Animal Names for Babies

Unusual and lithe.

A peaceful Dutch name that many English speakers will find tough to pronounce.

Cute Japanese name with a nickname to match. Rini was used in the Sailor Moon series.

Swans are beautiful creatures, with rather unusable English names. To evoke the grace and serenity of the swan, we recommend you take a look at this Sri Lankan name.

Also spelled Selqet, Serket and Serqet, Selket was the Ancient Egyptian goddess of the scorpions and of magic. She was a helpful goddess and protected souls on their journey to the afterlife. She is also associated with childbirth (potentially making her a great choice for the daughter of a midwife or obstetrician). Her connection to scorpions is a symbol of her power and makes her a good namesake for a child born under the zodiac sign of Scorpio.

This Thai nature name is closely associated with popular young Thai-Chinese actress Pimnitchakun Bumrungkit, who uses it as her nom de guerre.

These wild dogs eat babies, they do not inspire baby names.

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.

Drover, an ancient occupational surname, is right in step with today's styles and would make a distinctive choice. Drover and brothers are fresh updates of such now-widely-used names as Carter and Cooper.

If you feel a burning need to gussy up Ray -- think again.

Sacagawea (or, sometimes, Sakakawea or Sacajawea) was a Lemhi Shoshone woman who was instrumental to the Lewis and Clark Expedition across what is now the western part of the USA. She traveled thousands of miles with the men, helping to make contact with local indigenous populations and providing valuable information about the natural history of the region.

Although the name Jabiru is indelibly associated with Australia (it is the name of a town in Northern Territory, Australia and also a type of stork), it is not an Aboriginal name, as is often thought.

Charming Gallic possibility but with some obvious playground problems.

This variation of the surname Loeb works even better than the original as a first name, though any child named Loew will inevitably have to endure a lifetime's worth of "high and...." jokes. Other leonine options: Leopold or Lionel.

A dapper English surname derived from the Old English personal name Hunwine "bear friend", which comes with winning nickname Win.

Asella is ultimately derived from the Latin word asinus, meaning "donkey." As a word, asella would have been used to refer to a small female donkey.

A modern version of the dated Betty. You might want to consider varying Elizabeth, too, to the Italian Elisabetta.

In Cherokee culture, elk symbolize strength, agility, and masculinity.

This striking mini-name comes with a fierce animal edge — vuk is the Serbian word for "wolf".

This Late Roman name is little-used in modern times, though the feminine forms Feline and Felina are popular in Europe. While some relate it to the happy-go-lucky Felix, it actually has a cat-like meaning. St. Felinus is a legendary third-century martyr.