Cat Names That Start With V

Vulcan was the Roman god of fire (from which, volcano) and metalworking, but this name is now more familiar as the pointy-eared humanoids on "Star Trek," represented by Mr. Spock.

Velvet is a name that couldn't possibly be softer or more luxuriant. Many people have fond memories of it via the character of Velvet Brown, played by the young Elizabeth Taylor in National Velvet, an intrepid young woman willing to masquerade as a boy to race her horse in a dangerous steeplechase.

In Norse mythology, the valkyries decided the fate of men in battle and conveyed the spirits of the fallen to Valhalla, to dwell with the god Odin. Often associated with ravens, swans, and horses, over time the valkyries have been portrayed as strong, female figures, callous and monstrous creatures, and sometimes both at the same time.

An unusual name with some real high-low appeal: It was the first name of a bully on The Fosters and the last name of the great Enlightenment philosopher Giambattista Vico. It has many of the merits of Nico and Vito, both far more common.

Spanish and Italian diminutive of Valentino.

Velma likely originated as a phonetic spelling of the German name Wilma, itself derived from Wilhelmina. Velma Dinkley is a smart, if nerdy, character in Scooby Doo.

Russian form of the Greek name Bessarion, most prominently borne by 19th-century Russian literary critic, writer and philosopher Vissarion Belinsky.

Voltaire is the nom-de-plume of François-Marie Arouet, who became noted for his witty and satirical takes on enlightenment philosophy and Western society. Voltaire's most famous work, Candide, used satire as a vehicle to advocate against religion, monarchy, greed, and for tolerance, freedom and reason. It is said that his moniker was a variation of his sister's family nickname "le petit volontaire" (the determined little thing).

No, not Ben (you'll say a million times), not Van -- Venn. John Venn was a British logician and philosopher famous for introducing the Venn diagram, which is used in several fields, including logic, statistics, and computer science.

Valencio is an energetic, valiant-sounding name, the male form of Valencia.

Rare Spanish form of Valerius

Vetle is currently popular for boys in Norway. It comes from the Old Norse name Vetrliði, which means "winter traveler" and is also a word for a bear cub. Outside of Norway, it's very rare but could be a lovely choice for a winter baby.

Schoolchildren will recognize this name via Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama.

This elegant Finnish feminization of Wendell is one of those rare names that has never appeared on the US official charts, but is straightforward to spell and say. It has been among the most popular girl names in Finland for at least 15 years, and would be a lovely, unique way to honor Finnish culture.

Vogue has been in rare use as a personal name, mostly since the last century. It doesn’t show up in current US data, but has been rising in the UK since 2013, influenced by Irish model Vogue Williams, whose grandmother suggested her name after an encounter with someone named Vogue.

This is an outside possibility for opera-lovers, with the additional eco/color factor.

Variation of Valentina with the same pared-down appeal as Maren.

This Beatrix alternate could make a good choice for globetrotting parents.

The name of prize-winning American architect Robert Venturi would make a somewhat awkward first.

This Dutch name derives from the old Germanic name, Farahild. It is quite common in the Netherlands.