Animal Names for Babies

Charming Gallic possibility but with some obvious playground problems.

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

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.

Owls are revered and feared in Cherokee culture, thought of as witches in disguise. Uguku is one of multiple owl names in the Cherokee language. It is onomatopoetic with the owl's calls.

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

You've got the red-nosed reindeer to transcend, but there are other distinguished personages named Rudolph, Rudolf, and Rudy.

Sylvester's iconic surname is beginning to catch the attention of parents having sons. In a recent year, seven baby boys were given the name.

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.

Suggests the salty, windswept air of the seashore.

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.

Two completely different images come from its national pronunciations -- BOY-err or boy-AY -- the latter giving it an effete French accent.

Alternative for the ultrapopular Jamal.

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.

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.

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

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.

Owls are very important to the Cherokee people — folklore associates them with warfare.

The given name of Conocotocko II, or Standing Turkey, a Cherokee chief in the 18th century. He advised the tribe to go to war against the then-colonies of South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia.

Blakesley is the name of a village in England, also sometimes found as a surname along with Blakely and Blakeley, turned into a first name for their daughter by reality stars Trista and Ryan Sutter. Blakesley joins other -ley ending names -- Hadley, Finley -- as one of the most popular forms of unisex names with a girlish spin.

Delicate and lacy, with less emphasis on the jar syllable.