You are unique, and so is your new puppy. Originality isn’t an impossible dream, and you can come up with a truly creative dog name for your furry friend with a splash of eccentric inspiration.
The only way to truly individually name your pet is to start from a premise that other people haven’t yet explored.
Sure, foodie dog names inspired by cute candy bars feel a bit different to your classic human names for puppies. But when you meet your seventh Hershey in the dog park the doubts about divergence from the norm inevitably start to creep in.
Unique dog names that you won’t find anywhere else!
Today you’re going to go somewhere else on your dog naming journey. Jumping off from our lists of ideas that don’t match your typical dog names lists at all.
Excessive Syllables
You want to keep your new dog’s name short. It’s easier for your puppy to learn their name as a recall command when it is brief. Long vowel sounds and harsh consonants also make for clearer more recognizable dog names.
But if you want to whistle train the recall command, then it doesn’t matter if your dog is called Sir Timothy Gladis The Eighteenth, if that’s what floats your boat.
Unique Female Dog Names
A unique dog name is one that no one else has used before. Diving into the past, picking an usual flower, or instrument, or extending the tempo of a normal name can really get you there. These girl’s names for dogs have interesting meanings.
- Anastasia (resurrection)
- Peony
- Evangelica (gospel)
- Angelica (aromatic plant)
- Elizabetta (promised to God)
- Alexandrina (man’s defender)
- Lonicera (honeysuckle)
- Artemisia (a herb with feathery leaves)
- Orchid
- Demetria (follower of Demeter, goddess of corn)
- Tilia (lime tree)
- Gloriana (shining glory)
- Alessandra
- Casseopeia
- Henrietta
- Azalea
- Octavia (eighth child)
- Stephanie (crown or garland)
- Magdelena (woman of Magdala)
- Philadelphia
- Violetta (purple flower)
- Serendipity
- Alicia (noble)
- Mandolin
- Rosalinda
- Louisiana
- January
- Annabella (loving or lovable)
- Calathea
- Wilhelmina
Unique Dog Names For Boys
Some of these rare male dog names have more than your average number of syllables for a pet name. Most can be abbreviated very nicely (think Bart, Zac, and Vinny). And again, you can turn to music, nature, and literature for your inspiration.
- Emiliano (eager)
- Banjo
- Archimedes (ancient Greek Scientist)
- Benjamin (son of the right hand)
- Zither
- Octavius (eighth child)
- Oboe
- Valentino (strength, health)
- Flute
- Bartholomew (son of furrows)
- Vincenzio (the conqueror)
- Zacarius (God remembers)
- Montgomery (man power)
- Horatio (timekeeper)
- Gibson (guitar)
- Giovanni (gift from God)
- Harman (guitar)
- Constantine (steadfast)
- Lute (instrument)
- Fransisco (free man)
- Crataegus (hawthorn)
- Augustine (magnificent)
- Meadow
- Maximilian (the greatest)
- Randolph (wolf shield)
- Fender
- Leonardo
- Trumpet
- Ferdinand (the traveler)
- Humphrey (peaceful warrior)
- Salix (willow)
- Archibald (brave one)
- Cello (instrument)
- Remington
Latin Names for Everyday Things
Scientific or Latin names for familiar objects, and even animals, can be a really fun way to think of your most distinctive dog names.
- Metum – Goal
- Gloria – Glory
- Arma – Weaponry
- Ilex – Holly
- Main – Morning
- Natura – Nature
- Nox – Night
- Aureus – Golden
- Angelus – Angel
- Canis – Dog
- Barba – Beard
- Aranea – Spider Web
- Mons – Mountain
- Anser – Goose
- Ligna – Wood
- Lacus – Lake
- Bovis – Cattle
- Cuprum – Copper
- Aqua – Water
- Accipiter – Bird of prey
Periodic Dog Names
If you come from a science background like me, you’ll have numerous rhymes for remembering the periodic table drilled into your brain. And although they’ve been little to no use to you since you left college, they still remind you of their existence from time to time. And funnily enough, you’ll agree that these weird words make cool dog names too!
- Boron
- Carbon
- Neon
- Iron
- Nickel
- Copper
- Silver
- Tin
- Iodine
- Xenon
- Gold
- Mercury
- Lead
- Radon
Color Inspiration
Have you considered diving into your favorite color palettes to get pet name inspiration? The words are familiar yet out of context. So although they can be a unique way of naming your dog, they aren’t jarring in that unfamiliar way some of your more unusual pet names can be.
