Dog Names That Start With S

Less well known internationally than Saoirse, but equally appealing, Saorla is also spelled Saorlaith or Saorfhlaith.

Santa has an appealing sound, or maybe that's sleigh bells we hear? It's difficult to separate the Italian girls' name Santa from the association to Mr. Claus, king of Christmas. The German diminutive Senta -- or Snow or even Christmas -- might be an easier name to handle.

Of all the astrological names —think Leo, Aries, Gemini— Scorpio probably has the most dramatically potent presence, which could prove something of a burden to a young boy.

nature namesare in, and even fish names like Pike and Salmon are open for consideration.

One of the most severely punished characters in Greek mythology, and the first two syllables don't help.

Surname with strong ties to singer Taylor Swift and writer Jonathan Swift. It could make a fun and quirky middle name.

Would undoubtedly be confused with the geographical Syria.

A generic possibility if you don't want to specify Spring or Summer.

An attractive and worldly name for a cherished baby son.

I'm sure the parents of the six little girls named Sundae in the US last year were thinking, "well, if Nicole Kidman can use Sunday..." In this case, we think the day of the week spelling is preferable to the dessert spelling.

This Japanese name is more often seen on girls in Japan, yet you may be familiar with it as a male name thanks to the anime series Naruto.

Relaxed, with an appealing touch of swagger.

More usually found as a surname, this is occasionally found as a first name in the north of Scotland.

The name of the Inuit goddess of the sea, marine animals, and the underworld. There is also a dwarf planet in the outer solar system called 90377 Sedna, discovered in 2003 and named after the goddess because: "Our newly discovered object is the coldest, most distant place known in the Solar System, so we feel it is appropriate to name it in honor of Sedna, the Inuit goddess of the sea, who is thought to live at the bottom of the frigid Arctic Ocean."

Derived from the Hebrew words shai, meaning "gift," and li, "mine." The Shaily variation is more common in Israel and the US.

One of the many Inuit words for snow.

The double 'e' gives this Celtic surname a genial sound. It derives from an old Irish name — Suibhne (SHEEV-ne) that was borne by several early saints and kings, including, unfortunately, one known as Mad Sweeney who spent his life living in trees and composing nature poetry. Another possible drawback is the association with Sweeney Todd, the bloodthirsty butcher of Sondheim stage-musical fame.

The late actress Sada Thompson introduced this obscure but usable form.