With pets seen as another version of a child – the term fur baby is a perfect example of this – the growth in human names for animals has been explosive.

For most pet owners, naming your new companion carries as much weight as naming a newborn child. With so many pet name options out there, how does one decide?

There are many kinds of pet names out there. Names that reflect the animal’s looks or personality. Or human names, whether of someone you know, a famous person, or a much-loved character in a movie.

If you’re debating pet names or just plain stumped, here are some things to keep in mind when naming your pet.

Looks-Based Pet Names are Out of Fashion

“Traditional names like Fluffy, or names that are more descriptive — Snowball for a white cat — are not as popular,” says Jennifer Moss, the founder of PetBabyNames.com.

Such names reflect a time when pets were more an extension of the family, than an integral part of it. It doesn’t take a whole lot of effort to name an animal after its looks.

There is one exception. Finding clever or different ways to name your pet after it’s looks give the name a modern feel. Saffron for a ginger cat, for instance, or translating the word, say midnight for a black rabbit, into another language.

While not always the case, resorting to a looks-based name may also indicate some level of disconnect you feel with the animal. We help care for a small group of feral cats on our street; we’ve given most of them names like Fluffy, Big-E (short for Big Ears), and Shorty. Though we care for them, we do not feel the same way about them that we do for our own cats.

Human Names Are Growing in Popularity

With pets now seen as another version of a child — the term fur baby is a perfect example of this — the growth in human names for animals has been explosive.

There are a variety of human names you can give your pets. You can name them after someone you know or try out a name you like.

“A lot of people like to name them Bob or Fred. Or a young couple who haven’t had children yet, they might use a human name on their pet,” says Moss.

Most people who choose a human name for a pet will pick the name of a favorite celebrity or character in a much-loved movie or show.

Moss, for instance, has a cat named Roxie Hart, the main character in the musical Chicago, and once had a cat named Eli, which she named for the main character in the TV show Eli Stone.

We have a cat named Balotelli, named after an Italian soccer player; a friend has a dog named Zlatan, also named after a soccer player.

Personality-Based Pet Names Require Time

To name your new pet after its personality, you’re going to need time with it.

“Some people live with the animal for about a week and see what the personality is and if they’re energetic, they might call them Zoomy,” says Moss.

We chose the named Ronaldo for our Siamese-mix cat. Though it’s the name of another soccer player, we chose it because our cat is beautiful (as is Cristiano Ronaldo) but a bit of a jerk (as is Ronaldo).

You can find more personality-based names like Frisky, Mayhem, Serenity, and Jazzy, on PetBabyNames.com.

Look to What You Love

If you’re still stuck for a name, look to the world around you and the things you love. Are you a foodie? Choose a name like Cinnamon, Cookie, or Meatball. Love fashion? Go for Dolce or Gabbana (or both if you’ve got a pair).

Pet Names Reflect Your Personality

What you choose to name your pet often says a lot about you. If your pet has a personality-based name, you most likely waited to get to know your pet, marking you as a thoughtful person.

If you have two dogs named Samwise and Frodo, Ely and Peyton, or Dodge and Chevy, you’ve just told the world a bit about yourself. (That we have two cats named after soccer players tells you what sport we like.)

People with a sense of humor will often pick names that reflect their brand of humor. Moss’ daughter has a cat named Vera Fang, Katy Perry had Kitty Purry and Mark Wahlberg (formerly known as Marky Mark) had a dog named Barky Bark.

Renaming Is OK

Humans see their names as part of their self-identity; when a person chooses to change his or her name it’s a big deal. But is it the same with animals?

Moss says no. “Cats just don’t care and dogs are so easily adaptable,” she says. “My dog’s name when I adopted him was Rocko on the file. I ended up calling him Roscoe and he was fine with that. Now I call him Boo or Boo-Boo and he comes anyway. As long as I’m addressing him, it’s all in my tone of voice.”

So feel free to change the name of a pet you’ve just adopted, or even your own pet’s name if, after time, you don’t feel it fits her.

What to Avoid

One word of caution Moss offers is to watch for similar-sounding names if you have more than one pet.

“Don’t make the names too similar because they might get confused… if you’re saying Pam and Sam, they’re just hearing word elements and sounds. They don’t know the difference.”

Moss also recommends avoiding giving your pet a negative name or one that incorporates profanity. They’ll pick up on the feeling of negativity that the name implies, she says.

No matter what route you go, feel free to have fun with the process. And, if you need inspiration check out the pet name search engine on PetBabyNames.com.

What are your pets names, and why did you choose them? Share in the comment section below.