Unique Names for Dogs

Dogs are domestic mammals from the canid family; they have lived alongside human beings for at least 9000 years. Nowadays there are more than 800 dog breeds of all shapes, sizes, and temperaments, and most of them can be trained to fulfill a particular role as a companion, guard, watcher, hunter or guide. Dogs have proved to be of huge help to humans time and again.

Dogs, or Canis familiaris, are a highly intelligent species. They are able to communicate, learn orders and solve problems, either by learning from their owner or by observing other dogs. Some breeds are more intelligent than others, but all dogs understand, feel and have physical and psychological needs.

This is why it's so important for your dog to have a name unique among all other dogs; this name will be used to identify your dog, and they will learn to respond to it. There are some basic guidelines you should know before choosing a name:

• Choose a name between 2 and 3 syllables long. Names that are too short can be confused with many common daily words, but if they are too long they will be much more difficult to learn and remember.

• Don't give your dog a name that sounds like an order.

• Don't choose a name that sounds like another pet's or another family member's.

• Once you've settled on a name, don't change it. Your dog will be confused.

• The pronunciation must be clear and straightforward.

Many people like naming their pets after famous historical, celebrity or fictional dogs. Here are some examples:

• Beethoven, the famous St. Bernard.
• Hachiko, the loyal Akita Inu from the film based on real events.
• Laika, the Russian dog who traveled to space.
• Pongo and Perdita, heroes of 101 Dalmatians.
• Lady and Tramp, from the Disney movie of the same name.
• Scooby Doo, from the famous cartoons.
• Rex, a German Shepherd, the TV police dog.
• Santa's Little Helper, the Simpsons' greyhound.
• Pluto, from Disney.
• Odie, Garfield's friend.
• Snoopy, from the Peanuts comic strip.
• Lassie, from the adventure TV series of the same name.
• Josef, Heidi's enormous dog.
• Goofy, from Disney.
• Brian, from Family Guy.
• Dogmatix, Obelix's little terrier, called Idéfix in French.
• Seymour, Fray's dog in Futurama.

All dogs have their individual traits and quirks, which can be great sources of inspiration for cool and unique names:

• Some dogs are very regal and majestic, and they look and act as if they were royalty. Why not name such a dog Kaiser or Kaiserin (emperor/empress in German) or Czar?

• The Vikings believed in the Valkyries, warrior goddesses who brought the greatest fallen soldiers to Valhalla (paradise). Staying within that mythology, you can also name your noble and strong dog after the gods Odin or Thor.

• Some dogs act like hurricanes, wreaking havoc wherever they go. Why not name them after famously devastating natural disasters, such as Katrina, Wilma o Igor?

• There are dog breeds with fur that looks like dreadlocks; their Reggae-ish look will go perfectly with names like Jamaica, Marley or Wailer.

• Particularly valiant and heroic dogs can be called Achilles, Atlanta, Hector or Hippolyta.

• If your dog belongs to a Japanese breed like Akita Inu or Shiba Inu, why not name them after an anime character? Goku, Akira, Chihiro, Usagi, Mitsuki...

• Some names like Eros, Laska, Malak, Maitea or Andje share the same meaning across different cultures and languages: pure love.

• If you believe your dog to be the prettiest in the world, why not call them Adonis, Belle, Linda or Beau?

• Some dogs are very talkative or bark in a sing-song way. Why not call them Sinatra, Madonna, Jackson or Janis?

• If your dog stays by your side whenever you watch a sci-fi classic, why not call them Darth Vader, Mara Jade or Obi-Wan?

If you still haven't found the perfect unique name for your pet, don't worry. Here at AnimalWised we have many lists of names for dogs:

• Afrikaans names for dogs
• Basque names for dogs
• Guanche names for dogs
• Chinese names for dogs
• Mythological names for dogs

Do you have the perfect idea for a unique name? Share it with us in the comments section!

If you want to read similar articles to Unique Names for Dogs, we recommend you visit our Names category.