Captivating and Creative Names for Male Dogs

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male lab puppy

The best boy dog names have that feel good factor. But it can be challenging to come up with original ideas for your new puppy. And to get your family members to agree!  

Why not get everyone in  your household to write their favorite names down on a piece of paper, and stick it to your refrigerator.

Each day, you can take it in turns to strike out the least popular puppy name. You will quickly narrow your shortlist down to a boy dog name you all adore!

Good guy dog names don’t have to be traditionally masculine. We’ll show you how to find inspiration for awesome and unique male dog names in some unlikely places. 

There’s something in our themed name lists for everyone. Got your pen and paper ready? Let’s choose the perfect male puppy name for your new friend.

yellow labrador boy

Top Male Dog Names

These are the boy animal names that are trending right now and include some great American boy names too!

  • Max (greatest)
  • Bear
  • Toby (God is good)
  • Lucky
  • Cooper (barrel maker)
  • Teddy
  • Loki (God of mischief)
  • Rocky
  • Finn (fair)
  • Wagner (wagon driver)
  • Bruno (brown)
  • Buddy (friend)
  • Duke (leader)
  • Zeus (God of sky)
  • Jasper (treasurer)
  • Ziggy
  • Milo (soldier)
  • Ollie
  • Bailey (steward)
  • Jack (god is gracious)
  • Oscar (champion warrior)
  • Gizmo
  • Thor (god of thunder)
  • Ozzy
  • Harley
  • Winston (joyful stone)
  • Ace (leader)
  • Murphy (warrior of the sea)
  • Blu
  • Blue
  • Arlo (fortified hill)
  • Brody (protector)
  • Leo (lion)
  • Henry (house ruler)
  • Tank
  • Griffin (mythical beast)
  • Buster (tough guy)
  • Comet
  • Bruiser
  • Bruce (woods)
  • Cash
  • Baxter (baker)
  • Cosmo
  • Diesel
  • Banjo
  • Gunner
  • Jax

The right dog name for your gorgeous boy puppy is out there. Names are so much more than a way to get your boy dog to come when you call. Dog names establish identities, and help your dog to find a special place in your family.

Staying on Trend

Do you like to capture the zeitgeist , or would you prefer your puppy name to have stood the test of time? These dog names for boys have topped male pet names lists for years:

  • Max
  • Charlie
  • Cooper
  • Jack
  • Rocky
  • Bear
  • Duke
  • Toby
  • Tucker
  • Jake
  • Oliver
  • Teddy
  • Harley
  • Riley
  • Cody
  • Lucky

Boy’s Names for Dogs

Your perfect dog name could come from a classic boys’ names . 

There’s a trend towards giving our dogs human names.  It’s a logical progression from thinking of your pet as part of your family. 

You are saying that in your heart, your dog has the same status as other people. So here are more names for boy dogs that are human names too: 

  • Thomas (twin)
  • Caleb (bold, brave)
  • Lucas (bringer of light)
  • Jackson (son of Jack)
  • Wyatt (brave warrior)
  • Gabriel (God is my strength)
  • Carter
  • Asher (happy)
  • Dylan (son of the sea)
  • Cliff
  • Ron (mountain of strength)
  • Monty

Uncommon Boy Names for Male Dogs

Your hobbies and your interests can provide a flash of inspiration, or check this off-the-wall list to find creative boy dog names for your new puppy.

  • Turner (woodworker)
  • Cedric (kindly)
  • Seamus (supplanter)
  • Gilbert (bright promise)
  • Harris (son of Harry)
  • Lyle (the island)
  • Reuben (behold a son)
  • Heath
  • Alistair (defender of the people)
  • Douglas (black river)

We had some nice human male dog names in our Dog Name Survey, too. Here were some of our favorites:

  • Keanu (cool breeze)
  • Benedict (blessed)
  • Jonah (dove)
  • Clive (slope)
  • Victor (winner)

No One Else Like Your Dog

These one of a kind dog names won’t be found anywhere else on your street!

