Dog Names That Start With W
- Wellington
Origin:
English surname from place nameMeaning:
"people living in the hamlet in the cleared area near the temple"Description:
Wellington is a tony-sounding English surname turned baby name by pregnancy guru Rosie Pope, who calls her son Wells for short. It's also the middle name of one of the Sweet Home sextuplets, Blu Wellington.
- Walburga
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"strong protection"Description:
An ancient saint's name belonging to an 8th century English missionary. Variants include Walpurga and Walpurgis.
- Wrigley
Origin:
Surname nameDescription:
A name that's long been popular for dogs on Chicago's North Side is now gaining traction among human babies. Wrigley Field is the Chicago Cubs' historic ballpark, originally named after the Wrigley Company, which made and sold chewing gum.
- Windsor
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"riverbank with a winch"Description:
Windsor may have male references, such as Britain's royal House of Windsor and a tie's windsor knot, but this name also has a definite feminine feel, as in Windsor Rose. That seems appropriate, as Windsor is used equally these days for boys and girls. Nicknames might include Win, Wind, Windy, and Winnie.
- Werther
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"worthy warrior"Description:
In literature identified with The Sorrows of Young Werther -- not much to wish on a child.
- Wales
Origin:
Place nameDescription:
Place names for boys are few and far between; this one would make a singular choice. Prince William of Wales uses this as a surname when required, as in his military life; Jimmy Wales is the entrepreneur behind Wikipedia, Clint Eastwood played the eponymous character Josey (!) Wales in the 1976 The Outlaw Josey Wales.
- Winika
Origin:
MaoriMeaning:
"Christmas orchid"Description:
With the rise of all those other popular feminine W names, like Winnie, Willa and Winona, why not consider the lovely Winika? Win and Winnie are likely nicknames and it is associated with a dainty Pacific orchid that blossoms at Christmas time. If you're looking for international names for Christmas babies, this is one for the short list.
- Wynter
Origin:
Spelling variation of WinterDescription:
Less month, more trendy, more times needing to spell it to people. This spelling variation entered the Top 1000 for the first time in 2013—and doesn't appear to be going anywhere any time soon.
- Windsor
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"riverbank with a winch"Description:
Windsor may have male references, such as Britain's royal House of Windsor and a tie's windsor knot, but this name also has a definite feminine feel, as in Windsor Rose. That seems appropriate, as Windsor is used equally these days for boys and girls.
- Whiskey
Origin:
English from GaelicMeaning:
"water of life"Description:
Brandy's son, Sherry's grandson.
- Walton
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"fortified town"Description:
Slightly more modern than Walter, but only just.
- Williamina
Origin:
Female version of WilliamMeaning:
"resolute protection"Description:
Sometimes heard in Scotland, where its heyday was in the times of Robert Burns and Sir Walter Scott, here we would prefer the Germanic version, Wilhelmina, brought into the spotlight by the conniving character on "Ugly Betty."
- Winola
Origin:
GermanMeaning:
"charming friend"Description:
Native-American feel via similarity to Winona.
- Winnet
Origin:
American diminutive of Winifred, WelshMeaning:
"blessed peacemaking"Description:
Winnet is a long-forgotten nickname for Winifred that was used in the US in the 18th and 19th centuries. These days, it's more often found in South Africa.
- Wohali
Origin:
CherokeeMeaning:
"eagle"Description:
Cherokee name that honors the eagle, a sacred symbol in Native American culture.
- Woolf
Origin:
Variation of Wolf, animal nameDescription:
The spelling Woolf inevitably conjures writer Virginia. If you're a fan of Mrs. Dalloway and the Bloomsbury group, Woolf might be a creative way to combine a trendy animal name with an original honor name. Woolf was the surname of Virginia's husband, Leonard.
- Wisdom
Origin:
Word nameDescription:
A bit too self-congratulatory and, understandably, exceedingly rare. Still, if you're looking for a modern virtue name for your daughter, this may be one of the best qualities to exemplify.
- Win
Origin:
Diminutive of Winifred or WinsletDescription:
Win might be an upbeat short form for a girl named Winifred or the new-fangled Winslet, or can stand on its own. The Welsh name Wynn feels more complete and sounds the same.
- Winfrey
Origin:
Variation of Winfrith, EnglishMeaning:
"peaceful friend"Description:
Oprah's almost mononymic first name is too closely tied to her personality (and brand) for us to recommend it as a baby name in good faith. Her surname, however, is definitely name-worthy. Winfrey works as a modern update to Whitney, with the added bonus of being associated with one of the most influential women of our time.
- Wenczeslaw
Origin:
PolishMeaning:
"glory of the Wends"Description:
Should only be used when singing Christmas carols.