The animal kingdom offers endless inspiration for naming your new baby. You can find strong, nature-based options ranging from tiny birds to powerful bears.
Animal names for babies bring a unique touch to your top choices. We gathered a massive list of names meaning animal to help you find the perfect fit for your little one.
Whether you want a fierce name for a boy or a graceful bird name for a girl, this guide covers everything you need.
In This Article
54 Amazing Animal Names for Girls
Explore these beautiful animal-inspired names for your little girl.
- Alondra: A melodic Spanish girl name meaning “lark.”
- Alouette: A French name meaning “skylark” that offers gorgeous femininity.
- Arachne: A name from Greek mythology meaning “spider.”
- Ava: A pretty diminutive of “avis,” the Latin word for “bird,” serving as a great alternative to Eve or Eva.
- Bee: Often used as a nickname for names beginning with “B,” but it works perfectly as a stand-alone animal name.
- Belinda: A feminine name meaning “beautiful” in Italian or “bright snake” in Germanic languages.
- Birdie: A sweet pet name derived directly from the English word for “bird.”
- Bunny: A cute, fluffy animal-inspired nickname that works well as a middle name.
- Cat: A fun animal name commonly heard as a short form for Catherine or Katya.
- Ceren: A graceful Turkish name meaning “gazelle.”
- Circe: A Greek girl name from mythology meaning “bird.”
- Darva: A pretty Slavic girl name with the sweet meaning of “honeybee.”
- Deborah: A Hebrew name meaning “bee,” with popular nicknames like Deb or Debbie.
- Deryn: A pretty Welsh girl name meaning “bird,” which is also spelled Aderyn.
- Dolphin: A rare yet fun name for a playful water baby.
- Dove: A pure and romantic bird name that serves as an international peace symbol.
- Echidna: The small, spiny anteater-like mammal makes a surprisingly pretty, feminine name.
- Eilir: A gorgeous name and symbol of change, this Welsh animal name means “butterfly.”
- Enara: A pretty Basque girl name inspired by the swallow bird.
- Fauna: The Roman goddess of nature and animals makes a fantastic name for a little wildlife lover.
- Fèngyīng: Pronounced “fung-yeeng,” this Chinese female name translates to “phoenix.”
- Filly: A young female horse that also works well as a cool nickname for someone from Philadelphia.
- Flutura: We adore this fluttery Albanian name meaning “butterfly.”
- Gallina: A pretty Spanish name for a plucky little hen.
- Hotaru: A radiant Japanese girl name meaning “firefly.”
- Iwalani: A unique choice among names that mean animal, this Hawaiian pick means “heavenly seagull.”
- Jemima: A sugary-sweet Hebrew girl name meaning “dove.”
- Kimana: A Native American girl name for a beautiful butterfly.
- Kimimela: An adorable Native American girl name meaning “butterfly.”
- Kitty: A short form of Katherine and a sweet name for a cute cat.
- Lagle: Meaning “goose,” this Estonian girl name sure is fun.
- Leona: Meaning “lioness,” this smart Latin girl name is full of pride.
- Mare: A horse-inspired option often heard as a nickname for longer names such as Meredith or Maria.
- Mariposa: Feminine and delicate, this Spanish girl name means “butterfly.”
- Mavis: A vintage-sounding French girl name with the melodic meaning of “songbird.”
- Melissa: A popular girl name that is as sweet as honey, meaning “bee” in Greek.
- Neko: The Japanese word for “cat” makes a cute girl name to consider.
- Oonagh: A great Irish animal name choice meaning “lamb.”
- Paloma: Meaning “pigeon” or “dove,” this bird name from Latin is full of peace.
- Panda: A rare but cute bear-inspired name, also heard as an affectionate nickname for Pandora.
- Parvaneh: A romantic choice among animal names for babies meaning “butterfly” in Persian.
- Philippa: A British girl name meaning “friend of horses,” serving as a feminine variant of Philip.
- Piper: A cute musical surname and given name meaning “pipe player” and a type of wading bird.
- Porcia: Meaning “pig,” this Roman girl name is also commonly spelled Portia.
- Rachel: A popular girl name derived from Hebrew meaning “ewe.”
- Tabitha: A cute Aramaic name meaning “gazelle” or “gracious, beautiful.”
- Teter: A soft and delicate Armenian name meaning “butterfly.”
- Una: An elegant and modern-looking take on the Irish Oonagh meaning “lamb.”
- Ursula: A Latin-rooted girl name meaning “little bear.”
