from Breton ael "angel".

Asher—an excellent, soft and sensitive Old Testament choice—is a baby boy name on the rise, and is a Nameberry biblical favorite.

Astrid has been a Scandinavian royal name since the tenth century, and many people associated it with the Swedish author of the Pippi Longstocking stories, Astrid Lindgren. Astrid is derived from the name Ástríðr, which is made up of the Old Norse elements that mean "god" and "beautiful."

Azura is a feminine name with multiple cultural origins. It derives from the Persian word "lazward" meaning blue or azure, and is connected to the blue gemstone lapis lazuli. In Hebrew tradition, Azura appears in some texts as the name of Adam's wife before Eve. The name evokes images of clear blue skies and the brilliant blue color of the azure stone. With its exotic sound and meaningful connection to nature, Azura has gained modest popularity in recent decades as parents seek names with both beauty and substance. The name carries a mystical quality while remaining accessible and pronounceable, making it an increasingly attractive choice for parents seeking something uncommon yet melodic.

Bonsai is the Japanese art of growing and training miniature trees or plants in a container. Bonsai is derived from the similar Chinese botanical art called penjing.

Bram has an unusual measure of character and charm for a one-syllable name; it started as a hipper-than-Abe diminutive of the biblical Abraham, but is also an independent Irish and Dutch name, made famous by Irish-born Dracula creator Bram (nee Abraham) Stoker. Bram is currently Number 16 in the Netherlands; Bram Howard was a character on The West Wing.

The name of a fire demon in the Japanese animated film Howl's Moving Castle is given to a dozen or two babies in recent years.

Calliope is the name of the muse of epic poetry -- and also the musical instrument on the merry-go-round. Bold and creative, it debuted in the US Top 1000 in 2016, and entered the Top 500 in 2023. Similar in rhythm and sound to Penelope with usable nicknames Callie, Clio, and Lola, it is no wonder it's on the rise.

This hyper-rhythmic name has two evocative references. In Greek mythology, she was an island nymph, a daughter of Atlas, who delayed Odysseus from returning home. It is also a genre of West Indian music, originating in Trinidad and Tobago and largely popularized in the States by Harry Belafonte.

This ancient name, also spelled Caspar, is finally shedding its ghostly image and moving into the 21st century. Popular in the Netherlands and Scandinavia, where it's sometimes shortened to Cas, Casper could ride the style coattails of cousin Jasper.

Cersei Lannister is one of the most villainous -- and, in a certain light, glamorous -- characters in HBO's Game of Thrones, played by beautiful actress Lena Headey.Though we can't say for sure how author George R.R. Martin came up with the character's name, it is a near-homophone with Circe, a seductive witch in Greek mythology.

Clark seemed to have been Gone with the Wind, but parents looking for a short, strong boy's name are now beginning to appreciate its cool combination of Gable charm with Superman power.

Cleo, one of the few girls' names to boast the cool-yet-lively o ending, is of course short for Cleopatra, the name of one of the most powerful women in history.

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 etymologists believe it's a spin on Colette, originally a female short form of Nicolas.

A bold, unisex virtue name that first made the charts for boys in 1990 and girls in 2008. Millennials may associate it with the Cartoon Network show Courage the Cowardly Dog, about a timid, good-natured dog by the name.

Before there was the campy TV Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, Elvira was the long-suffering wife of Don Juan, and remnants of those negative, gothic images still cling to it, though they are fading.

Other references include the romantic film Elvira Madigan, based on a real person, and the main ghostly character in Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit, as well as appearances in several operas.