You could always just go with one of the most popular names, like Lady or Princess for girl dogs, and Buddy or Duke for males. But really, why go the boring route-where’s the fun in that?
Naming a dog is nothing like naming a child. Your puppy doesn’t give two licks what you call him, and he won’t grow up to need years of doggie therapy or be laughed out of the park because he has a unique dog name when everyone else answers to Sparky. No, he’ll love you regardless of what you call him, so why not be a little creative and choose a unique name that will stand out amid the sea of everyday names?
If you think it’s cool to name your German Shepherd puppy “Tiny” or your Chihuahua “Bruiser,” that’s your choice. But remember that you will use your new best friend’s name dozens of times every day for years to come, so make sure you’re happy with your choice. If you find a few unique dog names that appeal to you but can’t decide which one you like best, you might want to try using them for a few days to see how they fit.
Tips on finding a unique dog name
There are literally thousands of potential names for your dog. Inspiration for the name can come from just about anywhere. You can choose a name based on characteristics such as gender or physical attributes. Pinpoint what stands out most about your dog and come up with a unique dog name that reflects his individuality. For big dogs, how about Chubby, Max, Sumo, or Tank? A small dog could be called Ant, Cupcake, Dinky, Inch, Midget, Nipper, Pixie, or Squirt.
Choose a unique dog name according to your pet’s personality. This will require that you get to know your dog a little before you decide on a name. Bear, Bruiser, Butch, Bashful, Cheeky, Comet, Fang, Gypsy, Mischief, Mojo, Rascal, Rowdy, and Wiggles are just a few of the names based on personality. For sweet-tempered dogs, names like Blossom, Honey, Kisses, or Snuggles could work.
You can pick a name according to your interests or hobbies. This is one way to ensure that the dog’s name has a special significance. If you like to garden, some unique dog names based on plants and flowers are Fern, Holly, Ivy, Juniper, Lily, Lotus, Pansy, Petunia, Sweet Pea, Rosemary, and Tulip.
Like to eat? Consider a unique dog name based on food, such as Baloney, Brownie, Cadbury, Cheerio, Chiclet, Gumbo, Muffin, Nacho, Olive, Peanut, or Twinkie. Your favorite drink could also supply a unique name, like Chianti, Cider, Corona, Latte, Macchiato, Mai Tai, Mocha, Pepsi, Sake, Schnapps, and Soda.
TV and Movie characters make good names. How about Bingo, Brinkley, Buffy, Gidget, Keiko, Thumper, Tootsie, or Xena. If your kids love Disney movies, Ariel, Bambi, Belle, Fantasia, Mowgli, Nemo, and Woody are all good names. If you’re adopting both a female and a male dog, Bonnie and Clyde is a cool duo. If you’re a slave to fashion, consider naming your dog Armani, Calvin, Gucci, Polo, or Guess.
The internet is a great place to look for an interesting and unique dog name. You’ll find ideas for female names, male names, cute names, humorous names, and even foreign language names! There are hundreds of unusual categories, like cities, medieval, biblical, historical, regional, colors, transportation-related and famous people, to name just a few.
Some things to remember
Dog names should be no more than two syllables. If you have other pets in the house, the names should not be similar and should definitely not sound like commands.
If you name your new puppy after a dear departed dog, don’t expect it to have the same traits and personality. Even if it looks like one you used to have, it will almost certainly be completely different. Coming up with a unique dog name will ensure that you see your new puppy as the special dog he is and not a carbon copy of the one you lost.
Have fun finding the perfect dog name for your new best friend!