- Vega: A powerful pick among animal names for girls, Vega means “swooping eagle” in Arabic.
- Yaelle: A romantic Hebrew name for girls meaning “ibex” or “mountain goat.”
- Yaen: With the unique meaning of “ostrich,” this rare Hebrew girl name is sure to stand out.
- Ylva: A great option if you love animal names of Viking origin, as Ylva means “she-wolf.”
- Zipporah: Meaning “bird,” this Hebrew animal name is full of flight and possibility.
62 Awesome Animal Names for Boys
Find a strong and adventurous animal name for your baby boy.
- Ant: A tiny but mighty insect name that often serves as a popular nickname for Anthony.
- Archippos: An ancient Greek boy name meaning “friend of horses.”
- Ari: A fantastic animal-inspired name meaning “lion” in Hebrew or “eagle” in Old Norse.
- Aries: From Roman mythology, this unique name, constellation, and zodiac sign means “ram.”
- Arthur: A great medieval Celtic name meaning “bear.”
- Aslan: A Turkic name meaning “lion.”
- Atsadi: A fresh, watery name of Native American (Cherokee) origin meaning “fish.”
- Azio: A wise choice meaning “owl” in Italian.
- Babar: A Pashto and Persian name for boys meaning “tiger.”
- Bakr: A unique Muslim baby name meaning “young camel.”
- Bear: A fierce pick among animal-inspired names that seems cuddly on the inside.
- Billy: A common nickname for William meaning “resolute protector,” but a “billy” is also a male goat.
- Bjorn: A cool Swedish name meaning “bear.”
- Bradan: Meaning “salmon,” this Irish animal name may be ancient, but it sounds surprisingly modern.
- Brock: A friendly boy name meaning “badger” dating back to medieval England.
- Buck: A very masculine-sounding name inspired by the male deer.
- Colm: This strong, masculine Irish name holds the pure and delicate meaning of “dove.”
- Colt: Inspired by the name of a young male horse.
- Condor: A species of vulture and a badass-sounding given name and surname.
- Connor: A popular Irish male name meaning “lover of hounds,” great for a pup-loving baby.
- Corbin: Dark and mysterious, this English surname and given name means “crow.”
- Draco: A magical yet menacing Greek name meaning “dragon” or “serpent.”
- Drake: Great for R&B fans, meaning “dragon,” Drake is also the name of a male duck.
- Dustu: A Cherokee name meaning “spring frog,” great for a perky baby born in the springtime.
- Ezio: A spicy and modern-looking Greek name meaning “eagle.”
- Falcon: A badass regal name after the king of the birds.
- Felinus: A Latin male name meaning “cat-like,” cute for a feline-friendly family.
- Fox: A name with cunning connotations after the sly, red canine.
- Gallus: A cool Roman Latin name meaning “rooster.”
- Gosling: The word for baby geese makes a handsome surname and potential first name.
- Hahn: This German name meaning “rooster” would make an attractive male given name.
- Heron: A surname or cool first name after the elegant wading bird.
- Jistu: Another Cherokee animal name after the legendary trickster rabbit.
- Joey: A popular nickname for Joseph and the name for a baby kangaroo.
- Jonah: A handsome biblical Hebrew name with the peaceful meaning of “dove.”
- Jonas: A variant of Jonah, also with the bird-inspired meaning of “dove.”
- Karhu: A cool, woody Finnish name meaning “bear.”
- Kit: A short, cool nickname used for various baby animals, including squirrels, raccoons, and rabbits.
- Leo: A short and popular pick from Latin meaning “lion.”
- Leonard: A longer variation of Leo meaning “brave lion.”
- Lonán: A sweet Gaelic boy name meaning “blackbird.”
- Mayur: A charming Hindi name meaning “peacock,” great for a charming little lad.
- Nanuq: A chilly choice among animal names for boys meaning “polar bear” from Inuktitut.
- Oisín: A very popular Irish wildlife name meaning “little deer.”
- Ormr: From Old Norse, this slithery name means “snake” or “serpent.”
- Orson: A cool Latin name full of the animal spirit, with the cute meaning of “bear cub.”
- Oscar: A very popular English name meaning “friend of deer.”
- Otso: A cuddly Finnish boy name meaning “bear.”
- Panther: A cool and slick choice among animal-inspired names.
- Philip: A Greek-rooted name meaning “friend of horses,” perfect for animal-loving parents.
- Poe: A Norse-rooted surname meaning “peacock” that could be a cool given name.
- Ronan: A handsome Gaelic male name with the sea-loving meaning of “little seal.”
