Top 10 Unique Boy & Girl Names for Your Pooch, +100 of the Most Popular Dog Names for 2021

2 chihuahuas: male and female

If you own a dog or any other animal for that matter, you understand how important it is to choose The Right Name. Like with humans, an animal’s name defines who he or she is and lends extra oomph to their innate personality. For instance, the names “Fido” and “Skip” might bring to mind a pooch that is trusty and faithful, while the names “Mars” and “Brutus” might bring to mind a dog that is tough and protective. Though there are thousands of names to choose from, we at CT Breeder have put together a list of the top 100 dog names from around the web to help you find The One for your pooch. Bonus name at the very end.

 


The Most Unusual Dog Names and Their Meaning

If you want to give your pet a name that no other dog at the park will have, consider these top ten unique male and female dog names and their meanings:

 

Unique Boy Puppy Names

a boy with a teacup puppy

  1. Satchmo: Satchmo is the shortened nickname of Louis Armstrong, who was dubbed “Satchelmouth” by a British magazine editor. If you’re looking for something unique with meaning, Satchmo is a great place to start.

 

  1. Balto: While once a popular name for huskies and other cold weather dogs, Balto died out in popularity as it became too popular. However, like all cycles, the name has come full circle and is back on the list for most unique names to name your dog.
    Balto was the name of a sled dog that lead his team through the bitter cold to save children in Nome, Alaska. The courageous dog crossed 674 miles of arctic to deliver medicine to the victims of diphtheria, which struck the city in 1925.

 

  1. Beowulf: If you’re an English Lit major, this name is ideal for your pooch. Beowulf is the name of the oldest piece of English poetry written by an anonymous author. It was written in the language of the Saxons and translated for our pleasure. The poem is about a monster-slaying hero, so even if you’re not an English buff, this is a pretty cool name for your pup.

 

  1. Woodstock: Whether you want to name your pet after the legendary music festival or the iconic cartoon bird, the name Woodstock makes a great and unusual name for your pet.

 

  1. Zorro: If you’re less into superheroes and more into vigilantes, Zorro is a great name for your dog. Dating back to 1838, the name means “South Amercian Fox-Wolf,” which is pretty cool in and of itself. Johnston McCully made the name iconic, however, with his 1919 variation on Robin Hood, The Curse of Capistrano.

 

  1. Caspian: The Caspian Sea is the name of the largest sea in the world and named for the city of Qazvin, which was itself named for the ancient Cas tribe. If you expect your pup’s personality to be larger than life, Caspian might be the ideal name for him.

 

  1. Apollo: In the Greek mythology, Apollo was the son of Zeus and Leto and the twin of Artemis. He was the god of medicine, music, art, prophecy, law, beauty and wisdom, but his name means destroyer. This is a great name for a guard dog or any dog with a strong personality.

 

  1. Dante: Another name for you history buffs, Danta means “everlasting” or “enduring.” The name gained popularity after famous poet, Dante Alighieri, wrote “The Divine Comedy,” which is more commonly known as “Dante’s Inferno,” as the poem is a very graphic description of medieval Hell.

 

  1. Gulliver: Gulliver means “glutton” or “hungry” and is the ideal name for a bulldog or other dog with a lot of “meat” on its bones. Gulliver is yet another name that gained popularity in the literature circles, as the French nickname for “greedy person” became the name of the main character in Jonathan Swift’s novel, Gulliver’s Travels. The tale is about an Englishman who makes voyages to imaginary lands of the Lilliputians, Brobdingnagians, Laputans and Houyhnhnms.

 

  1. Loki: If you’re into Norse legend, you know that Loki means is the god of mischief. In Norse mythology, Loki is a god associated with magic and fire and is a known trickster. It is a great name for a breed of dog that is curious, playful and strong-willed.

 

Unique Girl Puppy Names

a girl with a puppy in her hands

  1. Amarillo: Amarillo is the name of a small Texas town that gained popularity with George Strait’s song, “Amarillo by Morning.” The term derives from Arabic Anbari, which means, “yellow, amber-colored.” Amarillo is the name given to several species of American trees, likely because of their amber color.

 

  1. Camille: Meaning “freeborn; noble,” Camille is a popular French name that derives from the male version, “Camillus,” or the other female version, “Camilla.” If you’re looking for a name that evokes an image of grace and beauty, Camille is the perfect name for your princess.

 

  1. Kalani: Kalani is a Hawaiian name that means “the heavens” and “chieftain.” It is a name that evokes the image of a strong and powerful woman, which is why this name is quickly gaining popularity for dogs and baby girls alike.

 

  1. Leona: If you anticipate that your little pooch is going to be a fighter, consider the name Leona, which means “lion” in French. Though it was unpopular for quite a long time, it quickly gained popularity with the rise of singer Leona Lewis. A more sophisticated French version of the name is

 

  1. Lola: Lola is a name with many roots, and is popular in German, Spanish and a number of other language groups, and is short for the name Delores. Deriving from one of the titles of the Virgin Mary: Nuestra Senora de los Dolores, the name means “sorrows,” as, roughly translated, the title means “Our Lady of Sorrow.”

 

  1. Nyla: Nyla is a beautiful name meaning “Champion.” Though it is not sure from where the name originated, it is believed to be a variation of the Arabic female name Nā’ila, which means “winner, attainment of desires.”

 

  1. Pasha: Pasha is the historical title of a Turkish officer of high rank. It is also the name of a large orange-brown butterfly with two tails on each hind wing and complex patterns on the underwings, which makes its home in the Mediterranean and in Africa. Whether you want to name your pup after a person of high rank, a beautiful butterfly or both, Pasha is the name to do so.

 

  1. Tandy: Tandy is the name of a short story by Sherwood Anderson about a child, neglected child whose potential was recognized by a passing stranger. The stranger told the neglectful father, “[Tandy] is the quality of being strong to be loved. It is something men need from women and that they do not get.” The stranger then went up to the young girl, took her hands and said, “Be Tandy, little one. Dare to be strong and courageous. That is the road. Venture anything. Be brave enough to dare to be loved. Be something more than man or woman. Be Tandy.” If you want your dog to be more than a dog, Tandy might be the ideal name for her.

 

  1. Ulani: Ulani means “Cheerful,” which is perfect for a pooch, as dogs are meant to bring joy and love into their owners’ families lives. The name is Polynesian and originated in the Hawaiian islands.

 

  1. Zola: A final name for you English majors, Zola means “earth, quiet, tranquil” and is the title of a poem written by Edwin Arlington Johnson, which evokes images that are anything but Even if you’re not a lit buff, this name is perfect for the pet owner looking for something short, cute and unique.

 

Bonus Name

Not many names start with the letter “X,” but one resource turned up a female dog name that is both unique and starts with the underused letter: Xia.

 

Xia means “glow of daylight,” and originates from China. It can also mean “welcoming and hospitable” if referring to the Greek version of the name.

 

Choosing the perfect name for your pooch can be hard, especially because, when you do name them, they likely haven’t fully developed their personality yet. The best way to come up with a name for your new dog is to try out a few different names and see which sounds the most “natural.” If you keep reverting to a particular name, or if your pooch responds better to a particular name, you may have found the one!

Posted by
olesia@themammothgroup.com