- Cherry
- Vermillion
- Rust
- Oyster
- Sangria
- Ruddy
- Garnet
- Mulberry
- Emerald
- Jam
- Flax
- Marmalade
- Cobolt
- Blush
- Pickle
- Yam
- Khaki
- Brick
- Rosewood
- Heliotrope
- Azure
- Tangelo
- Bubblegum
- Jade
Dare To Be Different
When you are looking for original pet naming ideas, you should bounce off topics you are fond of. It’s a great way to create quirky names that aren’t just different, but meaningful to you.
Why not write your favorite hobby in the center of a piece of paper, and then scatter related words around it in a splatter diagram. Then you can circle your favorites!
Odd dog names don’t have to be jarring or weird, they can be really beautiful. And searching for a topic that touches your heart is a great way to get there.
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
I have a black mountain cur mix dog.
His name is Scooby-Doo. And he is very comical and likes to push me with his nose to herd me to the door and on to the car. He loves riding.
My female black lab named Indaway.
We’ve had aChina, General, Teddy. Currently have Mishka, looking to name a puppy we’re getting in two weeks! Possibly Remy, Chai, Rogue, Novi, Sigmund, Niko, Seni, Sergi, Zino or Serik.
Red fox female lab named Spunky B
I have Poodles Annabell, Woody, Teddy, Iris, Rose, Ruby, Jager, Hazel, Cash, Willow, Dante
We had a female Rottweiler named Ursula (means Little Bear)and a male named Hans, a sweet Dachshund named Truffle (my favorite name EVER!); other doxies named Strudel and Lucia (after the movie The Ghost and Mrs. Muir). My daughter has dachshunds named Rockford Wee Von Yawn (he was tiny and yawned a lot), Otto and Brida (German names for German dogs).
My daughter has a beautiful, yet funny & goofy Golden Retriever. His name is Gronk, After Rob Gronkowski (football player). My granddaughter has an Australian Shepherd with one Blueeye and one brown eye. That was her dream dog so she named her Dream. Both dogs have Instagram pages with about 1500 followers. LOL
I have 3 dogs. Suzette being a female Black Mountain Cur w/ brindle fur, A male German Shepherd about 10 weeks old (we got him today) w/ currently no name. Last but not least a male Border Collie, Australian Shepherd, and Bernese mix also a 10 week old pup (we got him 2 weeks ago) w/ still no name
My dogs name is a Maori name kauri pronunciation co-ree
He is a poodle/blue cattle puppy
WOW! I was just completing a tex & it just let the entire tex erased! So now I will just list their names so others may use & enjoy one or more. Thank You 🙏🏼.
Crispin, Molly, Rupert, Heffer, Becky, Sara, Munchkin, Oliver, Talulha & Olivia. Hopefully someone will love ❤️ them as much as I have. (I only have my Talulha left!🙏🏼). Enjoy! Oh five were boys & five girls. All but one was shuzi-seu & one Yorker (tea cup 😁) all nothing but great Love ❤️ & Joy 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩.
I just miss them so much! Can’t wait to be reunited at the Rainbow Bridge!!.
My female Boston Terrier’s name is Teeg
Mine is a white dog shes very cute her name is Snowy
We have had 6 dogs in all. 3 are still with us. Our first two Penda and Modoc lived till 16. Our 2nd two sisters were Lab/Golden both black named Lakota and Raven. (15 and 12) Last three we have now are Lab/Golden Shasta named after Mt Shasta in Calif. Choc lab rescue named Sierra (for Sierra Madre) and Juneau a Labbie mix. Have not met too many dogs with these names except for Raven.
so cute I just wish I could have a puppy
I have a golden retriever and his name is Dartagnan. the name of my next dog will be Aramis, all musketeers!!! 🙂
Ragnar of Ragnarok is my 3 year old Chocolate Labs full name.
Love the name Ragnar!!
BARNABAS, Kenai, TIVA, ZOBA, ZEV AND KIRA
Barnabas is a one year old blind chihuahua
Kenai was my heart my service animal he passed away on December 11th 2020
Tiva and Zoba are sisters and are aprox six months old, Kira and Zev are the goats 🐐
I had a dalmatian that was almost covered in black spots, I named her Shazbot(mork from ork term) also had a Red MinPin with an attitude, I named her Reba (after Reba McIntyre)
I have a Giant Schnauzer named Rhythm
Mine is Labrador and her name is Echo
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Mine is beagle and his name is Tanner.