Dog Names That Start With N

Nazareth, an important place in the New Testament as the hometown of Jesus, is on the rise as a name for both girls and boys. It's one of a handful of Biblical place names, along with Galilee and Jericho, stylish among contemporary Christians.

An ubercool and mysterious name, brought to you by director M. Night Shyamalan.

Kenya is fairly commonly heard as a girl's name, but its capital city makes a much more exceptional choice. The name comes from the Maasai phrase "Enkare Nairobi," which translates to "cold water." Nairobi is popularly known as the Green City.

Used for summer-born babies in Japan.

Can be shortened to Nova. Appeared on the US Top 1000 for the first time in 2016.

Lots of parents choose nature names, but only a few choose Nature as a name each year. It is equally used for boys and girls in the USA.

An unusual member of the popular -iah ending clan.

Nicky is a forever-cute short form of Nicholas once used as a full name but now relegated to nickname (no pun intended) status.

Sounds like a name from an old science fiction movie -- but this god of letters invented writing, and so might interest parents who are writers or professors.

Old-fashioned nickname for Nora, Honora, Eleanor, Noreen... or any name with that "nor" sound.

Occasionally heard in Ireland, small chance of success here.

With Natalie and Natalia in the US Top 100, it is not a surprise for spelling variations to gain popularity. Nataly was given to nearly 300 baby girls in 2023 and was one of the fastest-rising girl names that year.

North's image and gender status was irrevocably changed when Kim Kardashian and Kanye West announced it as the name of their newborn daughter. But why not? West is firmly established as a name, Easton is coming up strong, and North has a nice solid sound as well -- certainly as appropriate for either gender. South, though, not so much.

Charming comedic actress Niecy Nash -- who's drawn widespread acclaim in the last few years as the star of Getting On and Claws -- was originally born Carol Denise. Her stage name likely originated as a nickname for Denise, but it feels distinctive enough to stand on its own. Indeed, it already has, at least on BET's Being Mary Jane, in which it's the name of a recurring character.

Named for its snowcapped mountains, Nevada is a state name which, unlike Carolina, Montana, and Dakota, has been relatively undiscovered. Warning: today's unvisited place-name could become tomorrow's trampled tourist attraction.

Named after Isaac. Or Wayne.

Nanna is a name from Norse mythology that is among the Top 30 names in contemporary Denmark. Popular in Norway in the 19th century, Nanna may also be considered a short form of a range of names, from Anna to Johanna to Marianne. As widespread as it is in Scandinavia, though, it's hard to imagine Nanna making a mark as a girl's name in modern day America, given its use as a name for grandmothers.

One of several snowy options, this one lacking a tie to a specific place: an asset.

Cool goddess name, but you might need to brace yourself for lots of sneaker jokes, depending on where you live.

Naum is rarely heard outside Russia, Bulgaria and surrounding areas. It is a creative name via the prominent Russian Constructionist sculptor Naum Gabo.