What's in a dog's name? Names can signify the personality of a pet or the personality of a pet's owner. The name you choose also says a lot about the relationship you have with your pet and how you feel about being a dog owner.
Some pets have cute names like Fifi and Doodles, while other pets are named after an owner's favorite sports team, like Buckeye or Duke. You can also choose a name for your pet based on your hobbies. For instance, a runner may name his dog Shoe or Marathon. Whatever name you decide on, you want to make sure you've put a little thought and consideration into it - you and your dog will likely share whatever name you choose for a number of years to come.
Tips for Selecting Pet Names
When you bring your dog home for the first time, you probably don't know much about its personality or how it will fit into your family. This can sometimes make it difficult to come up with a name that adequately describes the dog. If you find yourself struggling to choose a dog name, consider the following tips:
- Pick a dog name that your dog will easily recognize when you're calling him. One or two syllable names are best. Avoid long and cumbersome names like Monongahela.
- Say the name out loud like you would when you call your dog. If it seems awkward, chose another. You will be saying it a lot.
- Your dog's behavior is an excellent resource when choosing a name. Don't name him right away. Study his behavior before naming him. If you have a puppy though, keep in mind that his personality will change as he gets older. That rowdy, pouncing, hyper ball of fur will eventually settle down. Really.
- Avoid dog names that sound like standard commands like sit, fetch, come or stay. Also avoid names that rhyme with these commands. They might confuse the dog.
Top 50 Male Dog Names
Here are the top fifty male dog names compiled by VPI Pet Insurance from their own client list.
| 1. Max | 26. Shadow |
| 2. Buddy | 27. Gizmo |
| 3. Rocky | 28. Bentley |
| 4. Bailey | 29. Zeus |
| 5. Jake | 30. Jackson |
| 6. Charlie | 31. Baxter |
| 7. Jack | 32. Bandit |
| 8. Toby | 33. Gus |
| 9. Cody | 34. Samson |
| 10. Buster | 35. Milo |
| 11. Duke | 36. Rudy |
| 12. Cooper | 37. Louie |
| 13. Riley | 38. Hunter |
| 14. Harley | 39. Casey |
| 15. Bear | 40. Rocco |
| 16. Tucker | 41. Sparky |
| 17. Murphy | 42. Joey |
| 18. Lucky | 43. Bruno |
| 19. Oliver | 44. Beau |
| 20. Sam | 45. Dakota |
| 21. Oscar | 46. Maximus |
| 22. Teddy | 47. Romeo |
| 23. Winston | 48. Boomer |
| 24. Sammy | 49. Luke |
| 25. Rusty | 50. Henry |
Top 50 Female Dog Names
Here are the top 50 female dog names from that same VPI list.
| 1. Bella | 26. Missy |
| 2. Molly | 27. Lilly |
| 3. Lucy | 28. Mia |
| 4. Maggie | 29. Katie |
| 5. Daisy | 30. Zoey |
| 6. Sophie | 31. Madison |
| 7. Sadie | 32. Stella |
| 8. Chloe | 33. Penny |
| 9. Bailey | 34. Belle |
| 10. Lola | 35. Casey |
| 11. Zoe | 36. Samantha |
| 12. Abby | 37. Holly |
| 13. Ginger | 38. Lexi |
| 14. Roxy | 39. Lulu |
| 15. Gracie | 40. Brandy |
| 16. Coco | 41. Jasmine |
| 17. Sasha | 42. Shelby |
| 18. Lily | 43. Sandy |
| 19. Angel | 44. Roxie |
| 20. Princess | 45. Pepper |
| 21. Emma | 46. Heidi |
| 22. Annie | 47. Luna |
| 23. Rosie | 48. Dixie |
| 24. Ruby | 49. Honey |
| 25. Lady | 50. Dakota |
Dog Name Web Sites
- BowwowMeow.com lets you search for names by type of name, by beginning letter or your dog's appearance.
- Pet Names World provides more than 11,000 pet names.
- DogBreedz.com claims to offer 14,548 names to choose from.
