2000+ Cat Names

Ventura started life as a shortening of Bonaventura, Spanish for good luck or good fortune, but now stands on its own. It has a pleasant sound and the stylish 'V' ending, but Angelenos would associate it with the Valley's main stem--Ventura Boulevard, and others might think of Ace or Jesse Ventura.

Old-man name, soft as a fraying gray cashmere cardigan, that would be even cuter for a girl.

The African tradition of day naming—giving a child a name inspired by the day, time, or season in which they were born—has become attractive to Western parents as word names increase in use. Midnight is a relatively new addition to the pool—it was used as a middle name by Nicole Richie and Joel Madden for their son in 2009.

Friendly, cheerful Irish name that originated as a nickname for a redhead. Potential problem: reminiscent of the Spanish custard.

Tore, which peaked in Norway in the 1940s, is now solidly in grandpa territory. But Ture, the Swedish variant, is a rising favorite among Swedish babes.

A name used in Germany and Holland as a form of Jerome, it's the unlikely moniker of fictional detective Hieronymous "Harry" Bosch.

A softer take on Hunter. Huntley is evenly distributed between girls and boys, coming in at 47% female and 53% male at last count.

Eadlin and its variants Eadlyn and Edelyn are uncommon in real life, but feel bang on-trend and shorten to the adorable vintage nickname Edie/Eadie. The name may derive from the Anglo-Saxon elements ead "wealth" or adal "noble".

Derived from Greek name Nike "victory", this name has been borne by many notable figures, from ancient times to the present day. It belonged to several early kings of Macedonia and to a 1st-century Catholic saint, Nicanor the Deacon, which accounts for its use in the Spanish-speaking world to this day.

Cendrine derives from Cendrillon, the French form of Cinderella. It's quite uncommon, even in France, but if the fairy tale made a big impression on you, it could be a sweet tribute.

Thunderous name with Native American origins.

Cutesy pet form of Clementine.

With its appealing double-a configuration, this is the name of an Israeli kibbutz on the Galilee beach. For girls, Saar is a popular modern name in the Netherlands, a shortened form of Sarah.

Associated with the ancient Greek philosopher, Socrates (often spelled Sokratis) is quite common in traditional Greek families, but for others, we think Plato (the name of his pupil) might be easier to handle for those wanting a philosopher-inspired choice.

A commanding word name that feels occupational like Miller, Palmer, and Shepherd, while also fitting in with ambitious choices like Legend, King, Major, Maverick, and Saint. Referring to someone who takes the lead and holds influence and responsibility, Captain has links to team sports, the military, seafaring, superheroes, and the police.

Place-name of a settlement in Galilee in Israel.

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.

And her sisters, Stormy and Sunny.

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.