  • Zyron
  • Hurricane
  • Odin
  • Corvus
  • Inchyra
  • Stirling
  • Lulworth
  • Hobbs
  • Auster
  • Fisher
  • Moss
  • Ash

Place Names for Male Dogs

One way to find cute boy puppy names is to pick a theme you like and see where it leads you. I’ve come up with this list by thinking of American places and landmarks:

  • Smoky
  • Rio
  • Elias
  • Sanford
  • Huron
  • Tahoe
  • Kennedy
  • Rockefeller
  • Bryce
  • Cimarron (This could be reckless, since cimarrón is Spanish for “wild” or “untamed”!)
  • Cartwright
  • Zoar (Cartwright and Zoar are both small settlements in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada)

Cute Boy Dog Names

Will your dog be the baby of the family even when he’s fully grown? Here are some cute boy dog names for your eternally adorable puppy.

  • Angel
  • Beau
  • Prince
  • Babe
  • Jesse
  • Bodhi
  • Blue
  • Zebedee
  • Neo (Neo means both “new” in Greek and “gift” in Tswana – how perfect?)
  • Fuzz
  • Cupid

Cool Dog Names Male Dogs Will Love

Is your dog going to be a legend in his own time? Obviously what’s cool is a matter of taste and perception, and I’m not saying that I’m an authority on what definitely is cool. But I might be.

  • Ace
  • Maverick
  • Ryker
  • Bix
  • Frank
  • Cash
  • Toro
  • Bogart
  • Dylan
  • Jet
  • Orion
  • Loki

There were some seriously ice cold names in our Dog Name Survey, as well. Try these on for size:

  • Astro
  • Yeti
  • Nitro
  • Bohdi
  • Cowboy
  • Knight

Cute Dog Names for Boys

There seems to be a trend at the moment for naming animals after other animals. Have you read the A Cat Called Mouse story books, and Rhino the hamster in the Disney film Bolt? Whether you rate it or hate it, here are some more suggestions that might work for your new male dog:

  • Wolf
  • Tiger
  • Raven
  • Bear
  • Lynx
  • Puma
  • Fox
  • Sparrow
  • Buffalo (or just Buff!)
  • Gopher

Who’s A Good Boy!

Do you have a hunch that your dog will be a loyal, reliable and upstanding member of the canine community? Honor his noble side with one of these good male pet names:

  • Noah
  • Lincoln
  • Theodore
  • Sam
  • Joe
  • Captain
  • Norman
  • Benjamin
  • Seth
  • George
  • Pops

Unusual Male Dog Names

An unusual name will help your pup stand out in the park, and be a great ice-breaker when you’re doing that all-important socializing:

  • Beckett
  • Bayer
  • Darwin
  • Huxley
  • Logan
  • Falstaff
  • Womble
  • Sunny
  • Tanner

Here are some great male dog names that only came up once in our names survey.

  • Farmer
  • Mojo
  • Bullseye
  • Cheeto
  • Bungee
  • Biggie
  • Rocket

Size Matters

Was your pup the biggest in the litter? Or are you renaming a rescue dog who’s already head and shoulders above his friends? These names all call great size to mind:

  • Titus
  • Groot (as well as a Marvel hero, groot is the Dutch word for “large” although the Dutch pronunciation is tricky! )
  • Hercules
  • Jupiter
  • Montaro (Japanese name meaning “big boy”)
  • Orson (Latin name meaning “bear”)
  • Odin
  • Berg (berg means “mountain” in several Germanic languages)
  • Tan
  • Redwood
  • Everest
  • Elbrus (Mount Elbrus is the tallest mountain in Russia and Europe)

That’s just a taster of course! We have three hundred and fifty more big dog name ideas just waiting for you!

Your Little Puppy

Is your puppy more mini than max? 

These boy dog names celebrate the smaller end of the scale. After all, the best things come in little parcels. 

  • Pebble
  • Bean
  • Peagreen (from The Borrowers)
  • Frodo (from The Lord of the Rings)
  • Atom
  • Kerwin (Gaelic name meaning ‘little black one’)
  • Beetle
  • Nugget
  • Acorn

Inspired by Greatness

Some dogs are born great, and others have greatness thrust upon them. Recognize their nobility with one of these strong male dog names:

Male Dog Names
  • William (I can hardly paraphrase his words without including Shakespeare’s name!)
  • Armstrong
  • Endeavor
  • Sirius
  • Nelson
  • Majesty
  • Augustus
  • Maximus
  • Hero
  • Arkin
  • Zeus

Dog Names From Nature

  • Storm
  • Willow
  • Tarragon
  • Rocky
  • River
  • Buck
  • Pebble
  • Ranger
  • Bramble
  • Bracken
  • Star

Naming Your Dog After A Celebrity?

