We share hundreds of great male dog names in lists below. Together with tips and ideas for choosing boy dog names that are totally awesome but still work for a puppy!
Bringing home a new male puppy is so exciting, but it can also be overwhelming. A baby boy dog is a total joy, but there is so much responsibility that comes with it. And one of the first tasks is choosing the perfect male dog name for him. Fortunately, our name list can help with that!
You’ll find the most popular boy dog names below, but you’ll also find beautiful, unique male dog names, cool ideas, names based on nature, places, people, and much much more.
- Top male dog names
- Human boys names for dogs
- Most popular names for male dogs
- Uncommon male dog names
- Cool names for boys
- Big boy dog names
- Famous boy dog names
- Boy dog names A-Z
It can be surprisingly hard to find the right top dog name for your gorgeous boy puppy. Because choosing a name for your puppy matters. Names are so much more than a way to get your boy dog to come back when you call them. Even the most common dog names establish identities, and help your beautiful dogs to fit into their special place in the family.
Top Male Dog Names 2022
Let’s get started finding some good pet names for your puppy! Have you got your pen and paper ready? Let’s choose the perfect male puppy name for your new friend. These are the boy animal names that are trending right now and include some great American boy names too!
- Max
- Bear
- Charlie
- Toby
- Lucky
- Cooper
- Teddy
- Loki
- Rocky
- Finn
- Wagner
- Bruno
- Chester
- Buddy
- Duke
- Zeus
- Dexter
- Jasper
- Ziggy
- Milo
- Ollie
- Bailey
- Jack
- Oscar
- Gizmo
- Thor
- Ozzy
- Harley
- Winston
- Ace
- Murphy
- Blu
- Blue
- Arlo
- Brody
- Leo
- Henry
- Tank
- Griffin
- Buster
- Comet
- Bruiser
- Bruce
- Cash
- Baxter
- Cosmo
- Diesel
- Banjo
- Gunner
- Jax
What’s My Dog’s Name?
One of the biggest problems in many homes where a new puppy’s arrival is eagerly expected, is getting everyone to agree on what is the best male dog name!
TOP TIP: Use a brainstorming technique where everyone takes a turn to put a name on a piece of paper in a random position. With lists, we tend to focus on the beginning and the end and the names in the middle get lost. When you brainstorm on a big sheet of paper, names that you might have overlooked, jump out at you!
Maybe you already know exactly what kind of names you like? Or perhaps you chop and change your mind on a daily basis? Whichever camp you fall into, you’re bound to find some boy dog names to inspire you in these lists. Let’s look at some dog names for boys that are eternally popular.
Popular Male Dog Names
Do you like to capture the zeitgeist, or do you prefer male puppy names which have stood the test of time? These dog names for boys have consistently occupied the top male pet names lists for years:
Boy Names for Dogs
Great dog names can come from fairly standard human male names. As you can see there’s a real trend towards giving our dogs human names. It’s a logical progression from thinking of pets as part of the family. A way of saying that in our hearts, our dogs have the same status as people. And they can make for quite unusual dog names as well. So here are some more names for boy dogs that are human names too:
- Thomas
- Caleb
- Lucas
- Jackson
- Wyatt
- Gabriel
- Carter
- Asher
- Dylan
- Cliff
- Ron
- Monty
Uncommon Boy Names for Male Dogs
Boy pet names are also a fun chance to use human names that are a bit more unusual. These human names aren’t too common, but they’d all be good boy dog names:
- Turner
- Cedric
- Seamus
- Gilbert
- Harris
- Lyle
- Reuben
- Heath
- Alistair
- Douglas
We had some great human male dog names in our Dog Name Survey, too. Here were some of our favorites:
- Keanu
- Benedict
- Jonah
- Clive
- Victor
Unique Male Dog Names
Coming up with a one of a kind name for your dog can be a real challenge. You never know when an obscure name is about to surge in popularity, or if someone else on your street is about to have the same flash of inspiration. But it’s still fun to find something a bit special, like these unusual male dog names:
- 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 puppies that are going to be adorable forever:
- 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. For example 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 as names for male dogs:
- Wolf
- Tiger
- Raven
- Bear
- Lynx
- Puma
- Fox
- Sparrow
- Buffalo (or just Buff!)
