Labrador Retriever Names

Didier is kind of a Desiree for boy--a lively, confident name that's widely used in France and has definite possibilities here. It's the name of an early French saint.

This Hebrew name deserves consideration by parents looking for a traditional by underused girls name with a gorgeous meaning.

Elvin had his peak in the 1920s — which was when jazz musician Elvin Jones was born — but parents are still using it for over 100 boys a year. That's less than Kelvin, but more than Delvin.

For years there was only one Cher, and then along came the charming heroine of the movie "Clueless." The world now officially has enough Chers in it.

Archie, Albie, and Alfie are coming back into style, so naturally, we think Alvie could be next. Alternate spelling Alvy was used by Woody Allen for his character in Annie Hall.

Like its better known cousin Jedidiah, Jebediah is one of those four-syllable Old Testament names that is being shorn of its long white-bearded image, with the help of its modern-sounding Jeb nickname.

Nickname name hep in the era of Grease.

An appealing name almost unknown in our culture but with roots in several others; worldlier than cousins Celia and Delia.

This traditional Arabic name, found throughout several other Middle Eastern and African languages and cultures, is one of the 99 names of Allah. Colorful and energetic, it was brought into the realm of crossover possibility via the lively personality of Aziz Ansari, stand-up comic and star of "Master of None" as well as a featured actor on "Parks and Recreation," playing cocky Tom Haverford (born Darwish Sabir Ismael Gani).

Save this for your next run to Starbucks.

Angliziced spelling of Muirne, the name of the mother of Finn mac Cool in Irish legend. Actress Myrna Loy was a notable bearer.

Amica is a word meaning girlfriend that is not often used as a name in Italy, but it would sound pretty and name-like elsewhere.

In the Shona language of souther Africa, this simple and wearable boys' name means love.

Confident Middle Eastern choice. Children will relate to the Rafiki form via the wise guru in Disney's "The Lion King."

Beach boy name of the 1960s, Darrell is still a presence on the charts and may graduate into a stately surname name.

An attractive unisex choice heard in several countries, including Armenia. Can be pronounced sheer-IN or sheer-EEN.

Varying Filbert does not improve the name: it still makes one think of a nut.

A classic Irish "top-o'-the-mornin' surname with a lot of rhythm and pizzazz.

Zuleika is a high-wire act of a name that might appeal to the intrepid baby namer, Like most 'Z'-starting girls' names, it projects a cool, strong aura, as exemplified by the character in Max Beerbohm's satirical 1910 novel, Zuleika Dobson, a heroine so gorgeous that the entire student body of Oxford University committed collective suicide at the sight of her.

This name looks like a sister to the names Elsa and the Czech name for girls Eliška, a popular diminutive of Elizabeth — and sometimes it is (in German, for example). But it is also a word in Old Norse and some modern Nordic languages, meaning "love" or "to love".