200+ Bird Names for Babies: Robin, Wren & Beyond

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This list rounds up more than 150 bird names for babies, from the familiar (Robin, Wren) to the far less expected (Kestrel, Linnet, Sparrow). You’ll find full given names, nickname-ready options, and a few surname-turned-first-name picks along the way, so there’s a lot of ground to cover. Each entry comes with its meaning and origin, so you can land on something that sounds good and carries a little history behind it too.

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Popularity below is calculated from Social Security Administration data through 2024, the most recent year on record.

Here’s what’s in store –

Classic English Bird Names

Cottagecore & Pinterest-Era Picks

English Bird Names That Read Modern

Hebrew & Biblical Bird Names

Greek, Latin & Mythological Bird Names

Sanskrit & Indian Bird Names

Japanese, Chinese & East Asian Bird Names

French, Italian & Spanish Bird Names

Celtic, Welsh & Gaelic Bird Names

Arabic, Persian & Turkish Bird Names

Native American & Indigenous Bird Names

Bird names have been quietly climbing the charts for the better part of a decade. Wren broke into the U.S. top 200 for girls. Robin and Lark are back after a long sleep. Finch, once a surname or a Atticus-adjacent literary nod, is now showing up on birth announcements in earnest. And cottagecore aesthetics on Pinterest — mossy nurseries, linen swaddles, hand-painted mobiles — have made bird-themed naming feel less twee and more grounded than it used to.

What this list does that most don’t: it gathers the obvious English picks (Robin, Jay, Wren) alongside dozens of international bird-meaning names you’ve probably never seen on a list before. Hebrew, Japanese, Sanskrit, Welsh, Persian, Cherokee — every culture has its own bird vocabulary, and a lot of those names are quietly beautiful and almost completely unused in the U.S.

A few belong to specific birds; others mean “bird,” “song,” “wing,” or “to fly.” Some are unisex, some lean one way. All of them are real. Pin the ones that snag you and come back to them.

Classic English Bird Names

These are the ones English-speaking parents reach for first — names that are unambiguously birds and have been used on babies (here and there) for centuries. Most work for either gender, with a few exceptions noted.

Robin

Origin: Old French (diminutive of Robert)
Pronunciation: RAH-bin · ˈrɑːbɪn
Meaning: pet form of Robert, whose Germanic roots mean roughly ‘bright fame’; the female/modern use is also commonly linked directly to the robin bird
Popularity: #799 and falling (#787 → #799, 2024)

Unisex and ageless; nostalgic without feeling dated.

Wren

Origin: English (Middle English)
Pronunciation: REN · ˈrɛn
Meaning: the small songbird
Popularity: #213 and falling (#195 → #213, 2024)

Short, sturdy, and the breakout star of cottagecore naming.

Lark

Origin: English
Pronunciation: LARK · ˈlɑːrk
Meaning: the songbird
Popularity: #3,534 and falling (#3,501 → #3,534, 2024)

Light, optimistic, and quietly literary.

Jay

Origin: English (nickname from Old French “jai, ” the jay bird); also a South Asian variant of Sanskrit Jai/Jaya
Pronunciation: JAY · dʒeɪ
Meaning: From the jaybird; also a diminutive of names starting with J
Popularity: #396 and falling (#381 → #396, 2024)

Cool, clipped, and easy on any sibling set.

Finch

Origin: English (surname)
Pronunciation: FINCH · ˈfɪntʃ
Meaning: named for the finch bird
Popularity: #5,101 and rising (#7,030 → #5,101, 2024)

Pulled into the spotlight by *To Kill a Mockingbird* and aging beautifully.

Sparrow

Origin: Middle English
Pronunciation: SPAIR-oh · ˈspɛroʊ
Meaning: the sparrow bird
Popularity: #3,554 and falling (#2,840 → #3,554, 2024)

Pop-culture-tinged (Nicole Richie used it) but still feels homespun.

Hawk

Origin: English (word/nature name)
Pronunciation: HAWK · hɔːk
Meaning: the bird of prey (hawk)
Popularity: #3,343 and falling (#3,137 → #3,343, 2024)

Bold, single-syllable, and unmistakably masculine.

Falcon

Origin: English (from Old French faucon, Late Latin falco)
Pronunciation: FAL-kun · ˈfælkən
Meaning: a falcon, the bird of prey
Popularity: #4,920 and rising (#5,305 → #4,920, 2024)

Regal and athletic; works as a middle name too.

Phoenix

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: FEE-niks · ˈfiːnɪks
Meaning: the mythical firebird symbolizing rebirth and renewal
Popularity: #275 and falling (#269 → #275, 2024)

The rebirth name; perfect after a hard road to parenthood.

Raven

Origin: English (word name, masculine use parallels Old Norse Hrafn)
Pronunciation: RAY-vuhn · ˈreɪvən
Meaning: the black-feathered bird
Popularity: #388 and falling (#361 → #388, 2024)

Gothic in the best way; suits a baby with dark hair.