- Gopher
Good Boy Dog Names
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
And here are some great male dog names that only came up once in our massive dog names survey.
- Farmer
- Mojo
- Bullseye
- Cheeto
- Bungee
- Biggie
- Rocket
Strong Male Dog Names
Dogs have amazing amounts of energy, stamina and muscle. These names either mean strong, or imply strength and make for great masculine dog names:
- Mason
- Hunter
- Chase
- Atlas (Atlas is the Greek god depicted carrying the world on his shoulders)
- Aaron (Hebrew name meaning “mountain of strength”)
- Magnar (Norwegian name meaning “strength”)
- Angus (Irish name meaning “unique strength”)
- Ryker (Danish name meaning “strength”)
- Obelix (Greek name meaning “pillar of strength”)
- Zeke (Hebrew name meaning “God strengthens”)
- Virtus (the Roman god of bravery and military strength)
Big Dog Names for Male Dogs
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!
Small Dog Names Male
Are your puppy’s parents petite? Is your puppy more of a mini than a max? Maybe your dog is going to fall at the other end of the scale, and there’s nothing wrong with that. They say that the best things come in small parcels. These great boy dog names celebrate being a little more compact:
- Pebble
- Bean
- Peagreen (from The Borrowers)
- Frodo (from The Lord of the Rings)
- Atom
- Kerwin (Gaelic name meaning ‘little black one’)
- Beetle
- Nugget
- Acorn
Great Dog Names Male
Some dogs are born great, and others have greatness thrust upon them. Recognize their nobility with one of these strong 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
Famous Dog Names Male Pups Might Suit
Some of our favorite famous dogs and male dog characters include:
- 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
Can’t find what you’re looking for? No problem! Have a scan through the alphabet to find the name of your dreams! We’ve stuck with mostly retro old man names or popular modern human names. And those which are short, easy to say and don’t sound like any of the more common commands.
Boy dog names that start with A
Some of the best dog names that start with A are really popular boys names at the moment. But others are a little more out of the left field. We’ve got a range for you here, so whether you are into popular or rare naming trends, there is something here that’ll make you say Aaaaaaaah.
- Alfie
- Archie
- Albie
- Arthur
- Atlas
- Austin
- Alyus
- Allan
- Axel
- Anton
- Anders
- Adam
Male dog names that start with B
These cute boy dog names beginning with B are the best of the bunch!
- Bernie
- Boris
- Brad
- Barney
- Brandon
- Baxter
- Benny
- Buddy
- Bryn
- Bobby
- Byron
- Bentley
Boy dog names that start with C
C names for boys are the leader of the pack for dogs and humans alike right now, with C dog names include some of the biggest ever hits like Charlie. Our selection of male names that start with C are gorgeous ideas for every sort of guy!
- Charlie
- Chester
- Casper
- Clyde
- Clive
- Callum
- Chad
- Carlo
- Colt
- Clayton
- Caleb
- Claude
Male dog names that start with D
There are some fun ideas here, that are from a range of locations, periods of history, fantasy and reality.
- Derek
- Dave
- Danny
- Donny
- Dexter
- Declan
- Damian
- Dom
- Drake
- Dylan
- Dustin
- Dante
Boy dog names that start with E
These male names that start with E are a really nice way of getting something a bit special. They include male names that are well known, but that you might not have thought to use for a dog!
- Ezra
- Ellias
- Elliot
- Every
- Emmett
- Eamon
- Euan
- Evan
- Ethan
- Eric
- Elonn
- Edgar
Male dog names that start with F
The boy puppy names in this category include some of my particular favorites, because of that hard starting eff you get a name that packs a punch but is still as cute as your pup is!
