Pet Bird Names

Solemn but soaring name with patriotic symbolism.

That double a invests the old Arthur nickname with fresh life.

Columba is an early saint's name that rhumbas to a modern beat. While the original St. Columba is male, the name sounds more appropriate for a girl in the modern world. Leave variations Colm and Callum for the boys.

A striking Nordic name with ancient roots, Svala (and its less common variant form Svale) derive from the Old Norse name for the swallow. This could be a great choice for nature lovers and fans of Edith Piaf (piaf being a term for a swallow).

Feminine spin on Arnold that received a brief flurry of use in the early 1990s.

The name of the teenaged son on the dear departed television show "Huff."

Ptarmigan is the common English name for the genus Lagopus, in the grouse family of birds. The name is derived from the Scottish word for the bird, tàrmachan (meaning unknown), with the initial P- added by erroneous association with the Greek pteron ("wing").

In America, it is inextricable from the popular '90s line dance, but Macarena is a traditional feminine name in Spain. It is used in honor of the Virgin of Hope of Macarena, an epithet of the Virgin Mary. Macarena is also the name of a hip neighborhood in Seville.

Hot R & B singer Kelis Rogers's name is a combination of those of her parents' -- Kenneth and Eveliss.

Kew is an offbeat name of a saint from Cornwall with boyish appeal.

A quetzal is a beautiful, brightly-colored bird found in Mexico and Central America. It is the national bird of Guatemala, as well as the name of their currency.

Cherokee name that honors the eagle, a sacred symbol in Native American culture.

We once dismissed Bird as "too flighty", but with the rise of avian names from Lark to Robin to, well, Birdie, we don't see why Bird can't be a fine choice, especially as a middle name.

Lynn is a particularly popular suffix for combination names, dating from the days of Marilyn through Katelynn to today's Ashlyn and Brooklyn and, right, Skylynn (or Skylyn or Skylinn or Skylynne). Skylynn is probably more influenced by the trendy Skylar than by word name Sky, but Skylar itself is a variation on the Dutch Schuyler.

In Norway, Svale is also used as a short form of the rare name Svalaug/Svanlaug, meaning "swan oath". Svale is also a more modern form of Svali, meaning "cool, fresh".

The French and Spanish word for "hummingbird" is lithe and charming as a girl name.

A very distinctive musical choice, but be aware that many people will think you've named your child Oprah.

The name Parastoo currently seems unusual to the Western ear, with that "too" ending rare in traditional English names. It is sometimes spelled Parastu. Pari or Parisa would make easier imports.