Dog Tips

Picking the Perfect Name for Your Pet Dog  

Key Points
  • Names with one or two syllables are easier for dogs to recognize and respond to.
  • Consider picking a name that your dog will respond to quickly, especially in recall situations.
  • Choosing a pet name should reflect its personality and be easy to say for training purposes.

Introduction 

Getting a dog is both exciting and overwhelming! Talk to any dog owner and they will probably tell you that picking out their dog’s name was no easy task. After all, there are so many name possibilities out there!  

Unlike a baby, you can name a dog anything you’d like. It’s not uncommon to see a dog named ‘Taco’ or ‘Basil’ – but it sure would be uncommon to meet a person with those names! All the freedom you have can be overwhelming, but this article will teach you how to use it to your advantage and craft up a pet name that’s perfect for your new pooch.  

Helpful Hints to Consider Before Naming Your Pet 

When naming your pet, you might go directly to a search engine and pull up lists of thousands of dog names. It’s helpful to get inspiration from others, but you might also find it overwhelming to look at so many names. Too many options can make it harder to choose one name. How do you narrow it down? 

Below are some helpful tips to consider when coming up with the perfect pet name!  

Family Matters 

If you have a partner, family, kids, or even roommates who will share a home with the new pet, make sure to ask their opinion. You can even have everyone write their name ideas down on a piece of paper and drop them in a box!  Read all the suggestions together and get some great ideas (and some great laughs)! 

Visit Your Pup 

If you’re still waiting to bring your new pup home but want to decide on a name ahead of time, go visit the pup (if possible). 

Hanging out with your dog and watching their silly personality and mannerisms can help you think up the perfect name with ease. 

Keep It Simple 

As a logistical suggestion, consider what the implications of a dog’s name are. You will be calling your dog several times per day. Your dog will need to be able to easily recognize its name. 

For this reason, you might want to avoid names that rhyme with common commands. Given how common the command “No!” is, a dog named “Moe” might find itself confused frequently!  

You also might want to avoid lengthy names or names that require an obscure pronunciation. The practical use of a dog’s name is to get the dog to look up and listen right away. Try to keep it simple, distinct and short.  

Create a Theme 

If this isn’t your first pet, you can always link your new pup’s name back to a central theme that bonds all the pets. For example, if you love Disney movies and already have a pet named “Minnie,” perhaps the new dog’s name could be “Mickey.” A theme is a cute way to bind all the pets together!  

Now that you’ve read our tips and tricks for creating a unique name, look at what other dog owners are naming their pets for more inspiration. 

The below were the top five most popular female dog names in 2021, according to Rover’s database of dogs.  

  1. Bella This name in many languages means “beautiful” or “beauty” – perfect for your pretty pooch! 

  2. Luna Derived from the Latin word for moon, this lunar name stays at the top of the list. 

  3. Lucy Classic and sweet, Lucy is a great bet. 

  4. Daisy Like the flower, this name is vibrant and simple.  

  5. Zoe Easy to say and easy to love, the name Zoe is a classic and cute name. 

What about the boys? 

The below were the top five most popular male dog names in 2021, according to Rover’s database of dogs.  

  1. Max We all loved the dog in The Grinch named ‘Max,’ maybe that’s why this name has stuck as a classic favorite for so long! 

  2. Charlie Cute, simple, and masculine; Charlie is popular for good reason!  

  3. Milo This name is derived from English and Latin roots meaning “gracious,” making it a perfect name for a canine companion! 

  4. Buddy What more can we say? This name is never going away; dogs are man’s best friend, after all. 

  5. Rocky This is a classic and masculine dog name. 

Our dogs’ names may also reflect trends in entertainment and pop culture. According to Rover’s analysis, these names gained some popularity in 2021. 

Dog Names that Trended After Popular Movies: 

  • Marvel super villains showed the most growth in 2021, with Zemo (up 763%) at no. 1 for dogs named after movie characters. 

  • Disney’s Wanda Vision inspired new trends with dogs named Wanda up 120 percent. 

  • Fans of Marvel’s Black Panther decided to honor Chadwick Boseman’s life by naming their dogs after him. Dogs named Chadwick were up 73 percent and Boseman was up 1,063 percent in 2021.  

  • Raya is up 327 percent for dogs, likely due to the hit Disney+ movie Raya and the Last Dragon. 

Dog Names that Trended After Popular TV Shows: 

  • Netflix’s hit show Bridgerton inspired some paw-rents with dogs named Daphne trending up in 2021.  

  • The Mandalorian on Disney+ sparked some new trends, too. Dogs named Grogu are up +4,063 percent. Other names include Baby Yoda which is up +197 percent, and Obi went up +79 percent from the previous year. 

  • Keeping Up with the Kardashians fans had their fun with pet names, too. Kris Jenner seems to be the most popular muse this year, with dogs named Kris up 1,663 percent in 2021. Dogs named Yeezy were also trending up. The name Kanye trended down in 2021.  

Dog Names that Trended After Sports Stars and Athletics: 

  • After the devastating 2020 passing of Kobe Bryant, dog parents honored Kobe’s life by naming their dogs after him. Kobe is now the 76th most popular dog name in the U.S., trending up 31 percent. 

  • Unsurprisingly, the name Brady continues to live on, but in a new locale. Brady is trending upward in Tom Brady’s new stomping grounds of Florida. It is trending down in the sports-crazed city of Boston.  

  • Dogs named after Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes were up 63 percent.  

  • Dog names inspired by Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf is the no. 1 top trending (+563 percent) dog name inspired by football for 2021! 

Conclusion 

There is lots of room for creativity and expression when naming your dog. This can make it hard to decide, but remember, this should be a fun process! Hopefully, reading our tips and tricks, plus seeing all the creative trends for dog names in 2021, has helped you think up some great names for your new pet.  

Shakespeare said it best: “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” Your dog is going to love you and the name you picked out for them – regardless of what it is! What really matters is enjoying the journey you embark on when you welcome a new furry family member into your life. Enjoy naming and raising your new pet!  

Sources

 

  • Top 100 Most Popular Dog Names in 2021 | Rover.com 

  • Milo – Meaning Of Milo, What Does Milo Mean? (ourbabynamer.com) 

  • Luna (name) – Wikipedia 

  • Bella: Name Meaning, Origin, Popularity, & Inspiration – FamilyEducation 

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