- Freddy
- Faron
- Flint
- Finn
- Flynn
- Forde
- Fanon
- Forrest
- Finnick
- Fab
- Farley
- Frankie
Boy dog names that start with G
Funnily enough this selection include some older generational names that despite being a little outdated on people are really lovely names for boy puppies.
- Garrick
- Greg
- Gil
- Griff
- Garret
- Gabe
- Greyson
- George
- Gordon
- Gildroy
- Gerald
- Guy
Male dog names that start with H
The male puppy names are great choices for healthy young pups!
- Harry
- Henry
- Hank
- Hovis
- Hamish
- Higgins
- Howie
- Horace
- Hugh
- Heath
- Hudson
- Herb
Boy dog names that start with I
The best boy dog names might just be those that are a little less common. Which is one of the great things about this selection!
- Izak
- Idris
- Idriz
- Ian
- Io
- Ivan
- Irwin
- Isco
Male dog names that start with J
Male J names include some top names right now, like Jake, and some seriously cool ones, like Jed.
Making J dog names a great choice for anyone!
- Jack
- Jules
- Jerry
- Jordon
- Jed
- Junior
- Jake
- Jeb
- Jimmy
- Jeff
- Jarod
- Justin
Boy dog names that start with K
Are K dog names your preferred picks? Let’s find out!
- Kaleb
- Kerry
- Kamil
- Klay
- Kaden
- Kevin
- Keith
- Kane
- Kit
- Kyle
- Karl
- Kory
Male dog names that start with L
These cute male dog names start with a lovely soft ell sound, which makes them some of the best for your little softie.
- Leroy
- Lemmie
- Lenon
- Lawrence
- Larry
- Lee
- Les
- Levi
- Lincoln
- Leon
- Lenny
- Lex
Boy dog names that start with M
Male names that start with M swing wildly in and out of fashion, but they have some long term popular choices, like magnificent Matt!
- Manny
- Mickey
- Morris
- Milton
- Matt
- Max
- Mateo
- Marshal
- Marcus
- Miles
- Mica
- Maddox
Male dog names that start with N
N names for boys really vary in their sound and style, and have a lot to offer the owner looking for something a bit less common.
- Norris
- Norm
- Ned
- Nicky
- Niels
- Nate
- Norbet
- Noah
- Newt
- Niles
- November
- Nathan
Boy dog names that start with O
O names for boys are very popular at the moment. From Oscar to Ollie, they are as cute for our pups as they are for our babies! We’ve chosen two syllable boy names that start with O as the best fit for your new dog.
- Ollie
- Oscar
- Otto
- Oakley
- Owen
- Obie
- Orion
- Ozwell
- Oberon
- Ozzy
- Orson
- Ovi
Male dog names that start with P
Good male dog names fit puppies perfectly when they start with a pretty P!
- Petey
- Prince
- Patrick
- Predrag
- Pauley
- Patton
- Paddy
- Parker
- Paxton
- Perry
- Pat
Boy dog names that start with Q
Boy names that start with Q are a rare breed, but all of these Q names for boys are good options, despite there being fewer of them!
- Quentin
- Quirrell
- Quince
- Quin
- Quill
- Quantis
Male dog names that start with R
These R dog names are inspired by history and fiction, but they make equally awesome ideas!
- Robby
- Rich
- Reggie
- Ralph
- Ricky
- Randell
- Renn
- Ryker
- Rowan
- Riggs
- Roger
- Romeo
Boy dog names that start with S
Guy names that start with S have a long and lovely tradition, with some cool pet names for guys always hitting the top spot.
- Sammy
- Sandy
- Seth
- Simba
- Sage
- Scotty
- Stewie
- Stevie
- Silus
- Sirius
- Sherlock
- Shaun
Male dog names that start with T
There are so many top options to choose from when it comes to the terrific T!
- Teddy
- Terry
- Tanner
- Tracker
- Timmy
- Toby
- Tommy
- Talon
- Trevor
- Tate
- Tristin
- Theo
Boy dog names that start with U
Good boy dog names are often unusual, and what’s less common than cute boy puppy names that begin with U!
