100 Unique Dog Names
I did a post about pet names in 2016 and I decided to see if the most popular dog names had changed since then.
Here is the list of most popular dog names for 2017
Top 10 Male Dog Names
- Max
- Charlie
- Cooper
- Buddy
- Jack
- Rocky
- Oliver
- Bear
- Duke
- Tucker
Top 10 Female Dog Names
- Bella
- Lucy
- Daisy
- Luna
- Lola
- Sadie
- Molly
- Maggie
- Bailey
- Sophie
No Ben, Alfie, Bobby or Sam this time so the boys names have changed and we have some new ones including Oliver, Duke and Tucker.
Girls top names remain unchanged but I see Luna, Lola and Sophie have made an entrance.
I notice that there is still many human names in the most popular list.
However, we don’t tend to hear the more traditional nonhuman names like Patch, Rover, Spot, and Lady these days.
Tips to Remember Before Naming Your Dog
1 Is it a name you can live with for potentially fifteen years?
2 Does it suit the personality of the dog?
3 Is it a name you won’t be embarrassed to shout out at the park?
4 Try some different names and see how the dog responds.
5 Keep the name short and snappy, easy for the dog to respond to.
6 Watch out for names that sound similar to a command eg No and Joe
7 Don’t give the puppy a name you are saving for a potential child!
8 Remember your cute puppy may grow into a handsome beast!
9 Use your imagination, everyone has a Bella or Max.
10 Think about the dog’s heritage and think of a name that fits with this.
Are you looking for unique dog name inspiration?
The most common dog names are not for everyone. Sometimes it’s nice to have an original name which is inspired by something special in our lives. I’ve thought of favourite hobbies, pastimes, memories and made a list of names, Some are a little obscure, others you will recognise straight away. We can pick a name which is unusual, funny or memorable for our pets in a way that we could never choose a name for our children.
Have a look down the list to see if any inspire you. The categories on the left are interests and hobbies you might have. Then move over to the right to find names which are linked to them.
- Star Wars Luke, Leila, Yoda
- Game of Thrones Khaleesi, Snow, Arya
- Mama Mia Fernando, Chiquitita, Honey Honey
- Rap Music Drake, Kanye, Jayz
- Football Ronaldo, Kane, Silva, Rooney
- Books Oliver, Ernest, Rebbeca, Romeo, Darcy
- Harry Potter Hermione, Ron, Malfoy
- 80s Pop Prince, Cyndi, Bowie
- Inspirational Women Oprah, Indira, Serena, Diana
- Movies Indiana, Forrest, Scarlett, Clooney
- Sport Bolt, Ali, Pele, Rafael
- Music Icons Florence, Beyonce, Elton, Prince, Aretha
- Food Noodles, Waffles, Nachos, Meatball
- Designers Abercrombie, Chanel, Dior, Lauren
- Drinks Pepsi, Tequila, Guinness, Budweiser
- Places Lucia, Boston, Vienna, Basel
- Colours Amber, Saffron Fawn
- Flowers Marigold, Daffodil, Sweetpea
- Disney Pongo, Tramp, Napoleon, Aurora
- Mythology Athena, Juno, Artemis
- Christmas Robin, Cinnamon. Ivy, Noel. Blizzard
Celebrity Dog Names
Gwen Stefani Winston
Hugh Jackman Mocha
Jennifer Aniston Norman
Jessica Alba Sid
Orlando Bloom Sidi
Will Smith Indo
Adele Louie
Lady Gaga Asia
David Beckham Scarlet
Prince William Lupo
Barack Obama Bo and Sunny
Funny Dog Names
Here is some hilarious dog names I’ve heard of
Hairy Pawter
Jimmy Chew
Bark Twain
Furdinand
Big Dog Names
Thor, Tank, Boomer
Small Dog Names
Snowball, Squirt, Twinkle, Duster
Additional Reading
Hope this helped you choose a name for your dog. Have you got any unusual names for your pets? I would love to hear about them in the comments.
My dog’s name is Rocky!
Very interesting post! Have to say don’t hear a lot of them around here (Scotland) .. we had a Max previously (rescue dog, we didn’t name him). Our two labs, who we’ve had since puppies, are named Oscar and Brodie. I was surprised at Bailey being a girl’s name though – any I know of are male!!
Thank you. My rescue dog was called Dappy!! Luckily he didn’t answer to it so we changed it slightly to Darcy, suits him much more! I call him my Mr.Darcy! Thank you for commenting x
When I was little I always wanted a Yorkie and a Great Dane so I could call the Dane David and the Yorkie Goliath. When we finally got (or were got by) our lovely Brittany, we called her Perdi for Perdita but she ended up being called Purdey. Her name lives on in my Twitter handle: perdisma
Oh thats lovely. I like the David and Goliath idea. Very cute x
I have written dog characters into all of my novels Inspired by dogs we’ve had and dogs I’ve known, I have not been shy to “borrow” the appropriate names. So far, no complaints from either the humans or the dogs.
It’s a great way to remember all your furry friends!