Dove

Origin: English
Pronunciation: DUV · ˈdʌv
Meaning: dove (the bird), a symbol of peace
Popularity: #1,625 and rising (#2,143 → #1,625, 2024)

Gentle, biblical, and very Pinterest-ready.

Crane

Origin: English (surname from the bird name)
Pronunciation: KRAYN · ˈkreɪn
Meaning: crane (the bird)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Spare and elegant; pairs well with one-syllable middles.

Heron

Origin: Old English/Old French (surname); unrelated Irish surname homographs also exist
Pronunciation: HERR-un · ˈhɛrən
Meaning: The long-legged wading bird; as a surname, ‘Heron’ also has separate, unconnected origins, though its modern use as a nature name draws on the bird sense.
Popularity: #4,341 and rising (#5,754 → #4,341, 2024)

Patient, watchful energy; rarely used and feels fresh.

Hawkin

Origin: Middle English
Pronunciation: HAW-kin · ˈhɔːkɪn
Meaning: Little hawk
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A softer way into Hawk.

Merle

Origin: French
Pronunciation: MURL · mɜːrl
Meaning: blackbird
Popularity: #4,640 and falling (#3,157 → #4,640, 2024)

Old-school charm with a French lilt.

Mavis

Origin: English (coinage, underlying word traces to Old French)
Pronunciation: MAY-vis · ˈmeɪvɪs
Meaning: song thrush, a poetic word for the bird
Popularity: #566 and rising (#595 → #566, 2024)

Vintage and currently quietly cool again.

Linnet

Origin: English (from the bird name)
Pronunciation: LIN-it · ˈlɪnɪt
Meaning: a small songbird (the linnet)
Popularity: #19,315 as of 2007 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Like Lyra and Lila had a bird-loving cousin.

Pip

Origin: English (diminutive of Philip/Philippa), ultimately Greek
Pronunciation: PIP · pɪp
Meaning: lover of horses
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Sweet nickname-as-name.

Peregrine

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: PAIR-uh-grin · ˈpɛrəɡrɪn
Meaning: traveler or pilgrim (from a Latin word originally meaning ‘foreigner’)
Popularity: #3,365 and rising (#3,855 → #3,365, 2024)

Long, romantic, and underused.

Kestrel

Origin: Old French (via Middle English)
Pronunciation: KESS-trul · ˈkɛstrəl
Meaning: A small, hovering falcon; the word entered English via Old French, and its deeper root isn’t fully settled.
Popularity: #11,613 and falling (#7,458 → #11,613, 2024)

Unusual, strong, and softer than Hawk.

Swift

Origin: Old English
Pronunciation: SWIFT · swɪft
Meaning: Quick-moving, fast; originally a nickname for an agile person (the swift bird takes its name from this same adjective).
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Modern and one-syllable; also a verb you’d want for a kid.

Drake

Origin: English
Pronunciation: DRAYK · ˈdreɪk
Meaning: dragon
Popularity: #661 and rising (#681 → #661, 2024)

Sturdier than Duck (which nobody is using) and currently popular.

Quail

Origin: English (surname, disputed origin)
Pronunciation: KWAYL · kweɪl
Meaning: disputed: a variant of the surname McPhail, or an English nickname from the quail bird
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Quirky and rural; works best as a middle.

Plover

Origin: Old French
Pronunciation: PLUV-ur · ˈplʌvər
Meaning: the shorebird, possibly linked to an old word for rain
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Distinctive and beachy.

Starling

Origin: English (surname, from a nickname)
Pronunciation: STAR-ling · ˈstɑːrlɪŋ
Meaning: chattering, sociable person (nickname from the flocking starling bird)
Popularity: #10,730 and falling (#6,459 → #10,730, 2024)

Underused and a little punky.

Jaybird

Origin: English
Pronunciation: JAY-berd · ˈdʒeɪbɜːrd
Meaning: an established English synonym for ‘jay’; functions as a playful extension of the name Jay
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Folksy nickname energy.

Mockingbird

Origin: English (word name)
Pronunciation: MOCK-ing-burd · ˈmɒkɪŋbɜːrd
Meaning: a songbird known for mimicking other birds’ calls
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Big and literary; better as a middle.

Pigeon

Origin: Old French (from Vulgar Latin)
Pronunciation: PIJ-in · ˈpɪd͡ʒ.ɪn
Meaning: a young or chirping bird (from Latin ‘to chirp’)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Half-joke, half-darling; some parents are actually using it.

Magpie

Origin: English
Pronunciation: MAG-pye · ˈmæɡpaɪ
Meaning: the black-and-white corvid; from ‘pie’ (the old word for the bird, from Latin pica) plus ‘Mag’, a pet form of Margaret used to personify it — the same pattern as Robin Redbreast or Jenny Wren
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Mischievous, smart, and a real character of a name.

Hen

Origin: Germanic (English/North Frisian)
Pronunciation: HEN · hɛn
Meaning: hen; female chicken — from Proto-Germanic *hanjo, the feminine of the word for rooster
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Tiny and homestead-y; works as a nickname for Henrietta or Henley.

