Animal Names for Babies

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.

Roar! This popular name in the Arab world was once almost unused by English speakers, but is now given to a few boys in the States each year. It can also be spelled Fahad and Fahed.

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.

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

Appealing name because, in German and Yiddish, it also means "dear" or "heart".

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

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.

With the exception of Deborah, names are more often related to honey than to bees. This graceful name honors the bright and busy bee, making it perfect for that energetic little girl. Leia is an obvious nickname with wide appeal.

Urraca was the name of many infantas and queens of several medieval Iberian kingdoms (most notably Leon). Despite its royal roots, Urraca is one of the names best left to the history books.

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

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.

Charming Gallic possibility but with some obvious playground problems.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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