Pet Bird Names

Garuda is the Hindu god of birds, a divine sun bird with the wings and beak of an eagle and the body of a man. The appealing Sanskrit meaning is "wings of speech".

Possible musical tribute name to the waiflike, husky-voiced midcentury French singer who was given this last name because of her birdlike quality.

A very distinctive musical choice, but be aware that many people will think you've named your child Oprah.

The meaning is kind of silly, but the name might make a distinctive update of Janet.

Name from legend that might be an interesting Jason alternative.

Iolani feels quintessentially Hawaiian, a stylish origin for baby names these days thanks to Malia, the Hawaiian name of the Obamas' older daughter. The initial I is pronounced with a long e sound, as in Waikiki, and the name Iolani has four syllables.

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.

Gorgeous and definitely wearable for a Western baby girl.

Pacific island member of the currently-in-favor Lila/Leila family and one of the most attractive and unique girls' names starting with P.

The adopted surname of iconic songwriting brothers George and Ira (born Gershovitz) might make a nice musical middle name.

Love the name wren but need something not quite so trendy? Consider Jedda. Jedda is derived from the word 'djida' meaning "wren" in the language of the Noongar people of Western Australia. Jedda was also the name of the eponymous heroine of the film "Jedda", which was one of the first Australian films to be shot in color and was the first to be shown at the Cannes Film Festival (it was nominated for the Palme d'Or). The perfect name for nature enthusiasts and film buffs alike.

Colorful middle name choice.

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.

Plausible music hero choice with undertones of Joan Baez's social activist folkie persona.

Though unrelated, this would probably be taken as a fanciful spelling of Patsy.

Over-the-top glitzy. Sparkle debuted in 1976 and peaked in 1979 when it was given to 124 baby girls.

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.

It's usually preceded by the letter 'A'--as in 'a capella'--singing without accompaniment, and probably has never been used as a girl's name, but in this anything-goes naming climate, we're putting it out there as a possibility.