Cottagecore & Pinterest-Era Picks

If you’ve spent any time on baby-name Pinterest in the last three years, these are the names you keep seeing on linen-swaddle flat-lays. They lean nature-soft, slightly old-fashioned, and look beautiful in hand-lettered nursery prints.

Wrenley

Origin: modern coinage (English, Wren + -ley)
Pronunciation: REN-lee · ˈrɛnli
Meaning: Elaborated form of Wren
Popularity: #149 and rising (#175 → #149, 2024)

All the cottagecore appeal of Wren with extra syllables for parents who want length.

Wrenna

Origin: English
Pronunciation: REN-ah · ˈrɛnə
Meaning: small bird, an elaboration of the name Wren
Popularity: #2,625 and rising (#4,356 → #2,625, 2024)

Softer and more feminine-leaning than the original.

Birdie

Origin: English
Pronunciation: BUR-dee · ˈbɜːrdi
Meaning: little bird (also historically used as a pet form of Bertha)
Popularity: #754 and falling (#700 → #754, 2024)

Used by Busy Philipps and a small army of stylish moms since.

Bird

Origin: English (word name / surname)
Pronunciation: BURD · bɜːrd
Meaning: the flying animal (as a surname, of mixed/uncertain origin)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Spare, modern, and surprisingly wearable.

Larkin

Origin: English (surname, origin disputed)
Pronunciation: LAR-kin · ˈlɑːr.kɪn
Meaning: Little Lark; also Irish for “fierce”
Popularity: #2,973 and falling (#2,781 → #2,973, 2024)

Best of both worlds.

Larkspur

Origin: English (plant name)
Pronunciation: LARK-sper · ˈlɑːrkspɜːr
Meaning: named for the flower’s spur-shaped petal, thought to resemble a lark’s claw or spur
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Long and romantic; nudges into floral too.

Belongs here too — it’s peak cottagecore.

– **Lennox** — From the Scottish surname, often associated with the song thrush by sound alone. Bonus for parents who want bird-adjacent without committing.

Phoebe

Origin: Ancient Greek
Pronunciation: FEE-bee · ˈfiːbi
Meaning: bright, shining
Popularity: #183 and rising (#190 → #183, 2024)

Doubles as a Greek goddess name; one of the best “secret bird” picks.

Junco

Origin: Spanish (from Latin juncus)
Pronunciation: HOON-koh
Meaning: Literally ‘rush’ (the marsh plant) in Spanish/Latin; applied as the name for a genus of small sparrows rather than an original bird-word
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Quirky, short, and almost no one is using it.

Towhee

Origin: English (onomatopoeic)
Pronunciation: TOH-hee · ˈtoʊhiː
Meaning: a New World sparrow, its name imitating the bird’s own call
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Unusual and sweet-sounding.

– **Wilder** — Surname meaning “untamed” (English); evokes wild birds. Currently trending and works with this aesthetic.
– **Marsh** — Wetland (English); habitat for herons, bitterns, and rails. One-syllable and grounding.

Reed

Origin: English (surname, multiple origins)
Pronunciation: REED · ˈriːd
Meaning: a surname of debated origin: red-haired (variant of Reid), a clearer of land, or a topographic name for a dweller by the reeds
Popularity: #421 and rising (#429 → #421, 2024)

Slim, modern, and bird-habitat adjacent.

Willow

Origin: English
Pronunciation: WIL-oh · ˈwɪloʊ
Meaning: named for the willow tree
Popularity: #41, holding steady (2024)

Already mainstream but earns its place.

Briar

Origin: English (Middle English)
Pronunciation: BRY-er · ˈbraɪər
Meaning: thorny shrub or bramble
Popularity: #522 and rising (#549 → #522, 2024)

Cottagecore essential.

– **Hollis** — Holly grove (English); habitat for winter berry-eating birds. Soft-edged.

Thrush

Origin: English (surname)
Pronunciation: THRUSH · θrʌʃ
Meaning: thrush, the songbird (surname taken directly from the bird’s name)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Audacious as a first name; gorgeous as a middle.

Pippin

Origin: uncertain — English word (from ‘pip, ‘ a seed/seedling apple) or the historical Frankish royal name Pepin, of disputed Germanic origin
Pronunciation: PIP-in · ˈpɪpɪn
Meaning: Small apple; nickname for Philip
Popularity: #9,628 and falling (#8,810 → #9,628, 2024)

Posy

Origin: English (from Middle English poesy, ‘verse’)
Pronunciation: POH-zee · ˈpoʊzi
Meaning: a small bunch of flowers
Popularity: #14,813 and falling (#7,955 → #14,813, 2024)

Not a bird, but lives in this exact aesthetic neighborhood as a sister name.

Marlowe

Origin: English (place name: Marlow)
Pronunciation: MAR-loh · ˈmɑːrloʊ
Meaning: Driftwood pool
Popularity: #624 and rising (#835 → #624, 2024)

Has the bird-name texture without being one — works in mixed sets.