Some of our favorite famous dogs and male dog characters include:

The Labrador Handbook by Pippa Mattinson(paid link)
  • Marley (From Marley and Me, Marley was a yellow Labrador Retriever)
  • Brian (From Family Guy, Brian Griffin is a white Labrador Retriever)
  • Vincent (the Labrador Retriever in the TV series Lost)
  • Pal (Did you know that Lassie was almost invariably played by male dogs, because they were a better scale next to children? Pal was the first)
  • Ghost
  • Grey Wind
  • Shaggydog (Ghost, Grey Wind and Shaggydog are direwolves in Game of Thrones)
  • Zuma (A chocolate Labrador, and grossly underused member of kids’ favorite, PAW Patrol)
  • Bolt (Of the eponymous Disney film)

Our Dog Name Survey through up some other famous names, too. Although these weren’t originally used on dogs….

  • Chewbacca
  • Yoda
  • Wicket
  • Bagheera
  • Baloo
  • Starsky

Alphabetical Boy Dog Names

A quick scan of the alphabet can help you to find the name of your dreams. Retro male names and popular modern names for boys both have their benefits. You want to choose one that is short and easy to say. Remember, good names don’t sound like your dog’s commands.

A.

  • Alfie (wise)
  • Archie (brave)
  • Albie (noble)
  • Arthur (bear)
  • Atlas (enduring)
  • Austin (majestic)
  • Alyus (noble)
  • Allan (handsome)
  • Axel (father of peace)
  • Anton (priceless)
  • Anders (manly)
  • Adam (earth)

B.

  • Bernie (strong)
  • Boris (battle)
  • Brad (broad)
  • Barney (defender)
  • Brandon (prince)
  • Benny (blessed)
  • Bryn (hill)
  • Bobby (bright)
  • Byron (barn)
  • Bentley (meadow)

C.

  • Charlie (free man)
  • Chester (camp of soldiers)
  • Casper (treasurer)
  • Clyde (friedly)
  • Callum (dove)
  • Chad (protector)
  • Carlo (free man)
  • Colt (young horse)
  • Clayton (settler on clay soil)
  • Claude (lame)

D.

  • Derek(gifted ruler)
  • Dave (beloved)
  • Danny (god is my judge)
  • Donny (mighty)
  • Dexter (right handed)
  • Declan (man of prayer)
  • Damian (subdue)
  • Dom (lord)
  • Drake (dragon)
  • Dustin (Thor’s stone)
  • Dante (enduring)

E.

  • Ezra (helper)
  • Ellias (lord is my god)
  • Elliot (lord is my god)
  • Every (all)
  • Emmett (universal)
  • Eamon (wealthy protector)
  • Euan (born of the yew)
  • Evan (god is good)
  • Ethan (strong)
  • Eric (ruler)
  • Elon (oak tree)
  • Edgar (spear)

F.

  • Freddy (ruler)
  • Faron (handsome servant)
  • Flint (hard stone)
  • Finn (fair)
  • Flynn (red haired)
  • Forde (river crossing)
  • Fanon (scarf)
  • Forrest (of the woods)
  • Finnick (marshland farm)
  • Farley (fern clearing)
  • Frankie (free)

G.

  • Garrick (kingly spear)
  • Greg (vigilant)
  • Gil (joyful)
  • Griff (prince)
  • Garret (strong spear)
  • Gabe (hero of god)
  • Greyson (son of steward)
  • George (farmer)
  • Gordon (great hill)
  • Gildroy (son of a red-head)
  • Gerald (spear ruler)
  • Guy (guide)

H.

  • Harry (home ruler)
  • Henry (home ruler)
  • Hank (home ruler)
  • Hovis (strength of man)
  • Hamish (supplanter)
  • Higgins (viking)
  • Howie (noble watchman)
  • Horace (timekeeper)
  • Hugh (soul)
  • Hudson (son of Hudd)
  • Herb (army)

I.

  • Izak (laughter)
  • Idris (lord)
  • Idriz (to learn)
  • Ian (god is gracious)
  • Io (princess)
  • Ivan (god is gracious)
  • Irwin (boar friend)
  • Isco (pioneer)

J.

