Black dogs are a special bunch, from the classic black Lab to the striking great Dane, the schnauzer, the Portuguese water dog, or any lovable mixed breed dog that landed the dark fur genes. So how do you find a great name for your new black dog? Consider size, look, and personality. This list has options to fit any dog, from a lovely Luna to a strong Onyx. We handpicked these choices from our huge Rover.com database of dog names. Those with an asterisk (*) rank among the top 100 most popular dog names.
The Best Black Dog Names
Many of these are gender-neutral. A female black dog can easily go by Ash, for example, while a male black dog could sport Raven.
- Adrian
- Amaya (night rain in Japanese)
- Angus
- Anise
- Artemis (the moon goddess)
- Arya
- Asher (Ash)
- Astra
- Athena*
- Bamboo
- Bartholomew (Bart)
- Bean
- Bear*
- Black Beauty (for a show dog, perhaps)
- Blackberry (or just Berry)
- Blackjack
- Blake
- Boomer*
- Bran (meaning raven)
- Brenna / Brena
- Bruno*
- Calla
- Celeste
- Chase*
- Cocoa
- Cola (as in Coke or Pepsi)
- Colby
- Cole (Coal)
- Corbin
- Cosmos
- Dahlia
- Dakota*
- Darcy
- Darth (after all, Darth Vader becomes good in the end)
- Dashiell (Dash)
- Delaney
- Denali
- Deva (Hindu moon goddess)
- Domino
- Duna
- Duncan
- Ebony
- Eclipse
- Elvira
- Emery
- Espresso
- Eve (Evening, Evie)
- Flint
- Guinness
- Hershey
- Indigo
- Jett / Jetta
- Keira
- Kieran
- Kodiak
- Kuro (black in Japanese)
- Kylo (of the newest Star Wars)
- Leila / Layla (meaning “night”)
- Legend
- Licorice
- Luna* (moon in Spanish)
- Lyra
- Maverick
- Midnight
- Nash (a star in Sagittarius)
- Nerissa
- Nisha (night in Sanskrit)
- Noir
- Nova*
- Nyx
- Olive*
- Onyx
- Opal
- Ophelia
- Oreo* (great for a black and white dog)
- Orion
- Orpheus
- Oso (Spanish for bear)
- Panther
- Pearl* (as in a black pearl)
- Pepper*
- Persephone (Persie)
- Poppy
- Rain (Rainy)
- Raven (not to be confused with a crow!)
- Sable
- Scout*
- Selena
- Selkie (seal-woman of Gaelic legend)
- Shadow*
- Skye
- Smoky
- Starling (a black bird)
- Stella*
- Storm (Stormy)
- Sullivan (Sully)s
- Thunder
- Turtle (fun fact: a type of black bean)
- Tynan
- Velvet
- Vesper
- Wednesday (as in Addams)
- Vega
- Wilder
- Yukon
Do Black Dogs Need a Themed Name?
Sure, a black dog named Shadow, Moon, or Sable is pretty cute. But you don’t have to go that route. Some of the names on Rover’s list are inspired by your dog’s color, but not all! You don’t have to give your new puppy a name that has anything to do with their coat if you don’t want to.
Here are some other considerations when choosing your new black dog’s name.
People Names for Dogs
Do you like the sound of a human baby name on a puppy? If so, you’re not alone. It used to be that most of us agreed on a good name for a dog. Fido, Rex, Lady: we expected generic choices. Now, however, you’re more likely to hear human names on dogs.
Our data shows that each year, dog owners increasingly turn to human names for their pets. This reflects the larger cultural trend that embraces dogs as full-on family members who deserve their own special place in our homes and hearts. Our dog love runs deep.
Dog Naming Advice
If you’re having trouble deciding, keep in mind that a great black dog name can come from many different sources of inspiration, such as your favorite foods, books, celebrities, your heritage, or even dog breed history. For example, a black Lab puppy might sport a water-inspired name like River, while a Latin dog breed could carry a cute name like Chico.
Another consideration when choosing your dog’s name? Dog training. This is of particular importance for puppies. When you’re teaching your new dog to respond to commands like sit, stay, or come, you’ll want to be sure their name isn’t a source of confusion. In other words, avoid puppy names that sound like a common dog training cue, such as “Bit,” which could easily be misheard as “sit.”
Of course, what matters most is that the dog name you choose rolls off your tongue. The best names will make you happy. We’re fans of the “backdoor test” for dog name selection. It’s pretty much what it sounds like: stand at the back door and call out your new dog‘s potential name. Saying “Duncan, it’s time for dinner!” or “Bart, leave it!” helps take the name out of your imagination and into reality.
The Bottom Line
Good luck, have fun and be sure to check out our other dog name coverage. As dog lovers through and through here at Rover, we find dog names absolutely fascinating, and we love searching our data on the topic to discover hot trends, quirky choices, and unique twists on classics. Over the years, we’ve compiled plenty of names for you to peruse—and we keep our lists updated with new data each year.
To start, check out our list of the most popular names of 2018, and then jump over to unique dog names to see the contrast. But that’s only the beginning. We’ve got articles covering top Irish choices, male dog names, female dog names, and popular names for hunting dogs, small dogs, white dogs, Huskies, German shepherds, and many more.