Juno

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: JOO-noh · ˈdʒuːnoʊ
Meaning: queen of the Roman gods (the name’s own root is linguistically uncertain)
Popularity: #1,382 and falling (#1,333 → #1,382, 2024)

Sneaky bird connection.

Halcyon

Origin: Greek (via Latin)
Pronunciation: HAL-see-uhn · ˈhælsiən
Meaning: the mythical kingfisher of Greek legend, whose story gave rise to the figurative sense ‘calm and peaceful’
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Alouette

Origin: French
Pronunciation: ah-loo-ET · ˌæluˈɛt
Meaning: lark
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

From the children’s song; brave but lovely.

Rosella

Origin: Italian/Latin (diminutive of Rosa)
Pronunciation: roh-ZEL-ah · roʊˈzɛlə
Meaning: little rose
Popularity: #2,335 and falling (#2,282 → #2,335, 2024)

Sounds like a vintage girl’s name and is one.

English Bird Names That Read Modern

Some bird-derived names have shed all “old-fashioned” baggage and now feel as current as Wilder or Hudson. These are the picks for parents who want a bird name that won’t read fussy on a teenager.

Hudson

Origin: English (surname)
Pronunciation: HUD-suhn · ˈhʌdsən
Meaning: patronymic surname, ‘son of Hud/Hudde’ (a medieval pet form of Hugh), later used as a given name
Popularity: #22 and falling (#21 → #22, 2024)

Already trending.

Rio

Origin: Spanish/Portuguese
Pronunciation: REE-oh · ˈriːoʊ
Meaning: river
Popularity: #516 and rising (#570 → #516, 2024)

Short and warm.

Ace

Origin: English (from the word “ace”, ultimately Old French/Latin as, “a single unit”)
Pronunciation: AYSS · ˈeɪs
Meaning: one who excels; top-ranked
Popularity: #165 and falling (#157 → #165, 2024)

Works for a kid named after a falconer’s bird.

Storm

Origin: English
Pronunciation: STORM · ˈstɔːrm
Meaning: taken directly from the English word ‘storm’ (tempest, violent weather)
Popularity: #1,621 and falling (#1,508 → #1,621, 2024)

Atmospheric and one-syllable.

Skye

Origin: Scottish (from the Isle of Skye, a place name of disputed/unresolved origin) or English (playful respelling of ‘sky’)
Pronunciation: SKY · ˈskaɪ
Meaning: Like the sky where birds fly
Popularity: #480 and falling (#447 → #480, 2024)

Always fresh.

Wing

Origin: English (word name)
Pronunciation: WING · wɪŋ
Meaning: a bird’s wing
Popularity: #15,810 as of 1996 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Audaciously short; underused as a middle.

Aero

Origin: Greek (modern use of the word/prefix ‘aer-‘, air)
Pronunciation: AIR-oh · ˈɛər.oʊ
Meaning: air
Popularity: #2,706 and falling (#2,478 → #2,706, 2024)

For a baby whose parents love flight.

Soren

Origin: Danish (Scandinavian), ultimately Latin
Pronunciation: SOR-en · ˈsɔːrən
Meaning: stern, severe
Popularity: #571 and falling (#542 → #571, 2024)

Bird-adjacent through sound.

Tern

Origin: Old Norse
Pronunciation: TURN · tɜːrn
Meaning: the seabird
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Spare, modern, and beachy.

Kite

Origin: English (surname)
Pronunciation: KYT · kaɪt
Meaning: As a given name, from the bird of prey. As a surname, it has three unrelated origins: the bird, an Americanized form of the surname Keith, or Old English cyte (‘hut, cottage’) via place names.
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Bold one-syllable pick.

Hebrew & Biblical Bird Names

Hebrew is rich with bird vocabulary — and so is the Bible itself. These names range from familiar (Jonah) to barely-known-in-the-U.S. (Tzipora’s many cousins).

Jonah

Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: JOH-nah · ˈdʒoʊnə
Meaning: dove
Popularity: #126 and falling (#124 → #126, 2024)

The biggie; gentle and biblical with bird meaning baked in.

Jonas

Origin: Hebrew (via Greek/Latin)
Pronunciation: JOH-nus · ˈdʒoʊnəs
Meaning: form of Jonah: dove
Popularity: #556 and falling (#534 → #556, 2024)

The European version.

Yonah

Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: dove
Popularity: #2,938 and rising (#3,556 → #2,938, 2024)

The Hebrew spelling, increasingly used.

Yonina

Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: yo-NEE-nuh · joʊˈniːnə
Meaning: little dove
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Rare and lovely.

Tzipora

Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: tsih-POH-rah · tsɪˈpɔːrə
Meaning: bird
Popularity: #3,004 and rising (#3,082 → #3,004, 2024)

Moses’ wife; serious biblical heft. Often spelled Zipporah.

Zipporah

Origin: Hebrew (biblical)
Pronunciation: zih-POR-uh · zɪˈpɔːrə
Meaning: bird
Popularity: #2,916 and falling (#2,644 → #2,916, 2024)

Same name, anglicized spelling.

Tzipi

Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: TSEE-pee · ˈtsiːpi
Meaning: little bird (pet form of Tzipora)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Sweet nickname-as-name.

