Gray Cat Names

This kind of plainspoken nature name (think River and Sunshine) may still carry a whiff of the hippie, but this one has a nice, airy feel.

While the most famous Dusty, Dusty Springfield, might be female, Dusty as a boys' name is derived directly from Dustin. And there are about twice as many baby boys named Dusty as baby girls -- 33 to 14 last year, so a fairly rare name for either sex.

Mosley, former best known as the surname of author Walter, has been put in play as a first name for girls by football great Peyton Manning, who used the name for his twin daughter, sister of Marshall. Alternate spellings are Moseley and Mosely and the first syllable rhymes with Rose.

Thebe is the name of more than one daughter of Zeus, according to some myths, and is also the name of a moon of Jupiter. Thebe rhymes with Phoebe and may appeal to lovers of that name.

Also related to the word for wolf, this name has a first syllable that's not appealing to the American ear. Better ic-ending choices: Dominic, Frederic, Eric.

Hurricane is a storm, but it's also an American name, thanks to rising tennis star Hurricane Black -- whose sister's name is Tornado. There's no reason this tempestuous choice can't work for boys too, inasfar as the name can work for any child. As a name, Hurricane is definitely original and attention-getting, but is it a name you'd want to carry around for life?

The Turkish name for the Danube River. Tuna is technically a unisex name in Turkey, yet it is more common among boys.

This booming word name has been used every year since 1988, yet at most was given to 30 baby boys in a single year. But with names like Thunder, all it takes is one celebrity to bring it to the mainstream, and Usain Bolt could be the guy. He welcomed a son named Thunder (yes, Thunder Bolt) in 2021, twin to Saint Leo and brother to Olympia Lightning.

The sources that do list this name give it as a boys' name, but Woody Harrelson chose it for his daughter, and it does have a feminine lilt.

Could cause pronunciation problems.

Zenebe is an appealing name well-used in Ethiopia but rarely heard outside its native land. But it translates easily into English and Zen makes for a cool and attractive nickname. A winning choice for those looking for an African boys' names that bridges cultures.

One familiar name never used for real people, for obvious reasons. Read more about Cinderella and other Disney Princess Names in our featured blog.

Plausible word name, denoting strength and stability.

This may be a bit quirky to make it as a name, especially in first place. If you love it, you might try it in the middle.

An ancient name used by numerous conquerors throughout history, most notably the Central Asian leader popularly known as Tamerlane.

A cute but rare feminine variation of the Norse thunder god (and Marvel superhero) name Thor.

A common Scandinavian name, but hard to imagine being used elsewhere.

Waspy, but preferable to Nanny Diaries satiric name Grayer. Grayton Greydon, Greyton.

An unknown, strong Scandinavian name related to Tor/Thor, the Norse god of thunder, that would fit in perfectly here.