- Ulrick
- Uno
- Ulysses
- Urwin
- Uzziah
- Urick
Male dog names that start with V
You’ll find some very unusual male dog names here, but they are all nice ones too!
- Vin
- Vinny
- Vincent
- Vernon
- Vern
- Vic
- Vaughn
- Vito
Boy dog names that start with W
From the old to the new, W has a lot to offer our little boy dogs!
- Will
- Whisky
- Winston
- Winchester
- Wade
- Wes
- Wesley
- Wilbur
- Wilf
- Warde
- Wendell
Male dog names that start with Z
We’ve had to delve into mythology here a little, but I’m sure you’ll be delighted if you find a Z name that fits your puppy!
- Zeus
- Zeke
- Zach
- Zeno
- Zeo
- Zachary
- Zaden
Choosing The Best Male Dog Names
The best name for your dog is one you fall in love with, and don’t mind shouting out in public. Wherever you get your inspiration from, finding the perfect name for your newest family member is a satisfying moment. And remember, if you can’t decide between two then why not use them both? Dog middle names are totally a thing!
TOP TIP: If you and your family still can’t agree on the best dog name for your boy puppy, then it’s time to play ‘Name In A Jar’! Everyone writes a name on a piece of paper and folds it twice, then drops it in a jar. Each person can put up to three names in the jar. The pieces of paper should be identical! Get someone who isn’t invested in the outcome to pick the name out of the jar. You need to agree before you begin that you will all accept the result!
What are your top male dog names?
What is your boy dog called? If you had to name a new dog tomorrow, what would you call him? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below!
If you want more ideas, take a look at this dog name database!
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My teacup yorkie is Cookie.
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.
I have a spotted Chihuahua white with brown spots his name is
Ricin Beans
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
I have a 8lb toy fox & yorkie mix, named Motown. He has the best personality and is a cuddler.
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.
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.
My 17 werk old fox red Lab is called Rua (rooah) – didn’t see it on list lol.
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 .
My dogs are mini-schnauzer s. They are Cisco Kidd and Pancho Clawzz.
I have a little baby boy pit bull he Black with a little white on him what do I call him?
We’ve called our Fox Red Lab, Eden.
Goliath is my sweet baby boy’s name
Wanting to name our future dog sergeant
Mine was “Sir Nigel Jack Russell” – Nigel for short
How about Bam-Bam ?
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.
?
Ive named my Yellow Labrador “DUDE” 😀
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.
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.
Mercedes is my beautiful shelti/papillon mix. My male chiwennie is Jake Gyllendog
Our boy chocolate lab is named Kuma, Japanese for bear
Our beloved yellow Lab was called Fletcher, but we also called him Eddie, FD, FletchEdy etc.
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.
My chocolate lab’s name is Havouc, because that’s what labs create!
Our Yorkie’s name was Tank
My black lab’s name is Rolex
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.
RAGNAR AND SADDIE AND LILLY
Wanting to name mine Spock, RIP Leonard Nimoy. Was also considering Nimoy but hubby requires one syllable.
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
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.
My foxred is called Albie named after my daughters grandad
My big chocolate lab’s name is Gus, or Guster when he is behaving.
MY boy’s name is Judge. Almost went with Jethro but he said he liked Judge more.
Dean I have a BLACK lab named ty
Ripley was named after Sigourney Weaver in the Alien movies.
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?
My neighbor’s dog’s name is Percival and they call him Percy for short.
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.
Our beloved yellow lab was Ozzy after Ozzy Osborne.
Knox
My two male Labs were Otis, and Pilot. Two great boy dog names I didn’t see on your list.
Baxter
I named my pup captain
What about Lance
I liked the name Dean for my dog
or jet
i think the name shasta is a good name(off of the snowbuddies movie.)
Our Rotty mix is named WRECKS.
We are getting a Jack Chi this weekend and looking for a cute name.
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