- Rudolph: A German-rooted boy name meaning “famous, glorious wolf,” also associated with a festive reindeer.
- Simba: Popularized by Disney, this Swahili name means “lion.”
- Singh: A common Sikh surname and middle name meaning “lion” in Sanskrit.
- Tiger: A powerful pick among animal names for boys with fire and bite.
- Tipu: A sweet-sounding, safari-themed Indian male name meaning “tiger.”
- Todd: Soft and gentle like an animal protector, this English male name means “fox.”
- Wilbur: A strong, old-fashioned English name meaning “wild boar” or “resolute” in Old German.
- Wolf: An adventurous animal name for outdoorsy lads.
- Wolfgang: An earthy, no-nonsense German name meaning “traveling wolf.”
- Ze’ev: Sometimes spelled Zev, this hot Hebrew boy name means “wolf.”
19 Gender-Neutral Names Meaning Animal
These unisex animal names offer great options for any baby.
- Ariel: A strong biblical Hebrew name meaning “lion of God” seen often in popular culture.
- Chick: A chirpy pet name for your new baby chicken.
- Fiadh: A magical-sounding fairytale of a name meaning “deer” in Irish.
- Gatti: Meaning “cat,” this Italian surname would make a fun given name for a curious kid.
- Griffin: A unique animal name after the mythological eagle and lion hybrid creature.
- Jay: Often heard as a nickname for “J” names, it is also a cute type of bird.
- Kamome: Meaning “seagull” in Japanese, Kamome is unique but majestic.
- Lark: A pretty and romantic bird-inspired name for a dreamy baby.
- Lenni: A sweet and friendly Finnish name meaning “brave lion.”
- Lynx: This big cat name sounds like it would make a highly stylish given name.
- Newt: This small amphibian name has been used for various characters in fantasy movies and pop culture.
- Peura: Great for a Christmas-born baby, this gender-neutral Finnish name means “reindeer.”
- Phoenix: A magical name after the mythical bird that is reborn from its ashes.
- Raven: Dark and mysterious, we adore this ominous bird-inspired name.
- Ray: A gorgeous name for a new little sunbeam inspired by the type of fish.
- Robin: This sweet, gender-neutral bird name makes us think of the friendly red-breasted winter bird.
- Sable: An English and Slavic name referencing the small, forest-dwelling mammal known for its dark fur.
- Spider: A creepy-crawly animal name for the coolest kid on the block.
- Wren: A sweet and curious name inspired by the small songbird.
Animal-Inspired Names FAQs
What Name Means Bear?
Some unique and powerful baby names mean “bear” such as Arthur, Karhu, Bjorn, and Nanuq for boys, or Panda and Ursula for girls.
What Are Some Unique Baby Animal Names?
Baby animals are adorable, and there are some sweet names inspired by their cuteness. Chick, Gosling, Colt, Joey, and Filly all make fun, unique animal names for babies.
What Baby Name Means Wolf?
Other than simply choosing Wolf for your kiddo, there are some fantastic animal-inspired names meaning “wolf.” For girls, Ylva is a pretty pick, and Ze’ev or Rudolph are cool choices for boys.
What Name Means Lion?
If you want a fierce and courageous name, Leo, Ari, and Aslan all mean “lion” for boys. Leona is a beautiful choice meaning “lioness” for girls, while Ariel means “lion of God.”
What Girl Name Means Bird?
There are many elegant bird names for girls. Ava is derived from Latin for “bird,” while options like Mavis, Deryn, Paloma, and Wren are all inspired by specific birds or mean “bird” directly.
What Name Means Fox?
Todd is a classic English male name that means “fox.” You can also simply use Fox as a strong, modern first or middle name for your baby.
What Baby Name Means Deer?
For parents who love woodland creatures, Oscar means “friend of deer,” and Oisín translates to “little deer.” Fiadh is a beautiful Irish choice meaning “deer,” and Buck is a great option for a boy.
What Boy Name Means Eagle?
Ari translates to “eagle” in Old Norse, while Ezio is a modern-sounding Greek name that also carries the meaning of “eagle.” Both are strong, soaring choices for a baby boy.
What Name Means Butterfly?
Butterfly names represent beauty and transformation. Mariposa is the Spanish word for butterfly, Kimana has Native American origins, and Parvaneh is a romantic Persian name meaning “butterfly.”
What Name Means Cat?
Feline-inspired names are playful and fun. Neko means “cat” in Japanese, while Gatti is an Italian surname meaning “cat.” You can also use Kitty or Cat as sweet, simple given names.
