6000+ Dog Names

Rather formal word name that has been used occasionally over the years, most notably for the autism activist and animal expert Temple Grandin.

A new aspirational name with two shining meanings.

Place-name of a settlement in Galilee in Israel.

Properly spelled Özgür, this is a familiar unisex name and surname in Turkey, though little-known in the rest of the world. The pronunciation is not far removed from Oscar, which could be a helpful reference point or cause confusion.

The name Drasna was created for a Pokémon character. Her name was derived from the Latin botanical name dracaena, which in turn is from drakōn, the Greek word for "dragon." Fittingly, Drasna used Dragon-type Pokémon in battle.

This creative spelling variation of Landon is widely used but still lags far behind the original.

Derived from suvarna, a Sanskrit word meaning "good color".

Japhy Ryder was a hero of Jack Kerouac's Dharma Bums. Compared with Moses and Noah, Japhy sounds downright adorable and eminently baby-worthy.

The Spanish variation of the 80s and 90s American favorite Amber has an international flair.

In Turkish mythology, Umay was the mother goddess of the Earth, protecting women, children, and fertility. The name is derived from the Turkish root umāy, meaning "placenta." The placenta was considered to have incantatory properties, making Umay the ideal name for this goddess. Today, it's a well-used girl name in Turkey, along with Ece, another name for the goddess.

Flanagan is an elabortion of Flann, and cousin of Flynn and Finn: a member of the family of colorful Irish red-headed names. This one is lively and undiscovered.

Sabbath is a faith-inspired word name, like Sunday or Faith, that is attracting some notice since heavy metal musician Zakk Wylde chose it for his son. But then there's the band Black Sabbath, which gives the name a more devilish twist. While there's nothing intrinsically male or female about Sabbath as a first name, it squeaked onto the Social Security roster for five boys in 2012, but was not recorded for girls. Sabbath comes from the word for "day of rest" in many ancient cultures.

The feminine version of the common Welsh name Glyn became somewhat known in this country via the charming Welsh actress Glynis Johns. Variations include Glenys and Glynys. With other Welsh names--Gwyneth, Bronwyn, Bryn, Griffith--now on the American table, Glynis could make a distinctive tribute to an Uncle Glenn.

Credit, of course, to the artist for inventing this secretive pseudonym, but we actually have Hilary Duff to thank for Banksy as a baby name. Banksy is Duff's nickname for her daughter Banks, born in 2018. Banksy debuted on the charts in 2020, when it was used for seven baby girls.

Made familiar as a baby name via Tiger Woods, whose birth name is Eldrick. The golf star has made it a viable option for baby boys, and a handful of girls are also given the name each year in the US.

Cardi B is the stage name of the rapper born Belcalis Almanzar. The name Cardi originated as a short form of Bacardi, a nickname the musician got because her sister is named Hennessy, after the cognac. The B, she says, stands for a range of things, depending on the day, including Belcalis and Bacardi. Cardi is one invented name that's found instant fame and could go much further. For now, it's definitely one of the most talked-about girl names starting with C.

Zibby is the adorable, zippy nickname for Elizabeth used for the lead female character in the film "Liberal Arts." Zibby can make a Libby for the 21st century.

That extra a adds a world of grace to this name.

Chance has risen far on the baby-naming charts, but Hazard has a considerably more dangerous edge. It was the middle name of famed US naval commander Oliver Hazard Perry.