A dog is, in essence, our best pal, constant companion, and an overall lovely creature to keep us company. They see us through so many ups and downs in our lives, and make the experience a lot more colourful. So when it comes to naming a dog, we tend to put in a lot of mindful thinking, just to come upon a name which is perfect for our beloved pooches.
How to Determine the Name of Your Pet Pooch
The question always arises, how exactly do you pick a name for your dog? After all, it is a name they will be identified with for the rest of their lives, and a name you will remember for the rest of yours!
When naming your dog, keep the following in mind before settling on one:
Colour of Dog – This works when naming dogs after personalities with specific coloured hair, like ‘Elle Woods’ for a blond, or ‘Ron Weasley’ for a ginger.
Personality of Dog – The personality of a dog is either energetic, or lethargic, or docile and loving, rather than ferocious. These could factor in when looking for funny or accurate names for your pet.
Breed and Size of Dog – If you are a fan of jocular names, naming small dogs after large personalities, or large dogs after small objects could be up your alley. Consider the breed of your dog as this will give you inputs about the expected personality and physical traits of the dog.
Physical Features of Dog – Physical features of the dog could include missing limbs, specific eye colours, patchy hair colour etc. These can be used while naming your pooch, for instance, a dog with a missing limb could be named Hephaestus, or a dog with a missing eye could be called ‘Cyclops’.
We couldn’t possibly step into your shoes and name your pet for you, so here is a complete list of dog names sorted by personality traits and categorised by meaning. In this article, we will be talking about generally naming your dogs, and not breed specific names.
Happy naming!
Pop Culture Inspired Names for your Puppers
A major influence in your life is the popular culture around you. These references make our days, and are sure to bring smiles to your face any time of the day. Imagine walking into your home and having some pop culture icons to greet you, only they’re dogs that will love you! Here are our top picks for pop culture inspired names for your dogs!
Harry Potter:
- Dumbledore – The principal and wizard extraordinaire! Bring them the elder wand, too, for full effect.
- Hagrid – A gruff puppy could do with such a wonderfully descriptive name.
- Fluffy – This was the three headed dog that guarded the Sorcerer’s/Philosopher’s Stone!
- Snape – Name him Severus Snape and find his Lily Potter!
- Voldemort – A dangerous and dark name, for a pupper who shall always be named.
- Draco – Name your blond canine Draco, and watch him strive to be the greatest dog ever! Don’t make him mad, or his father WILL hear about it!
- Death Eater – This is a good name for a dark and ferocious doggie.
- Dementor – These were happiness sucking monsters in the series, but dogs can prove anyone wrong!
- Patronus – A Patronus is a bright spell that dispels Dementors quickly.
- Creature – A great name for a House Elf, and an even more adorable name for a dog!
Game of Thrones:
- Tyrion – Have a small, blond dog? Name him Tyrion, for the wisest imp that ever lived in Westeros.
- Khaleesi – Khaleesi is a name fit for Dothraki Queens!
- Ghost – Jon Snow’s loyal Direwolf was also named Ghost.
- Lady – This was the name given to Sansa Stark’s Direwolf.
- Nymeria – Nymeria is the name of Arya Stark’s Direwolf.
- Azhor Ahai – Name your pupper after the God of Death himself.
- Priestess – Pay homage to the women who have served the God of Death, the Red God and the Lord of Light.
- Drogon – Drogon is a name befitting only the most ferocious dragons.
- Sansa – A Queen in the North, and a Queen of Your Heart!
- Tormund – If your dog is ginger and could be called Giant’s Bane, name him Tormund and look for the Big Woman!
Cinema Inspired:
- Hachiko – Hachiko is the name of the legendary Inu that stood at a railway station to wait for his master day after day, even after his death!
- Beethoven – Have a huge dog that loves a good tune? Name him Beethoven and watch the magic unfold!
- Bruiser – If Elle Woods could name her dog Bruiser, and name a bill after him (Bruiser’s Bill), then so can you!
- Marley – An adorable name for a Labrador.
