Dog Names That Start With C

Caedmon is considered the first English poet -- a nice literary tie-in to the streamlined version.

A rising surname name for girls — it's overwhelmingly feminine, despite the association with Kenny Chesney.

Cristina is one case where the streamlined version feels more alluring.

More distinctive than Ella, if you're inspired by Cinderella.

Curran is a common surname in Ireland, but unusual even there as a first. With its savory feel, calling to mind curry and currants, Curran can make for an attractive update on Colin or Connor.

A surname name, most popularly associated with actor Heston, has a blue-blooded ring to it. Charlton is also a more unusual pathway to evergreen nickname Charlie.

Stronger and more contemporary twist on Carla or Carly, Carlin was used just about equally for girls and boys in the US last year.

Carlota is the preferred version of Charlotte in Spain and Portugal, each where it ranks among the Top 50 most popular girl names. Carlotta, with two Ts, is the Italian spelling.

A Gallic twist on a word or nature name, which has a nice lemony feel. 

Attractive form still très Parisienne.

Spicy.

Don't let the long-nose connotations put you off. Cyrano feels so current with names like Theo, Leo, Cypriano and Cyrus finding fans again and even the fictional character has so many redeeming features (poet, musicians, self-made man).

The popular -leigh suffix is clearly an attempt to feminize this traditionally boyish nickname -- and it works. There were about 550 baby girls named Charleigh in the US last year -- and zero baby boys.

Connolly, an alternate spelling of Connelly, could make a livelier and less common substitute for Connor.

Chartreuse is the name of a French liqueur, named after the Grande Chartreuse monastery of the Carthusian Monks that produce it. The monastery was built in the Chartreuse mountains of southeastern France. Chartreuse is also familiar as a color name, a yellow-green hue that matches the color of the highest-quality liqueur.

Intriguing, when seen as a water name a la River and Ocean, but too close to cultural appropriate if used as a reference to the Creek tribe of Native Americans. Another downside is its resemblance to creak, as in creaky bones or floorboards, and to unappealing words like creep and creak.

Clove is one of a whole tantalizing genre of spice names that might work for a boy. Clovis could be considered a long form.

Several animal names, from Fox to Wolf and even to Tiger, ccan work, but Cougar should stay in its cage. Even John Mellencamp has dropped it.

A snug word name that may appeal to hygge-minded parents. It reappeared on the US charts in both 2020 and 2022 after a gap of 55 years. It can be short for Cosima or Cosette/Cozette.