  • Jules (youthful)
  • Jerry (spear)
  • Jordon (descend)
  • Jed (beloved of god)
  • Junior (younger)
  • Jake (supplanter)
  • Jeb (beloved friend)
  • Jimmy (supplanter)
  • Jeff (pledge)
  • Jarod (descent)
  • Justin (righteous)

K.

  • Kerry (dark)
  • Kamil (perfect)
  • Kaden (battle)
  • Kevin (handsome)
  • Keith (woodland)
  • Kane (warrior)
  • Kit (pure)
  • Kyle (narrow)
  • Karl (free man)
  • Kory (hollow)

L.

  • Leroy (king)
  • Lemmie (belonging to god)
  • Lenon (lover)
  • Lawrence (laurel)
  • Larry (crowned with laurel)
  • Lee (pasture)
  • Les (holly garden)
  • Levi (joined)
  • Lincoln (lake or pool)
  • Lenny (brave as lion)
  • Lex (defender of men)

M.

  • Manny (god is with us)
  • Mickey (like god)
  • Morris (of the marsh)
  • Milton (town with a mill)
  • Matt (gift of god)
  • Mateo (gift of god)
  • Marshal (steward)
  • Marcus (warlike)
  • Miles (soldier)
  • Mica (who is like god)
  • Maddox (fortunate)

N.

  • Norris (northerner)
  • Norm (northerner)
  • Ned (wealthy guardian)
  • Nicky (victory)
  • Niels (victory)
  • Nate (gift of god)
  • Norbet (bright north)
  • Noah (rest)
  • Newt (small salamander)
  • Niles (champion)
  • November (month)
  • Nathan (gift from god)

O.

  • Otto (wealth)
  • Oakley (oak tree meadow)
  • Owen (noble)
  • Obie (servant of god)
  • Orion (heaven’s light)
  • Ozwell (reserved)
  • Oberon (royal bear)
  • Orson (bear cub)
  • Ovi (sheep)

P.

  • Petey (rock)
  • Prince (royalty)
  • Patrick (nobleman)
  • Predrag (very beloved)
  • Pauley (humble)
  • Patton (fighter’s town)
  • Paddy (nobleman)
  • Parker (park keeper)
  • Paxton (peaceful town)
  • Perry (pear tree)
  • Pat (nobleman)

Q.

  • Quentin (fifth)
  • Quirrell (spear)
  • Quince (applelike fruit)
  • Quin (counsel)
  • Quill (scribe)

R.

  • Robby (bright fame)
  • Rich (strong)
  • Reggie (king)
  • Ralph (wolf counsel)
  • Ricky (powerful)
  • Randell (wolf’s sheild)
  • Renn (reborn)
  • Ryker (ruler)
  • Rowan (red-head)
  • Riggs (from the ridge)
  • Roger (warrior)
  • Romeo (Roman)

S.

  • Sammy (god has heard)
  • Sandy (protector)
  • Seth (placed)
  • Simba (lion)
  • Sage (wisdom)
  • Scotty (from Scotland)
  • Stewie (steward)
  • Stevie (crown)
  • Silus (of the forest)
  • Sirius (burning)
  • Sherlock (fair)
  • Shaun (god is gracious)

T.

  • Teddy (gift from god)
  • Terry (power of the tribe)
  • Tanner (leather maker)
  • Timmy (god’s honor)
  • Tommy (twin)
  • Trevor (homestead)
  • Tate (cheerful)
  • Tristin (sorrowful)
  • Theo (gift from god)

U.

  • Ulrick (noble)
  • Uno (free)
  • Ulysses (wrathful)
  • Urwin (sea)
  • Uzziah (the lord is mighty)

V.

  • Vin (conquer)
  • Vinny (conquer)
  • Vincent (conquer)
  • Vernon (alder grove)
  • Vern (alder grove)
  • Vic (champion)
  • Vaughn (little)
  • Vito (life)

W.

  • Will (resolute protector)
  • Whisky (water of life)
  • Winchester (English town)
  • Wade (ford)
  • Wes (western meadow)
  • Wesley (western meadow)
  • Wilbur (brilliant)
  • Wilf (desiring peace)
  • Warde (guard)
  • Wendell (wanderer)

Z.