- Stitch – Think your puppy is a little monster? Stitch is a befitting name.
- Toto – From the classic Wizard of Oz, Toto is Dorothy’s loyal companion.
- Dino – Fred Flintstone and Welma named their pet dinosaur Dino.
- Lassie – Lassie is the name of the most loyal collie that ever lived.
- Scooby – This name will have you screaming ‘Scooby-Doobie-Doo, where are you?’, every time you enter your home!
- Clifford – Clifford began as a small red dog, and became quickly the Big Red Dog.
- Pluto – Micky and Minnie’s dog was called Pluto.
- Snowy – Tin Tin’s loyal companion was named Snowy.
- Snoopy – Snoopy comes from the classic Peanut comics.
- Tinkerbell – Peter Pan found friendship with Tinkerbell.
- Beast – From the Disney classic Beauty and the Beast!
- Simba – If you have never dreamt of naming your dog Simba and singing the Circle of Life for him, you need to watch the Lion King again!
- Scar – The villain from the Lion King.
Goofy Food Inspired Names
Nobody can deny the love and affection they feel for a puppy or a dog, especially when they are named after their favourite food items! These food inspired names will make you say yummy, and ‘aww!’ at the same time!
- Taco
- Bean
- Mustard
- Noodle
- Wonton
- Jello
- Queso
- Banana
- Cocoa
- Lemony
- Pasta
- Pepper
- Saucy
- Dumpling
Object Names for Doggies
Sometimes when you want to name your dog, it is good to stick to what you know and see around yourself. Cute names can come out of household objects that are all around you! Here are some suggestions to keep you going!
- Banjo – An instrument
- Denim – Cloth used to make Jeans
- Mittens – Worn on hands
- Nickel
- Poker – a card game
- Uno – a game
- Zipper
- Jar-Jar – Like Jar Jar Binks!
- Pot
- Toy
- Pellet
- Kettle
- Cupper
- Penny
- Mary Jane – Another name for marijuana
Names for Your Techno Friendly Pooch
A true techno freak would never go with boring doggie names when naming their pooch! Let these names serve as inspiration to naming your dog in a creative and cute way, to keep people wondering if they heard you right!
- Gizmo
- Gadget
- Matrix
- Byte
- Hashtag
- Napster
- Woofer
- Fifo
- Beta
- Silicon
- Barkode
- Aux
- Tablet
Flower Inspired Dougie Names
If you think your dog is as precious as a little flower, then these names will appeal to you the most! Use them to make beautiful names for your dogs, enough to inspire a bouquet of puns and doggie costumes and gifts!
- Petal
- Daisy
- Blossom
- Buttercup
- Aster
- Amber
- Daffofil
- Camellia
- Dahlia
- Dennel
- Flora
- Lily
- Iris
- Poppy
- Myrtle
- Sage
Greek Names for Your Warrior Pet
Super into Greek mythology? These Greek names for your pets will make you say oh pi Zeus! Find a name from our list of names for your dogs along with their stories. Match your dog’s personality type with these names and watch the Khaos ensue!
- Zeus – The God of Lightening and Thunder
- Zephyr – A strong wind
- Sirius – Companion to Orion
- Atlas – Held the world on his back
- Castor and Pollux – The constellation of Gemini
- Sphinx – Mythical creature with the head of a human and body of a lion
- Spartan – A resident of Sparta
- Pan – The God of Nature
- Apollo and Artimes – Names for twin brother and sister
- Titan – The Old gods
- Cerberus – The three headed dog that guards the gates of Hell
- Troy – A Greek City
- Ithaca – A Greek Island
- Ares – The God of War
- Ambrosia – food of the Gods
- Hephaestus – A lame god
- Midas – A king who turned everything he touched to gold
- Aphrodite – Goddess of Love
- Athena – Goddess of Wisdom
Superhero Names for Super Dogs
Sometimes, you save a dog’s life (Hello, adoption!), and other times, a dog saves your life! Name your super pup one of these powerful superhero names and watch them overcome all fears and show strength beyond measure! Think of all the adorable superhero costumes you can make them wear for Halloween!