– **Aya** — Bird (Hebrew); also means “colorful” in Japanese. Works cross-culturally.

Efrona

Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: ef-ROH-nah · ɛfˈroʊnɑː
Meaning: lark (feminine form of Hebrew efroni, ‘lark’)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Distinctive and almost unused outside Israel.

Gozala

Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: goh-ZAH-lah · ɡoːzaːˈlaː
Meaning: young bird/fledgling (feminine form of Hebrew gozal)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Tender and unusual.

Salama

Origin: Arabic (also an Egyptian surname); used in Swahili-speaking East Africa
Pronunciation: sah-LAH-mah · sɑːˈlɑːmə
Meaning: safety, soundness, well-being
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Cross-cultural and peaceful.

Yemima

Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: yeh-mee-MAH · jɛmiˈma
Meaning: dove (traditional gloss, root debated)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Job’s daughter in the Bible; lyrical.

Jemima

Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: juh-MY-muh · dʒəˈmaɪmə
Meaning: dove
Popularity: #3,024 and falling (#2,796 → #3,024, 2024)

Reclaiming a beautiful biblical name.

Anpah

Origin: Claimed Hebrew
Meaning: Heron
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Practically unknown in the U.S.

Greek, Latin & Mythological Bird Names

The classical world was bird-mad — Athena’s owl, Juno’s peacock, Aphrodite’s swans, the phoenix’s rebirth. Many of these names carry mythology along with the bird.

Triple-duty: bird, goddess, *Friends* character.

Cygnus

Origin: Latin (from Greek kyknos)
Pronunciation: SIG-nus · ˈsɪɡnəs
Meaning: swan
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The constellation; bold for a boy.

Aetos

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: ay-TOS · eɪˈtɒs
Meaning: eagle
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Sharp and unusual.

Alcyone

Origin: Ancient Greek (the underlying word is itself of pre-Greek/uncertain origin)
Pronunciation: al-SY-uh-nee · ælˈsaɪəni
Meaning: kingfisher; name of a Pleiad and of a mythological queen turned into a kingfisher
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Long-form Halcyon for parents who love mythology.

Iris

Origin: Greek
Pronunciation: EYE-ris · ˈaɪrɪs
Meaning: rainbow; also the name of the Greek goddess/messenger of the rainbow, and the flower named after her
Popularity: #71 and rising (#78 → #71, 2024)

Flower and bird-adjacent both.

Ariel

Origin: Hebrew
Pronunciation: AIR-ee-el · ˈɛriəl
Meaning: lion of God
Popularity: #299 and falling (#287 → #299, 2024)

Bird-adjacent via folklore.

Aquila

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: uh-KWIL-uh · əˈkwɪlə
Meaning: eagle
Popularity: #12,246 and falling (#11,274 → #12,246, 2024)

Strong, biblical, and unusual.

Columba

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: kuh-LUM-buh · kəˈlʌmbə
Meaning: dove
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Saintly and elegant.

Colm

Origin: Irish
Pronunciation: KOL-um · ˈkɑːləm
Meaning: dove
Popularity: #6,216 and falling (#5,104 → #6,216, 2024)

Streamlined version.

Colman

Origin: Irish
Pronunciation: KOHL-mən · ˈkoʊlmən
Meaning: little dove
Popularity: #7,843 and rising (#9,936 → #7,843, 2024)

Saint name with bird roots.

Paloma

Origin: Spanish (from Latin)
Pronunciation: puh-LOH-mah · pəˈloʊmə
Meaning: dove
Popularity: #971 and rising (#974 → #971, 2024)

Picasso’s daughter; soft and chic.

Avis

Origin: uncertain (medieval English, likely a form of Avice)
Pronunciation: AY-vis · ˈeɪvɪs
Meaning: Bird
Popularity: #8,992 and falling (#8,108 → #8,992, 2024)

The vintage version of Bird; quietly making a comeback.

Pavo

Origin: Croatian (South Slavic, form of Paul/Paulus)
Pronunciation: PAH-voh · ˈpâːʋo
Meaning: small, humble
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

For the bold.

Corvus

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: KOR-vus · ˈkɔːrvəs
Meaning: crow or raven (also the name of a southern-sky constellation)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Smart, dark, and unusual.

Merula

Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: MEHR-oo-lah · ˈmɛrʊlə
Meaning: blackbird
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Romantic and rare.

Sanskrit & Indian Bird Names

Sanskrit and the Indian subcontinent’s languages have dozens of names rooted in birds — peacocks especially, given the peacock’s status as India’s national bird.

Hamsa

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: HUM-sah · ˈhʌmsə
Meaning: swan or goose, a sacred bird symbolizing the soul
Popularity: #11,273 as of 2018 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Spiritual symbol and lovely sound.

Mayur

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: muh-YOOR · məˈjʊər
Meaning: peacock
Popularity: #11,700 as of 2017 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Common and beloved in India.