  • Zeke (god stengthens)
  • Zach (lord remembers)
  • Zeno (gift of zeus)
  • Zeo (fervent)
  • Zachary (lord remembers)
  • Zaden (divinity)

The Labrador Site Founder

Pippa Mattinson is the best selling author of The Happy Puppy Handbook, the Labrador Handbook, Choosing The Perfect Puppy, and Total Recall.

She is also the founder of the Gundog Trust and the Dogsnet Online Training Program 

Pippa's online training courses were launched in 2019 and you can find the latest course dates on the Dogsnet website

217 COMMENTS

  1. My male black lab is called Coal, due to colour and our coming from an area known for mining. Our female black lab is called Agatha but often shortened to Aggie. Huge Christie fan.

  2. Last year at this time my sweet puppy Max of 14yrs had to leave and my heart still aches I thought I could never go through that again. Right now my goofy Dozer is asleep on my foot

  3. We got two dogs one of our family and one for my uncles family and their names are Texas, Ranger. I love are new Texas and he gets to see his brother Ranger all the time lol.

  4. I had a chihuahua and Charlie spaniel mix named Bubba, and a scooter, one of them got killed by another dog and scooter went missing November last year still looking for him.

  5. We chose the name METRO for our black lab. Because like the dog, the local police department is also black and white lol we also have a chihuahua we named BOWSER from Super Mario Bros .

  6. The day after Christmas (in Sao Paulo, Brazil, mid-summer) my wife and mother-in-law saw a battered black lab (the taller kind) dying in a supermarket parking lot. They picked him up and took him to a local vet who rehydrated him, and patched him up the best she could. Two more days on the street, and he was a goner, she said. They decided to bring him home, where he slept for a few days, and began to show signs of recovery. When you take in a strange animal from the streets, any number of bad things can happen. Diseases, behavioral problems, you name it. None of these things happened. He was already house-trained, and knew some commands (in Portuguese, of course). We named him Barack, which means ‘gift from God’. We were certainly his gift from God, and it turned out, he was ours, too! Now, he’s 8, and lives a pretty good life in the USA.

  7. I have a yellow Lab and I named him Blaise. There is a Saint named Blaise and in Urban Dictionary : Blaise
    The most caring, gentle, thoughtful, passionate, loving person you can ever meet. You can always turn to them and know that they will never intentionally hurt you or let you down. When they fall in love they make their partner feel so special and always spoil them. Will always look out for their friends and family and protect the people they love. If you’re in love with a blaise, keep them forever because you’ll never find another that’s better ♥
    Blaise:
    A fly person who beats down all haters.
    Swagger. Cool.
    He is one of 10 puppies and his name color when born was Blue so he learned Blaise very easily.

  8. I quite like “Raven”. Sounds quite muscular. I like “Logan” too. It goes with any breed.
    It is a Good blog. Found some good names. Thanks to he Author.

    My dog’s name was Brownie. Lost her couple of months back. Still searching.

  9. My rotti/lab rescue’s name is Crosby.
    Then I got a rotti puppy and named him Nash.

    I am also a volunteer puppy foster/trainer for
    Retrieving Freedom Inc, an organization that raises, trains and places service dogs with disabled veterans and children living with Autism.
    My new puppy’s name is 2nd Chance, (call name Chance) because that is what he’s going to give a special person.

  10. Our big, rangy boy is called Reno; my daughter named him after a Final Fantasy character. And my neighbor’s golden retriever is…what else?…El Dorado.

  11. I think some of the names are weird, and make no sense, but cute. If i had to chose a name i would pick chase, luke, jesse, or maybe max 🙂 i hope people get a meaning of what im saying and chose a nice, sweet name – of course

  12. We love the name Davey Crockett for our male dogs. We had our Lab/Rot who was Davey I and three weeks after he left us, we got a Lab/Great Dane 9 month old puppy who was Davey II. I want a Davey III when we get our Lab/Great Dane puppy.

  13. I have a Doberman and his name is Percy, but my family doesn’t like that name so we are going to change it, but don’t know what to change it to. Any ideas?

  14. I had a black Lab named Shadow and I have a yellow Lab named Hunter. But I also have a Black Lab named Canyon which I never hear of.

  15. Please don’t name it Barney unless for some reason it is purple.
    Better ideas:
    Rex
    Sidekick
    Sleepy
    Hazard
    Rocket
    Bush Master
    Ranger
    Remy
    Captain
    General
    Rico

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