Animal Names for Babies

Nature girl played by Audrey Hepburn in "Green Mansions," it now has an old-style bohemian feel.

Kennelly could be an upbeat modern namesake for a Grandpa Kenneth; it can also be spelled Kenneally.

Yes, nature lovers are starting to name their children after all forms of life, including fish, but consider carefully before you cast your line into these tease-infested waters.

Ayal is a boys' name used in modern Israel but virtually unknown in the US. Even more popular in Israel is the female form, Ayala.

Connolly, an alternate spelling of Connelly, could make a livelier and less common substitute for Connor.

Idiosyncratic Hebrew choice.

A common animal name in Finland, it could work as an alternative to Otto or Otis.

In Greek mythology, Arachne was a woman who bested Athena in a weaving competition. She later killed herself from the shame, but Athena reincarnated Arachne as a spider.

This Latinate form of Bernard hovered in the lower regions of the US Top 1000 from the late 1940s until 2006, possibly inspired by the character in West Side Story.

Farasha is butterfly in Arabic, which means that to English-speakers, it feels more like a soft feminine name and less like a fluttery animal. Pretty without feeling flighty.

Orson is being rediscovered and Orsino is every bit as attractive.

This Biblical bird name, a variant of Ephron, suddenly feels like it could be usable thanks to actor Zac Efron. However, in reality, few if any parents seem to be using it yet.

Mama's boy.

Popular name in Spain's Basque country, thanks to cowboyish meaning, virtually unknown elsewhere.

A cute, chirpy Slovene name with a meaning to match. The Slovene translation of Pippi Longstocking renames her Pika Nogavička.

One of the rare English surname names originally derived from a female given name: Eoforhild (Everild), meaning "boar battle". Also spelled Averill, it's an extremely rare choice today, but shares sounds with fashionable Ava and Avery.

Waya pays homage to the wolf — one of the most respected creatures in Native American culture.

Panya is a multicultural possibility with a sound that's pleasing to the English-speaking ear, though the Swahili translation, which might also be "rat," makes it less than savory as an African name.

Of all the astrological names —think Leo, Aries, Gemini— Scorpio probably has the most dramatically potent presence, which could prove something of a burden to a young boy.