6000+ Dog Names

Most contemporary English speakers will hear the name Lyssa as short for the long-popular Alyssa or Melissa. But Lyssa is a bona fide Greek mythology name, though not a very appealing one.

Common Russian name familiarized here via cosmonaut Yury Gagarin and a character in Dr. Zhivago, but we don't see it ever gaining permanent resident status.

One of those names you may not even be aware of if you haven't been paying attention to recent naming trends, Alani was given to more than 700 baby girls in the US in one recent year, to be the second most popular feminization of Alan after Alana. It's certainly the most modern-sounding female version of Alan.

Decimus is one of the Roman numeral names used in large Victorian families--in this case for the tenth child. It is now seeing some new life thanks to the cutting-edge fashion for ancient Roman names.

As surname Lane becomes more popular, so too does this variant. Regardless, it does create the possibility for spelling confusion.

Vela is one of those rare names that is at once simple, straightforward, authentic, and unusual, at least in the Western World. Besides being an Indian girls' name, Vela is a Southern sky constellation whose name is Latin for sail – originally part of the Argo Navis constellation.

Pan is the Greek god with the legs of a goat and the body of a pipes-playing man known for his mischievousness. Pan is also the god of shepherds, pastures, and fertility. Pan is also a Hindi name meaning leaf or feather.

Also, unfortunately, better known as a chocolate syrup. Borden and Bosco could play well together.

A kind of old-fashioned nickname name that's enjoying some fresh life thanks to trendy brother Lane. Lainie is a more old-school spelling.

One of those pan-European nickname names much more familiar in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe than in the US, though related name Mina is making a comeback here. Light and bright, it could be an alternative to Mila, Minnie, or Millie.

Pretty feminissima name that never became as overused as cousin Melissa. The more streamlined Maris is a more modern sounding option.

Your friendly next-door neighbor...not your baby. Although Larry was once one of the most popular boys' names starting with L, that title now belongs to Liam.

Angel is one of those names that has a very different trajectory for girls and boys. As a female name, it was most popular in the US from the 1970s until the turn of this century, almost breaking into the Top 100 at its peak in 2001 but then beginning a long slide down the list.

A distinctive surname that, despite its meaning, has a cowboy swagger, a la Autry.

A lot of websites will say this is a feminine name, but this is not correct. Xolani is a masculine Zulu name stemming from the word "uxolo", which means peace and goodwill. Beware – the X is pronounced as a one of the famous Zulu clicking sounds

An unusual and appealing name that is the origin of Evelyn, via the Norman French name Aveline. It derives from an obscure Germanic root, the meaning of which is not clear. Theories include "desired, wished for" and "water, island".

To those unfamiliar with it, Makari might have the sound, feel, and look of a modern inventions, similar to Amari, Jakari, or Makai. It is however a Russian name, derived from the Greek Makarios. Borne by two 14th-century Orthodox Russian saints, Makari can also be transcribed as Makariy or Makary.

In Scottish folklore, selkies are mythical creatures that resemble seals in the water but assume human form on land.

Fifi is a perfect name -- for a French poodle. But Fifi may seem more child-friendly as names like Coco and Lulu rise. Fifi in its fluffiness also balances the seriousness of such full names as Josephine or Federica.

As heavy as a marble bust of Beethoven.