Mayura

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: muh-YOO-ruh · məˈjʊərə
Meaning: peacock (masculine form in Sanskrit)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Pankaj

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: PUN-kuj · ˈpʌŋkədʒ
Meaning: lotus, literally ‘mud-born’
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Bird-adjacent through poetic tradition.

Sarus

Origin: Sanskrit/Hindi
Pronunciation: SAIR-us
Meaning: crane (the sarus crane)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Named after a real, magnificent bird.

Kokila

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: KOH-kee-luh · ˈkoːkɪlɑː
Meaning: cuckoo (the Indian koel, celebrated in Sanskrit poetry for its song)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The cuckoo is poetic in Indian tradition; suggests sweet song.

Chakori

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: chuh-KOR-ee · tʃəˈkɔːri
Meaning: a mythical bird said to gaze at and feed on moonlight
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Romantic backstory.

Garuda

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: guh-ROO-duh · ɡəˈruːdə
Meaning: the divine eagle who carries the god Vishnu
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Powerful and divine.

Suparna

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: soo-PAR-nuh · sʊˈpɑːrnə
Meaning: beautiful-winged, an epithet for birds (esp. Garuda)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

One of Garuda’s epithets.

Tarkshya

Origin: Sanskrit
Pronunciation: TARK-shyuh · ˈtɑːrkʃjə
Meaning: a mythic bird-being of Vedic tradition, later linked to Garuda
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Unusual and lyrical.

Vihaan

Origin: modern Indian name (no confirmed Sanskrit root)
Pronunciation: vih-HAHN · vɪˈhɑːn
Meaning: Dawn, also linked to morning birdsong
Popularity: #957 and falling (#856 → #957, 2024)

Trending in India.

Japanese, Chinese & East Asian Bird Names

East Asian naming traditions often combine bird kanji with virtue or beauty characters. These names range from familiar (Kotori) to truly rare for U.S. ears.

Tori

Origin: English (diminutive)
Pronunciation: TOR-ee · ˈtɔːri
Meaning: a pet form/diminutive, commonly of Victoria
Popularity: #1,412 and falling (#1,174 → #1,412, 2024)

Doubles as the Western nickname for Victoria.

Kotori

Origin: Japanese
Pronunciation: koh-TOH-ree · koʊtoʊriː
Meaning: little bird (ko ‘small’ + tori ‘bird’)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Tender and tiny.

Tsubasa

Origin: Japanese
Pronunciation: tsoo-BAH-sah · tsuːˈbɑːsə
Meaning: wings
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Unisex and ambitious; popular in Japan.

Suzume

Origin: Japanese
Pronunciation: soo-ZOO-meh · suːˈzuːmeɪ
Meaning: sparrow
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Folktale-famous and lyrical.

Tsubame

Origin: Japanese
Pronunciation: tsoo-BAH-meh · tsuːˈbɑːmeɪ
Meaning: swallow (the bird)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Means the migratory bird; spring-y.

Hibari

Origin: Japanese
Pronunciation: hee-BAH-ree · çiˈbaɾi
Meaning: skylark
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Hato

Origin: Japanese
Pronunciation: HAH-toh · ˈhɑːtoʊ
Meaning: dove or pigeon (Japanese hato)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Spare and unusual.

Tsuru

Origin: Japanese
Pronunciation: TSOO-roo · ˈtsuːruː
Meaning: crane
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The crane is the symbol of long life.

Saki

Origin: Japanese
Pronunciation: SAH-kee · ˈsɑːki
Meaning: varies by kanji — often ‘blossom’ or ‘bloom,’ though the exact meaning depends on the characters chosen
Popularity: #13,218 as of 2020 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Bird-adjacent via sound.

Karasu

Origin: Japanese
Pronunciation: kah-RAH-soo · ka.ɾa.sɯ
Meaning: crow (Japanese karasu)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Bold and uncommon.

Feng

Origin: Chinese
Pronunciation: FUNG · fəŋ
Meaning: depends on the character used — options include ‘phoenix,’ an old place name/surname, or (with a different character) ‘maple’
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

That’s true only for one specific character (鳳); the same romanization ‘Feng’ also stands for an old surname, a place name, and other unrelated words.

Yan

Origin: Chinese (pinyin romanization, meaning depends on the character used)
Pronunciation: YEN · jɛn
Meaning: Swallow
Popularity: #2,902 and falling (#2,890 → #2,902, 2024)

Short and graceful.

Origin: Chinese/Korean/Japanese (romanization, meaning depends entirely on the underlying character)
Pronunciation: YWEH · ˈjweɪ
Meaning: Feather
Popularity: #14,169 and falling (#12,195 → #14,169, 2024)

One-syllable poetry.

Niao

Origin: Chinese
Pronunciation: NYOW · njaʊ
Meaning: bird
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The base word itself.

French, Italian & Spanish Bird Names

Romance languages handle bird names with a softness English doesn’t always match. Many of these are common in Europe and almost unused in the U.S.

See above; bold and beautiful.

Colombe

Origin: French (from Latin columba)
Pronunciation: kuh-LOHMB · kɔˈlɔ̃b
Meaning: dove
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Elegant and saintly.

