Blu

Blu is an intentional respelling of "blue," the English color term derived from the Old French bleu, of Germanic origin, related to the Old High German blao. The creative spelling gives the name a slightly more distinctive, playful quality while retaining all the associations of the color: sky, water, depth, and a certain melancholy cool. As a pet name, it typically references a blue-gray coat or striking blue eyes.

Blu ranks #181 among America's most popular pet names, and the alternate spelling signals something deliberate about the choice — owners who write it this way are making a small creative statement. The 2011 animated film Rio, whose main character is a flightless Spix's macaw named Blu, gave this name enormous visibility and a sense of adventure and discovery that has lingered in the decade since. It suits companions with blue-gray coloring or particularly striking eyes, though the name's personality — curious, slightly romantic, always searching — fits any companion with a wandering spirit.