Animal-inspired baby names.
Baby names are a big deal both in the parenting world and in general. Names are meant to stick with people for their entire lives, so there's lots of pressure for parents to make a good decision. But there are so many directions to go in when it comes to naming a child. Do parents go for vintage names? Do they name the child after themselves or ancestors? Do parents go for the more trendy names or even hipster ones? The baby naming game is intense. Often, names come from unsuspecting places, like animals. Animals are precious and some parents may really, really care about them. Of course, a kid isn't going to be named Elephant — we hope! But inspiration can definitely be derived from the animal kingdom.
We've compiled some baby names that are related to animals in some way. Many of the names are straightforward, but they still sound great as human names. We're talking Birdie, Colt, Raven, and other similar names of actual animals. But there are animal names, or animal-related names, that aren't as obvious. For example, Yara is a type of butterfly. And Leo is related to Leo the Lion, a plus for animal lovers who are also into astrology.
Celebrities have even jumped on the animal baby naming trend. OK, they might not have been named specifically because of the animals, but their names are tied to them. There's Disney Channel's Dove Cameron and rapper Drake Graham. Giving a child a name that means something to the parents and that will make LO feel like his or her own person is what really counts. And if animals are special to mom and dad, their child's name will be, too.
RAVEN
The cool thing about certain animals is that they're referenced not just in nature but in pop culture. For writers, Edgar Allen Poe had a motif of a raven and That's So Raven was a popular show.
LARK
Lark is definitely a special name that comes from the family of birds found primarily in Africa. Only two species of the bird live in North America.
COLT
Colt may have picked up steam given the popularity of the NFL team from Indianapolis, but the name also is linked to beautiful young horses. They're both strong and majestic.
LYNX
Lynx sounds a lot more like a human name than Cheetah or Panther, but the lynx has a lot of similar qualities. They're part of the cat family, and the name could be meaningful for a family of cat-lovers.
CRIA
Cria is the word for a baby llama or alpaca, which are adorable South American creatures. If mom or dad loves the critters from the llama family, this name could be a big hit.
BUNNY
There's no confusion or secrets when it comes to a bunny. But Bunny makes a quaint and vintage-sounding girls' name. Singer Bryan Adams made it his little girl's middle name.
DOVE
Dove Cameron currently leads the celebrity charge of famous faces with the name Dove. It's also a biblical name, as the animal is featured in the Old Testament as the bird that brought the olive branch to Noah. It also symbolizes peace.
BEE
Bee, another vintage name that represents both strong women (they don't have queen bees for nothing!) as well as helpful creatures. By default, Bee is also an ode to the environment.
FAWN
Fawns — baby deer — are docile, beautiful creatures that are portrayed in pop culture under the protection of their mothers. The word is derived from Greek mythology with the version "Fauna."
EWEN
We took the liberty of adding an "n" on the end of Ewe, which is a female sheep. They're lovable creatures that also provide warmth in the form of comfy sweaters. Can't get any sweeter than that and a little "Ewen" likely will be, too.
BIRDIE
Birdie is pretty straightforward, but the vintage name is making a comeback. Both Busy Phillips and Brie Bella of the Bella sisters named their daughters Birdie. Bella also has a fashion line with her sister, Nikki Bella, of the same name: Birdiebee.
BEAR
Bear is used by many as an affectionate nickname for boys, but it's also a first name. Kate Winslet named her son Bear as well.
PIKE
Does one parent really enjoy fishing? Pike may be a baby name option. Even if the fish isn't the main draw, it's short but catchy and it means "a spear."
DRAKE
Drake the name for a male duck came before Drake the rapper, but the rapper put the name in the mainstream. The name peaked in 2010, but it could become trendy again.
YARA
Yara is a beautiful name meaning "small butterfly" in Arabic. According to Nameberry, it's also the name of a "beautiful green-skinned Brazilian goddess."
KITTY
Yes, another vintage name and this one has major That '70s Show vibes. But Kitty was fierce and funny. A great TV character to name a baby after. Of course, it's also an affectionate name for cats.
CAT
Cat or Kat, the grown up version of Kitty, is a name derived from names like Catherine or Katerina. Kat was also the name of the girl in the Casper movie from the '90s movie starring Christina Ricci.
TORO/TORA
For a name that speaks to strength and/or Spanish ties, Tora or Toro is the way to go. It is derived from the "Taurus" that correlates to bulls.
LEO
Leo the Lion is a classic children's book character and even a zodiac sign in the astrological world. Lions are associated with strength and have a majestic nature.
MARLIN
Marlin is a strong name for those with a connection to the sea. Marlins, a type of fish, are strong, beautiful, and known for the large spears on their snouts.
ORSA
Orsa means "little bear" in Latin, but it's one of those names that are subtly animal-related. It's also tied to the idea of creation or something being created.
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