Pinson

Origin: French
Pronunciation: pan-SAWN · pɛ̃ˈsɔ̃
Meaning: chaffinch, a small finch
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Rare and crisp.

Hirondelle

Origin: French
Pronunciation: ee-ron-DEL · iʁɔ̃ˈdɛl
Meaning: swallow (the bird), from Latin hirundo
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Long and lyrical; better as a middle.

Rossignol

Origin: Old French (from Vulgar Latin)
Pronunciation: raw-seen-YOL · rɔsiˈɲɔl
Meaning: nightingale
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

A surname-as-first; ambitious and beautiful.

Golondrina

Origin: Spanish
Pronunciation: goh-lawn-DREE-nah · ɡo.lonˈdɾi.na
Meaning: swallow (the bird), from Latin hirundo
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Floral-sounding; rare even in Spain.

Aguila

Origin: Spanish (anglicized)
Pronunciation: AH-gee-lah · ˈa.ɣi.la
Meaning: eagle
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Strong and ceremonial.

Calandria

Origin: Spanish
Pronunciation: kuh-LAHN-dree-uh · kəˈlɑːn.dri.ə
Meaning: calandra lark
Popularity: #12,642 as of 2003 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Songful and feminine.

Pavone

Origin: Italian (surname, from Sicilian)
Pronunciation: pah-VOH-neh · paˈvoːne
Meaning: peacock
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Dramatic and underused.

Allodola

Origin: Italian
Pronunciation: ahl-LOH-doh-lah · alˈlɔːdola
Meaning: lark
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Colombo

Origin: Italian
Pronunciation: koh-LOHM-boh
Meaning: dove
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Saint and surname; feels masculine.

Pavoncello

Origin: Italian (surname)
Pronunciation: pah-von-CHEL-loh · pavonˈtʃɛllo
Meaning: little peacock (diminutive of pavone)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

For the playful.

Celtic, Welsh & Gaelic Bird Names

The British Isles have a quietly stunning collection of bird names — many tied to old folklore, saints, or hill country.

Bran

Origin: English (surname)
Pronunciation: BRAN · bræn
Meaning: raven
Popularity: #11,099 and falling (#9,880 → #11,099, 2024)

Tiny, mythic, and currently rising.

Branwen

Origin: Welsh
Pronunciation: BRAN-wen · ˈbrænwɛn
Meaning: blessed or white raven
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

From the Mabinogion; one of the best Welsh names.

Dryw

Origin: Welsh
Pronunciation: DRIH-oo
Meaning: wren
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Short and authentic.

Aderyn

Origin: Welsh
Pronunciation: uh-DAIR-in · əˈdɛrɪn
Meaning: bird
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Lyrical and very unused.

Eryr

Origin: Welsh
Pronunciation: EHR-ir · ˈɛrɪr
Meaning: eagle
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Strong and percussive.

Cigfran

Origin: Welsh
Pronunciation: KIG-vrahn · ˈkɪɡvran
Meaning: raven (literally ‘flesh-crow’)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Mythic and unusual.

Iolo

Origin: Welsh
Pronunciation: YOL-oh · ˈjɔlɔ
Meaning: a pet form of Iorwerth (traditionally rendered ‘worthy/handsome lord’)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Bird-adjacent culturally.

Eun

Origin: Korean
Pronunciation: UHN · ɯn
Meaning: Bird
Popularity: #12,843 as of 2003 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Tiny and rare.

Lon

Origin: Irish
Pronunciation: LON · lɒn
Meaning: blackbird (Irish lon, as in lon dubh)
Popularity: #13,550 as of 2022 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Spare and one-syllable.

Smólach

Origin: Irish (Gaelic)
Meaning: thrush
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Hard to pronounce in English but lovely.

Fionnuala

Origin: Irish (Old Irish compound)
Pronunciation: fih-NOO-luh · fɪˈnuːlə
Meaning: white shoulder (fionn ‘white/fair’ + guala ‘shoulder’)
Popularity: #16,027 and falling (#12,563 → #16,027, 2024)

Long and mythic.

Nuala

Origin: Irish
Pronunciation: NOO-lah · ˈnuːlə
Meaning: fair/white shoulder (if a short form of Fionnuala)
Popularity: #7,479 and rising (#10,924 → #7,479, 2024)

Crisp and lovely.

– **Cathán** — Battle (Irish); root of Caitlin and also related to a bird-warrior figure. Bird-adjacent.

Lerryn

Origin: Cornish (place name)
Pronunciation: LAIR-in · ˈlɛrɪn
Meaning: Cornish village name evoking the lark
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Quietly distinctive.

Eirian

Origin: Welsh
Pronunciation: AY-ree-an · ˈeɪriən
Meaning: bright, beautiful
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Bird-adjacent and gorgeous.

Arabic, Persian & Turkish Bird Names

Across the Middle East, bird names carry layered meanings — Sufi mysticism, romantic poetry, falconry tradition. Several are mainstream in their home regions and almost unknown in the U.S.

