Bengal Cat Names

Olympic skier Picabo Street was allowed to choose her name at the age of three, and picked it possibly (a) after a nearby Idaho town or (b) because she loved to play peekaboo. No longer a single-person name, it is now worn by a number of satisfied bearers.

This name stems from an Irish word meaning sullen, but in the Isle of Man is used to refer to sullen weather, rather than sullen people (hence the tempest meaning). It's a cute and spunky name that could easily work outside Manx circles.

Brimming over with a sense of good fortune. Could make a little girl feel very lucky.

There are several fine Ben-beginning boy's names, such as BENJAMIN and BENEDICT, but girls names like this and BENJAMINA don't fare as well.

A unique New Age possibility with a pleasing sound.

While Kamran is a common boys' name in Iran and Turkey, among other countries, if used in the US it will more likely be a respelling of Cameron, a unisex name which sounds exactly the same as Kamran. Due to cultural misunderstandings, we'd advise using the Kamran spelling only if you mean to select the Persian boys' name, not as a "creative" form of Cameron for either gender.

Mosley has seen a handful of uses — mostly among baby girls — since 2012, the year after Peyton Manning gave it to his daughter. It's much more familiar as a surname, such as that of novelist Walter Mosley.

Pretty, zippy and almost unknown, this Italian name would suit a third child.

A sweet and simple nickname for Marie that could serve to freshen up the outdated full form.

The color red was considered to have magical properties in early Japanese culture, with the power to cure blood and other illnesses. Pronounced ah-kah-ko.

Sweet and southern-feeling, maybe thanks to Horton Foote, author of Tender Mercies and The Trip to Bountiful, not to mention the Dr. Seuss connection.

Derived from an Old Norse name meaning "thunder wolf", but long associated with the Swedish/Danish/Norwegian word tolv "twelve" and therefore given to the twelfth child of the family.

Zeldin originated as a surname, designating the son of a Zelde, and feels like a fresh Jewish baby name for the 21st century.

Gandolf and variant Gandulf are legitimate names used in medieval Europe, including by several bishops and dukes. From it comes the name of Castel Gandolfo, the pope's summer residence. However, to most people this will feel like a misspelling of the wizard Gandalf.

Navy, Indigo, Sky, Ocean, and Sapphire already rank as current US favorites, and Demin is another shade of blue that's on the rise. With the stylish, sturdy, and versatile feel of the fabric it denotes, Denim could be an unexpected route to nickname Demi, or a surprising color name that strands out from Scarlett or Hazel.

In Norway, a Grandpa Name.

Name of a poet, this will be one for consideration by literary parents. The name fits well with the current trend towards surnames as given names, but beware the three syllable pronunciation, which may be a trap for the poetically disinclined.

Traditional Cherokee choice that could work for a daughter born on a rainy day.