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Small, lovable, and famously adorable, Pugs are known for human-like expressions that have delighted folks for centuries. These dogs were once the companions of Chinese emperors and the mascot of Holland’s royal House of Orange. Royalty or not, Pugs are still adored by millions of loyal fans around the world. We’ve rounded up the most popular Pug names of the year from our enormous Rover.com database of dog names nationwide. Yes, these are real names given by pug owners, ranked in order of popularity. Did your dog’s name make the list?
Looking for a dog name for your new pug 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 177 Most Popular Pug Names
According to Rover’s database
- Bella
- Lola
- Luna
- Lucy
- Daisy
- Max
- Milo
- Lily
- Winston
- Frank
- Otis
- Stella
- Zoe
- Charlie
- Louie
- Buddy
- Penny
- Molly
- Lulu
- Roxy
- Gus
- Olive
- Sophie
- Rocky
- Oliver
- Rosie
- Coco
- Leo
- Chloe
- Maggie
- Frankie
- Bruno
- Gizmo
- Oscar
- Ruby
- Winnie
- Penelope
- Ellie
- Ollie
- Nala
- Beau
- Henry
- Pepper
- Bear
- Jack
- Hank
- Duke
- Buster
- Toby
- Gigi
- Rocco
- Benny
- Poppy
- Millie
- Tank
- Teddy
- Tucker
- Bailey
- Ginger
- Moose
- Bruce
- Chewy
- Archie
- Abby
- Piper
- Diesel
- Brutus
- Finn
- Yoda
- Peanut
- Lucky
- Bean
- Coco
- Fiona
- Frankie
- Loki
- Petunia
- Ozzy
- Prince
- Bubba
- Minnie
- Kobe
- Baxter
- Phoebe
- Cookie
- Hazel
- Charlie
- Rex
- Thor
- Princess
- Emma
- Percy
- Jake
- Pickles
- Roscoe
- Jasper
- Jax
- Mochi
- Belle
- Romeo
- Mocha
- Honey
- Odie
- Murphy
- Rose
- Willow
- Lilo
- Nugget
- Peppa
- Jackson
- Sam
- Elvis
- Tito
- Violet
- Apollo
- Ace
- Pablo
- Simba
- Kiwi
- Peanut
- Josie
- Oreo
- Wally
- Nacho
- Ernie
- Bandit
- Rufus
- Tyson
- Tilly
- Peggy
- Leia
- Dixie
- Vader
- Bailey
- Rocko
- Trixie
- Peaches
- Boba
- Pixie
- Nova
- Charlotte
- Chase
- Vinny
- King
- Chico
- Kevin
- Pepper
- Buddha
- Ella
- Biscuit
- Riley
- Nina
- Bean
- Dolly
- Pickles
- Pudge
- Chance
- Louis
- Diego
- Beans
- Leroy
- Samson
- Bowser
- Fred
- Scooby
- Olivia
- Marley
- Ivy
- Morty
- Iggy
- Hugo
- Cosmo
- Spike
- Taco
- Boomer
- Maple
- Birdie
Top 10 Female Pug Names
- Bella
- Lola
- Luna
- Lucy
- Daisy
- Lily
- Stella
- Zoe
- Penny
- Molly
Top 10 Male Pug Names
- Max
- Milo
- Winston
- Frank
- Otis
- Charlie
- Louie
- Buddy
- Gus
- Rocky
Pug Name Trends
It’s pretty clear that the Pug’s humorous, wrinkly expression has a big impact on the names that are chosen for them. Vintage gentleman names like Otis, Frank, Winston, Oliver, and Louie are tops for Pugs and occur at a much higher rate than for other breeds. Pugsley is also very popular for this breed—no explanation needed!
We also see a big influx of adorable food-inspired names for this famously food-motivated dog. These include monikers like Peaches, Nugget, Kiwi, Nacho, Pickles, and Oreo.
Pug Name Advice
If you’re having trouble deciding, keep in mind that great Pug 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 cultural idol’s name like Elvis or a silly cartoon character like Scooby.
Another consideration when choosing your Pug 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 Pug 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 “Poppy, it’s time for dinner!” or “Jax, leave it!” helps take the name out of your imagination and into reality.
Once you have that just-right pug name, you can keep your pup safe with a customizable ID tag and warm with a monogrammed blanket.
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.
