Sturdy and swift, border collies are known as one of the most intelligent dogs around. Though only medium-sized, their agility and work ethic help keep any herd under control—and never fail to impress their loyal fans. We’ve uncovered the most popular border collie names of the year from our enormous Rover.com database of dog names nationwide. Did your dog’s name make the list?
Looking for a dog name for your new border collie puppy or adopted family member? Have fun, use your imagination, and be sure to check out other ideas from our wide selection of dog name lists.
The 110 Most Popular Border Collie Names
- Luna
- Bella
- Lucy
- Sadie
- Charlie / Charley
- Daisy
- Max
- Molly
- Bailey
- Zoey / Zoe
- Maggie
- Cooper
- Lily / Lilly
- Scout
- Riley / Rylee
- Cali / Callie
- Buddy
- Jack
- Bear
- Sophie
- Stella
- Tucker
- Piper
- Pepper
- Finn
- Oreo
- Roxy / Roxie
- Milo
- Lola
- Gracie
- Bandit
- Ellie
- Beau / Bo
- Koda / Kota
- Jax
- Shadow
- Penny
- Rocky
- Ollie
- Chloe
- Harley
- Rosie
- Callie
- Murphy
- Duke
- Abby
- Jake
- Kona
- Blue / Blu
- Oliver
- Bentley
- Nala
- Loki
- Annie
- Toby
- Marley
- Dakota
- Lexi / Lexie
- Ruby
- Millie
- Dixie
- Cali
- Beau
- Sam
- Willow
- Mia
- Emma
- Gary
- Lucky
- Remy / Remi
- Jasper
- Maya
- Leo
- Jackson
- Layla
- Cody
- Brody
- Lady
- Ace
- Winston
- Panda
- Ranger
- Coco
- Dexter
- Izzy
- Belle
- Frankie
- Roscoe
- Sasha
- Hank
- Skye
- Louie
- Apollo
- Maddie
- Luke
- Winnie
- Olive
- Ziggy
- Aspen
- Cash
- Gus
- Henry
- River
- Leia
- Ginger
- Bo
- Shelby
- Maverick
- Athena
- Nova
Top 10 Female Border Collie Names
- Luna
- Bella
- Lucy
- Sadie
- Daisy
- Molly
- Bailey
- Zoey / Zoe
- Maggie
- Lily / Lilly
Top 10 Male Border Collie Names
- Charlie / Charley
- Max
- Bailey
- Cooper
- Scout
- Buddy
- Jack
- Bear
- Riley / Rylee
- Tucker
Pixabay
Border Collie Name Trends
It’s pretty clear that the border collie’s independent, intelligent nature influences the names chosen for them. Names like Maverick are popular, along with monikers like Bandit, Shadow, and Scout.
We also see a big influx of nature-inspired names—you know, the ones that make you think of dashing through meadows and skipping in the rain. Given how active and outdoorsy this breed is, names like Bear, Daisy, Willow, and Aspen really do seem fitting.
Border Collie Name Advice
If you’re having trouble deciding, keep in mind that great border collie names can come from many different sources of inspiration, such as your favorite foods, books, celebrities, your heritage, or even dog breed history. For example, your puppy might sport a mythology name like Artemis (goddess of the hunt) or a cute, color-themed moniker like Panda.
Another consideration when choosing your border collie 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 border collie 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 “Jax, it’s time for dinner!” or “Skye, leave it!” helps take the name out of your imagination and into reality.
All Dog Names, All the Time
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.
