Dog Names That Start With S

Name of the 7th century BC Greek lyric poet born on the island of Lesbos, whose name has been synonymous with lesbian love. Though this name is rarely used today, it certainly could be and, some might say, SHOULD be revived.

The name St. John is much more usable in its phonetic spelling — similar to the way St. Clair evolved into Sinclair. St. John has some literary cred — St. John Rivers is a cool character in Jane Eyre.

St. John has been attached to a number of notable men — not as a first but as a middle name, one shared by Evelyn Waugh, Basil Rathbone, Richard Harris and Brian Eno.

Popular Japanese name exemplified by the distinguished conductor Seiji Ozawa.

A name with some sterling qualities, most associated with the British currency and silver markets. Sterling is more commonly a male name or surname, but is occasionally used for girls as well.

The connection to Freud is a strong one, but this German name has a strong and interesting sound and great nickname potential: Ziggy, Iggy, Sim, Sid...

Socorro is a Spanish and Portuguese word name taken from a title of the Virgin Mary, "Mary of Perpetual Succour." Its religious meaning makes it somewhat old-fashioned and not among the Spanish names for girls widely used in the US.

Soma makes an unusual (outside Hungary) choice of nature name. It is rare that a beautiful flowering tree is used for a boy, so if you're looking for something floral for a boy, make sure you consider this choice.

Seneca was both a Roman philosopher-statesman and is a Native American Iroquois tribe. Occasionally used for both girls and boys, Seneca is now a Hunger Games character.

Older Japanese name given new life in the anime series One Piece.

Sable is often associated with the Dynsaty soap opera, but it is actually a type of animal historically hunted for its fur. Sable is also used as a word for a warm, rich black color. Both associations carry hints of luxury.

This strong Spanish name that refers to the Virgin Mary (Our Lady of Solitude) has been made accessible by broadcaster Soledad O'Brien -- who shows how well it combines with an Anglo surname. Her birth name was Maria de la Soledad Teresa O'Brien.

Simple and, yes, elegant -- until you think of the wrestlers.

Mexican-born actress Salma Hayek lends a large dollop of glamour to this name that would otherwise resemble the middle-aged Selma.

Sunshine was seen as a quintessential hippie name of the 70s, reaching as high as Number 536 in 1975. Now such names are making a bit of a retro comeback, seen, for example, as a character on Glee.

Some parents just use Steve on the birth certificate, but it doesn't have the breezy charm of trendy short forms like Max, Sam, and Jake. Regardless of how much you love Steve as a given name, it might be smart to give your son a longer option to fall back on.

Hard and shiny, Steel projects an image that's smooth, macho...and cold to the touch.

Skyla is the most feminine form of the Skylar / Sklyer trend - little Skyla will never be mistaken on paper for a boy.

Simple-yet-unusual name with a creative meaning. Actress Sanaa Lathan promoted it, and it was on the U.S. popularity list from 2003 to 2011. Shaquille O'Neal used it as the middle name of his daughter Amirah. And spelled Sana'a, it's the capital of Yemen.

The young male star Shia LaBeouf has given this name a male image, but many would consider its sound soft and feminine.

Sakina is a feminine name derived from the Arabic word Sakun/Sakoon meaning peace, tranquillity. Sakina can refer to the sense of serenity, or the reassuring peace that can settle upon an enlightened person. Actress Sakina Jaffrey, best known from her role in House of Cards, is a bearer of this name.