Cat Names That Start With R

A surname that could become a first, an alternate to the already-taken REGIS.

Could cause pronunciation problems.

A relic of the midcentury Mandi-Sandi-Andi era.

Romaric was derived from the German elements hrôm, meaning "fame," and rîcja, "strong." It's the name of an obscure Frankish saint who left his life as a courtier to become a monk.

Philosophical surname that could make an unusual first for a red-headed girl.

Romy lovers, here's a new one for you! Romary is a surname with French and Scottish roots and has historically been a masculine given name in France. It would be a great choice on either sex, but feels slightly more feminine with the -mary ending and Romy nickname.

Modern and dynamic Hebrew name that could work for either sex.

A nickname for medieval names such as Richenza and Rikissa, which were derived from the Germanic name Richiza. RIxa could easily be adapted for modern use, particularly if you're looking to honor a Richard.

A variant of Romer or Rohmer, or simply derived from the English word "roam", meaning to travel freely, spontaneously, wherever your feet may take you.

Raido is the rune that corresponds with the Latin letter R in the Elder Furthark runic alphabet. In Old English, it was translated at Rad.

Nowadays it makes an interesting baby name for linguists and language-enthusiasts.

Romary is most commonly seen as a surname, although it would make a charming first name for a boy or girl. It has French and Scottish origins — the French form is a variation of the given name Romaric and has also been adopted as a surname. The meaning of the Scottish surname is unknown.

Radha (also called Radhika, Radharani, or Radhe) is an important goddess in Hinduism, the queen and favourite consort of the god Krishna. She is also sometimes considered an avatar of Lakshmi, goddess of beauty, wealth and prosperity.

Richenza is a medieval European name borne by a number of Polish and Swedish royals throughout history. The variation Richeza was used with similar frequency. Rixa was a common short form. Richenza is derived from the same Germanic root as Richard and could be used to honor one in your life.

In the Book of Samuel, Rizpah is a concubine of Saul. When her sons were killed, she built a house around their bodies and refused to leave their side for seven months.

A cool and accessible Estonian name that feels very fresh in the English-speaking world. Raivo is likely a short form of Raimond, the Estonian translation of Raymond, but some sources claim it derives from the Old Estonian word raivo, meaning "fury" or "rage."

An emerging unisex surname name. Radley is more common for boys — it could be seen as an updated version of Bradley — but for girls, it's a rare alternative to Hadley and Adley.

The short form, Raivo, is more common these days.

Japanese feminist Raicho Hiratsuka chose the name Raicho for herself - no doubt because of its fabulously meaning. As a journalist and publisher, Raicho fought for the rights of working class women in Japan’s textile industry and eschewed conventional domesticity, openly living with a lover and having her children out of wedlock. Thunderbirds are GO indeed!

Rikissa is an old Swedish name famously borne by Rikissa Birgersdotter, Queen of Norway. Her name was derived from the Germanic Richiza, which is derived from the same source as Richard. That makes Rikissa an unexpected, quirky way to honor an important Richard in your life.

Offbeat, under-the-radar choice to honor a Grandma Rosalie.