- Thor – The Norse God
- Shazam – A small, but powerful, little man
- Batman – The savior of Gotham City
- Wolverine – Unkempt, but powerful!
- Professor X – The leader of the pack
- Flash – Faster than the speed of light, a runner.
- Superman – Clark Kent!
- Black Widow/ Romanoff – A true Russian Spy
- Jarvis – Iron Man’s trusty helper
- Hulk – Ferocious sometimes, and docile and wise at others
- Cyclops – A fun name for a one eyed dog
- Marvel – After the legendary Marvel Universe created by Stan Lee
- Steve Woofers – After Steve Rogers, Captain America
- Magneto – Attractive, and a super villian
- Storm – A mutant with storming ability, typically blond.
- Rogue – Mutant from the X Men series
- Gamora – Daughter of Thanos
- Shuri – The younger sister to the Black Panther
- Oracle – Another name for Barbra Gordon
- Wasp – The sidekick to Ant-Man
- Themiscyra – The land of the Amazon women, Wonder Woman
- Peter Pupper – For Peter Parker
Jewel Names for A Gem of a Pup
Love comes in all shapes and sizes and so do dogs – and so do jewels! So why not name your gem of a pupper after a gemstone that wonderfully describes their personality! These are all names of jewels and derivations of the names are commonly used to name children as well as pets!
Here are some well-crafted bejewelling names to choose from.
- Diamond
- Ruby
- Sapphire
- Emerald
- Ruby
- Cornelia
- Jade
- Lapis
- Aqua
- Carat
- Tiara
- Solitaire
- Sparkle
- Crystal
- Turquoise
Dog Names for the Alcoholic
If you consider yourself a connoisseur of alcohol, you might want to name your dog to reflect it! And besides, what better way to name your dog than names of absolutely intoxicating names that will bring you happiness for years. Nurse your hangover with these adorably apt names for dogs!
- Malt
- Whiskey
- Bud
- Miller
- Chardonnay
- Sherry
- Bubbly
- Champagne
- Mai Tai
- Cosmo
- Simlet
- Mimosa
- Brandy
- Smirnoff
- Henny
- Bailey
Nerdy Names for Puppers with a Brain
If you have a thing for science and technology, then your dog is sure to follow in your footsteps with these adorable and yet strangely amusing doggie names!
- Jimmy Neutron – From the cartoon series of the same name
- Sheldon – From Big Bang Theory
- Aristotle – Greek Philosopher
- Billy Nye – The Science Guy!
- Da Vinci – Leonardo Da Vinci
- Darwin – Charles Darwin
- Edison – Thomas Edison
- Einstein – Albert Einstein
- Freud – Sigmund Freud
- Galileo – Discovered that the earth is not flat
- Newton – The Mathematician
- Jobs – Steve Jobs, creator of Apple
- Laika – The first dog in space
- Pavlov – A Russian psysiologist
- Pascal – The unit of measuring stress
Other Meaningful Names
Some names aren’t funny or goofy. They’re just beautiful and meaningful, and can be a treat to name your dog! Use these names for serene and docile dogs, or for a funny twist, name your aggressive pupper with them!
- Abbot – The head of an abbey.
- Charity – Donations
- Faith – Belief
- Friar – a member of a religious order
- Grace – Smoothness and elegance of movement
- Halo – something that appears on the head of God
- Hymn – a spiritual song
- Pilgrim – Someone who journey’s to sacred places.
- Saint – A religious apostle
- Yogi – A practitioner of Yoga
- Chakra – Spiritual Centres of power in the human body.
- Dharma – Religion in Indian Languages
- Karma – What goes around, comes around!
- Mantra – A spell of sorts.
- Nirvana –Nirvana means achievement of the highest enlightenment of the soul.
- Yana – This word means gifted.
- Shiva – He is the Hindu God of Destruction.
- Tiki – These are denotive of customs of the tropical islands of the South Pacific.
