So, you just brought your new addition to your animal family home, and you can’t wait to start your life with them. You are head over heels for your new companion and feel an overabundance of excitement for your future with your new puppy. You already have a long list of things that you need to get to help your pet get settled into their new home, most importantly, you must find the perfect name for your new companion.
Choosing the perfect name for your best friend may seem daunting at first because you want to be sure to find a name that fits your dog perfectly. You may be worried about messing up and choosing the wrong name for your dog, or you worry that you will find an even better name for your pet well after your dog has learned their name.
Thankfully, this article was written to help guide you on your journey to finding a meaningful name that best fits your new puppy that will also squash any fears that you have about choosing the wrong name.
Here are a few tips to help you name your new dog
Before we get into the various methods you can use to find inspiration for your puppy’s name, there are a few things that you should keep in mind before you decide on a name. When thinking about cute dog names, you should remember to keep their name short or, give them a name that can be shortened easily, as dogs are most receptive to names that are one to two syllables long. We both know that while the name “Lady Lynn Grey” is a truly great name, it will almost always be shortened to “Lynn” or “Lady”.
Additionally, you should look for names that have a sharp consonant sound at the start of the name. Because dogs respond to the sound frequency that their name produces and not the name itself, its always better to use names that start with a higher frequency – the sharp consonants. Sharp consonants refer to the sounds produced by the letters “c”, “ch”, “k”, “s” and “sh” which get the best response from your dog. Names such as “Sweetie”, “Kyla”, “Shadow”, and “Clyde” are great examples of names that begin with a sharp consonant.
Finally, you should also be wary of giving your new best friend a name that sounds similar to a command that you plan on teaching them. Your dog will have a hard time distinguishing their name (“Beau” and “Clown” for example) from your commands (“no” and “down”, respectively). If they are not able to properly distinguish their name from a command, then they will not be receptive to the command you are trying to teach them, as they could interpret the command as their name and not the command.
Related: 10 Ways to Keep Your Dog Healthy
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Look for noticeable physical traits
One of the easiest ways to find inspiration for your new puppy is to sit down and analyze your dog’s fur and physical characteristics. Do you see any distinguishing features? If you do, what do they remind you of? Use whatever their unique feature reminds you of for their name. For example, I have a male Border Collie who has a completely white face that reminds me of an opossum, so we named him “Pawsome”. If your new puppy has colored spots in their fur, you can name them “Spot” or “Dot”, or any name that relates to their spotted fur.
Even if they don’t have any distinguishing features, you can always name them based on their fur color – “Blue” or maybe “Smokey” for a deep gray dog; “Brownie”, “Fudge”, or “Rolo” for a dog with brown fur; “Goldilocks” for a golden retriever. The possibilities are limitless when you choose to name them after their own physical traits.
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Name them based on their personality
Much like humans, every dog has their own unique personality that makes them, well, them. If you are stuck with finding a new name for your dog, you can always name them after their personality; there are a plethora of popular dog names that will let their unique personality shine through. For example, if your dog is really loving, you could name them “baby” or “babe”.
Pet names such as “Spaz”, “Blitz”, “Trouble”, “Sparky”, or “Mischief”, work well for puppies who are extremely playful and high energy. “Joy”, “Smile”, and “Hope” are great girl dog names for those who are extremely happy; while “Buddy” and “Bud” would be great for boy dog names. You can never go wrong when you name your new best friend based on their larger-than-life personality.
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Don’t be afraid to use human names
Recently, the trend of naming your animals with older-fashioned human names has become increasingly popular. Older names such as “Rose”, “Oliver”, “Harold”, “Bertha”, “Betty”, etc. are great examples of old-fashioned names that work as incredibly cute dog names. Old-fashioned names are very endearing and have always made an animal seem more approachable and loving (for me, anyway). Find an old-fashioned name that you love that also reflects your dog’s personality, and boom, you have found the perfect name for your best friend!
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Find inspiration from your childhood
If you are having trouble coming up with some cute dog names for the new addition to your furry family, you should look for inspiration in your childhood memories. Was there any particular place, object, or toy that meant a lot to you when you were younger? If you do, you can make a cute dog name based on your cherished memory.
For example, did you have a favorite hang out spot that fills you with nostalgia anytime you think about it? Maybe you spent your summers outside, exploring the woods around your home – you can name your new pet based on a word that takes you back to your summer days spent in the woods. Names like “Woody”, “Forest”, or “Evergreen” would work for names that are inspired by your childhood.
