Dog Names That Start With P

Power is one of the new crop -- Justice, Liberty, Peace -- of strong, clear-cut, declarative choices, though this one carries more assertiveness than virtue.

An early and still quintessentially gender-neutral name, now supplanted by thousands of fresher options. Hasn't been recorded as a given name since 1991.

Philophrosyne was the spirit of welcome, friendliness, and kindness in Greek Mythology. She was one of the four younger Charites.

Surname-sounding unisex cousin of Peyton is gaining in popularity, especially for girls.

Just when we thought Paisley couldn't get trendier, this -ee suffix showed up. Although it's not our favorite, parents are choosing this spelling more and more often.

With Bear and Fox becoming hot baby names, why not Panda? Why not indeed. Both the name and its animal namesake are adorable. And Pan is a nickname right in line with the mythological name trend. The word panda comes from the Nepali word ponya, meaning "bamboo eater" for the panda's favorite food.

Peanut Kai is the crazy celebrity baby name of the son of General Hospital star Ingo Rademacher and his fiance Ehiku. Cute but not recommended.

Sassy but slight nickname name.

Ambitious geographical name.

Pistol is one of the new names that entered the lexicon in the US in 2013, when it was given to nine babies of each gender. Call it an equal-opportunity badass baby name with an unfortunately violent image.

A common name for orange-colored cats. Fun fact: the word pumpkin is derived from the Greek pepōn, translating to "large melon."

Lithe and leonine name chosen for her daughter by singer Erykah Badu, but fits in with wild nature names like Fox, Wolf and Bear for a boy.

Primula is related to Primrose, the name and the flower, and would make a quirky yet charming (or is it charming yet quirky?) botanical name for a first daughter.

A worthy honoree that would place a too-heavy expectation on a child, probably subjecting him to ridicule. Try Pablo instead.

Olympic skier Picabo Street was allowed to choose her name at the age of three, and picked it possibly (a) after a nearby Idaho town or (b) because she loved to play peekaboo. No longer a single-person name, it is now worn by a number of satisfied bearers.

Paquito's minimizing ito ending could make your child feel insignificant.

Green-hued name that evokes images of fields, trees, and summertime picnics.

Possible musical tribute name to the waiflike, husky-voiced midcentury French singer who was given this last name because of her birdlike quality.

A name that's more familiar in its male form, Placido, but this can be a similar-feeling alternative to Serena.

Name of the winning young heroine of Toni Morrison's first novel, The Bluest Eye.