Faraj

Origin: Arabic
Pronunciation: FAH-rahj
Meaning: relief, or release from hardship
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Warm and uncommon.

Tair

Origin: Arabic
Pronunciation: tah-EER · tɑːˈʔiːr
Meaning: bird (literally ‘one who flies’)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Short, strong, and unusual.

Bulbul

Origin: Arabic/Persian
Pronunciation: BOOL-bool · ˈbʊlbʊl
Meaning: nightingale
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Used as a nickname across the region.

Hudhud

Origin: Arabic
Pronunciation: HOOD-hood · ˈhʊdhʊd
Meaning: hoopoe (the bird tied to Solomon in the Quran)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Distinctive and meaningful.

Anqa

Origin: Arabic
Pronunciation: ahn-KAH · ɑːŋˈkɑː
Meaning: a mythical phoenix-like bird
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Rare and dramatic.

Saqr

Origin: Arabic
Pronunciation: SAHK-er · sˤɑqr
Meaning: Falcon
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Sharp and powerful.

Yamama

Origin: Arabic
Pronunciation: yah-MAH-mah · jaˈmaːma
Meaning: a (wild) dove
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Soft and feminine.

Houman

Origin: Persian
Pronunciation: hoo-MAHN · huːˈmɑːn
Meaning: good mind, good thought
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Lyrical.

Simurgh

Origin: Persian
Pronunciation: see-MORG · siːˈmɔːrɡ
Meaning: a legendary giant bird of Persian mythology
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Bold and ancient.

Anka

Origin: Slavic or Turkish/Arabic (two unrelated origins)
Pronunciation: AHN-kah · ˈɑːŋkə
Meaning: as a Slavic pet form of Anna: ‘grace/favor’; as a Turkish name: the mythological phoenix, from Arabic ʿanqāʾ
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Streamlined version of Anqa.

Kuş

Origin: Turkish
Pronunciation: KOOSH · kʊʃ
Meaning: bird (the general word)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

The single word; spare.

Şahin

Origin: Turkish
Pronunciation: SHAH-heen · ʃaːˈhin
Meaning: hawk / falcon
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Strong, common in Turkey.

Doğan

Origin: Turkish
Pronunciation: DOH-ahn · ˈdoʊ.ɑːn
Meaning: falcon (also literally ‘the one who rises/is born’, as of the sun)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Hüma

Origin: Persian/Turkish
Pronunciation: hyoo-MAH · hyˈmaː
Meaning: mythical bird of good fortune (huma/homa, a phoenix-like bird in Persian legend)
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Brings luck in legend.

Native American & Indigenous Bird Names

These names belong to specific peoples and languages — please research the cultural protocols around use before choosing. Many Indigenous communities welcome respectful adoption of common bird-meaning names; others are sacred or restricted.

Aiyana

Origin: Modern coinage, marketed as Native American, with no specific source language established.
Pronunciation: eye-YAH-nuh · aɪˈjɑːnə
Meaning: Eternal blossom; associated with bird song in Cherokee tradition
Popularity: #1,179 and falling (#1,068 → #1,179, 2024)

Lyrical.

Wiyaka

Origin: Lakota
Pronunciation: wee-YAH-kah · wiˈjɑːkɑ
Meaning: feather
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Sparse and beautiful.

Cheveyo

Origin: Hopi
Pronunciation: chuh-VAY-oh · tʃəˈveɪoʊ
Meaning: Spirit warrior; often linked to bird-spirit imagery
Popularity: #9,113 and rising (#9,141 → #9,113, 2024)

Strong.

Liwanu

Origin: attributed to Miwok
Pronunciation: lee-WAH-noo · liːˈwɑːnuː
Meaning: Growl of a bear; bird-adjacent only through nature-name tradition
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Note your sourcing.

Cholena

Origin: Claimed Lenape/Delaware
Pronunciation: choh-LEE-nuh · tʃoʊˈliːnə
Meaning: Bird
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

One of the most direct bird names from a Native language.

Taima

Origin: Native American (sometimes labeled Hopi, exact source unclear)
Pronunciation: TY-muh · ˈtaɪmə
Meaning: Crash of thunder; in some traditions, thunderbird-linked
Popularity: #17,861 as of 2018 — not currently in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Use with care.

Pules

Origin: Algonquian (exact source language unclear)
Meaning: Pigeon
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Quiet and short.

Chayton

Origin: Lakota (claimed)
Pronunciation: CHAY-tuhn · ˈtʃeɪtən
Meaning: reportedly “falcon” in Lakota
Popularity: #4,326 and falling (#4,018 → #4,326, 2024)

Strong and distinctive.

Wamblee

Origin: Lakota
Pronunciation: wahm-BLEE · wɑːmˈbliː
Meaning: eagle
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Sacred and serious.

Migizi

Origin: Ojibwe
Pronunciation: mih-GIH-zee · mɪˈɡɪziː
Meaning: eagle
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings

Use respectfully.

Sikari

Origin: Hindi/Urdu (from Persian)
Meaning: hunter
Popularity: Not in the U.S. Social Security rankings