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Name your new dog after a favorite thing in your life
You can always create a meaningful name for your new best friend if you use one of your favorite things in life as inspiration. A favorite food, place, book, alcohol, or even toy, can all make great pet names. If your favorite food is pickles, then you can name your new pet “Pickles”. You can name your new dog after a specific place that is close to your heart – for example, I found one of my cats on a road named “Red Valley”, so I named her “RV” after that road. You can also name your new puppy after a proud achievement! Like, if you are very proud that you climbed Mount Everest, you could name your dog “Everest”.
Inspirations for pet names aren’t limited to specific objects such as food, places, and accomplishments – you can name your new dog after your favorite alcohol, toy, or even a favorite book or author.
Related: 8 Great Tips To Getting Rid of Dog Odors
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Look at some of your bands, songs, or artists
You can always find inspiration for cute dog names from listening to your favorite artist, songs, or even bands. You can name your pet after the lead singer of your favorite band or, maybe your favorite song of all time. If you do want to name your new puppy after a song, remember to make sure that the song name is short or can be shortened easily so your dog can understand their new name. For example, if your favorite song is “I Write Sins Not Tragedies” by Panic at the Disco and you want to name your dog after it, your best bet would be the name “Sins” or “Tragedy”.
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Find inspiration in films or TV shows
There are always great boy dog names and girl dog names that can be found while watching movies or TV shows. You can name your pet after a favorite character, place, or even plot device from a movie or TV show that you love. Some movies and shows have characters with animals, allowing for a perfect opportunity to name your pet after the show’s animal.
The names “Wilfred”, “Comet”, and “Pluto” are very well-known examples of pets from tv shows. You can take inspiration from any aspect of a tv show or movie: any character from the lead role to background characters, any specific scene, even running jokes. Anything that makes you feel happy or is meaningful to you is fair game.
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Name them after a favorite celebrity or their animals
Celebrities and their pets are a great place to find cute dog names. You can always do research on your favorite celebrities and find if they have girl dog names and/or boy dog names that you can use. You can look through Instagram and Twitter to find examples of great puppy names from celebrities from all over.
If you do decide to name your new pup after your favorite celebrity, make sure that you feel comfortable with explaining to other people why your dog is named after that person. Also keep in mind that you must live with your dog’s name for the rest of their life, so be sure that you won’t regret naming them after your favorite celebrity in the future.
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Name them after a favorite superhero or villain, look through your favorite comic books and video games for inspiration
Comic books and video games are a great resource to find popular dog names. You can find inspiration from your favorite super heroes and villains like “Flash”, “The Hulk”, “Cable” etc.; or you can name your pet after a favorite video game protagonist. You can discover amazing pet names through characters that you relate to or that you admire – giving you the perfect opportunity to give your pup a name that is truly meaningful to you and your values.
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Use an important thing to remember as inspiration for a new animal
Getting a new animal gives you the perfect opportunity to find a funny name related to something important that you want to remember. For example, maybe you really want to lose 20 lbs. so you name your dog 20 lbs. Using pet names inspired by an important goal that you want to achieve creates the perfect opportunity to be constantly reminded of your goals. Not only is it a great way to keep your goals fresh in your mind, but they always make the best jokes for your friends, families, or visitors who get to meet your new animal.
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Use names that relate to having good fortune
Finally, you can always name a new pet with words that are associated with good fortune. Names such as “Rich”, “Winner”, “Lucky”, “Bill Gates”, or “Money” can make great names for your new furry friend. You never know, maybe having a pet named after a word of good fortune could bring good fortune to your life and household.
Related: Dog Training Tips Every Owner Should Remember
Here are some examples of popular puppy names
Conclusion
Finding the best name for your new pet doesn’t have to be a daunting experience. You can find inspiration for a truly meaningful name everywhere you look, past and present. The perfect dog name is something that you choose; something that resonates with your own values and beliefs. Choosing a meaningful name for your best friend is one of the greatest feelings you can experience with a new pet and marks the beginning of a new relationship that will bring love and joy every day.
Of course, with so many great names that you can choose from, you may find yourself stuck between a few options for a name. If you do find yourself split between a few choices, you can always get other members of your family or household to help by allowing them to vote for their favorite name. Whichever name gets the most votes will be the name chosen for your new pet. With these tips listed above you are now ready to begin your amazing journey with your new pet.
