Animal Names for Babies
- Baggio
Origin:
ItalianMeaning:
"toad"Description:
Not the most obvious animal for a nature name, but perhaps for fans of Mr Toad of Toad Hall in The Wind in the Willows.Some may find the pronunciation too close to "baggage" for comfort.
- Ceren
Origin:
TurkishMeaning:
"baby gazelle"Description:
Ceren is an excellent cross-cultural Turkish choice, bearing resemblance to names like Serena and Seren. In Turkey, it refers to a baby gazelle and was most common among Gen Z. At its height, Ceren ranked at Number 15 on the Turkish charts in 2006.
- Timoleon
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"lion honor"Description:
This ancient name, belonging to a 4th century BCE Greek statesman and general, would be one of those unique baby names with lots of more down-to-earth nickname potential, including Tim and Leon. Another notable bearer is Timoleon Jimanez, former leader of the rebel group Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.
- Mauz
Origin:
Hebrew; German surnameMeaning:
"fortress, God's protector; mouse"Description:
This rare name received national attention in 2021 when actor Frankie Muniz and his wife Paige named their son Mauz Mosley. The variation they used stems from the Hebrew word Mauzzim, literally translating to "fortresses" (mauz would be the singular, "fortress"). Some versions of the Bible interpret Mauzzim in context as "God's protectors."
- Aart
Origin:
DutchMeaning:
"eaglelike"Description:
That double a invests the old Arthur nickname with fresh life.
- Berengaria
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"bear spear"Description:
Berengaria was one of the medieval queens of England - married to Richard I (also known as Richard the Lionheart). She was originally from Navarre (in modern northern Spain) and despite being the Queen of England, she only lived in England after her husband had died. Despite its royal roots, Berengaria is one of the less attractive medieval names, although it gets points for having an unusually strong meaning for a feminine name.
- Vernados
Origin:
Greek from GermanMeaning:
"courage of the bear"Description:
Rhythmic and powerful, if you don't mind the nickname Vern.
- Darva
Origin:
SlavicMeaning:
"honeybee"Description:
The first bride on "Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire." -- not the classiest of names.
- Vachel
Origin:
FrenchMeaning:
"one who raises cows"Description:
This is a French occupational namename brought to the fore by poet Vachel Lindsay, born Nicholas Vachel (Vachel being his father's first name), considered the founder of modern poetry intended to be sung or chanted. and also author of the first book of film criticism in 1915.
- Enoli
Origin:
CherokeeMeaning:
"black fox"Description:
Perky Cherokee boy name with a great meaning. Foxes symbolize cleverness and playfulness in Cherokee culture.
- Eider
Origin:
Animal name or BasqueMeaning:
"beautiful"Description:
An eider is a sea duck whose feathers make ultra-soft eiderdown.
- Svala
Origin:
NordicMeaning:
"swallow (bird)"Description:
A striking Nordic name with ancient roots, Svala (and its less common variant form Svale) derive from the Old Norse name for the swallow. This could be a great choice for nature lovers and fans of Edith Piaf (piaf being a term for a swallow).
- Orme
Origin:
English surname from NorseMeaning:
"serpent"Description:
An old money surname passed down in notable American families. Christopher Plummer's middle name was Orme.
- Galvin
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"a sparrow"Description:
More common as a surname, Galvin is a possible alternative to Gavin and Calvin.
- Agu
Origin:
IgboMeaning:
"tiger"Description:
In its native Nigeria, Agu is a surname that signifies strength and being a force of nature. Agu as a first name has some pedigree, however: most notably via Agu Casmir, a famous Nigerian-Singaporean soccer player.
- Eagle
Origin:
Nature nameMeaning:
"eagle, a bird"Description:
Solemn but soaring name with patriotic symbolism.
- Darton
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"deer town"Description:
Obscure, though legitimate, name that could be used to honor a relative named Barton or Martin.
- Ptarmigan
Origin:
Scots GaelicMeaning:
"name of a bird species"Description:
Ptarmigan is the common English name for the genus Lagopus, in the grouse family of birds. The name is derived from the Scottish word for the bird, tàrmachan (meaning unknown), with the initial P- added by erroneous association with the Greek pteron ("wing").
- Merona
Origin:
Aramaic, breed of sheepDescription:
The name of a breed of Spanish sheep is hardly worthy of a child.
- Arnelle
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"eagle power"Description:
Feminine spin on Arnold that received a brief flurry of use in the early 1990s.