Mini

Mini is an English name derived from the prefix mini- meaning very small, itself from the Latin minimus meaning "smallest" or "least." It entered common English usage in the 1960s with the Mini Cooper car and the miniskirt, both of which defined an era of compact, stylish, spirited design. For pets, Mini is most obviously used for small companions, but there is often a delightful irony at play — the companion called Mini frequently has the largest personality in the household, packed into the most compact possible format.

Mini sits at #304 on the pet name charts and carries its meaning right up front: small. But pet owners who choose Mini understand that the name contains its own gentle irony, because the companion who bears it is almost never small in personality, in presence, or in the space they occupy in the family's heart. Mini suits a tiny companion perfectly as a literal descriptor, but it also works for any companion where the smallness is part of what makes them so completely irresistible. Everything about Mini says: small body, enormous everything else.