Female dog names can be hard to choose. Whether it’s a girly name, something spunky, or a creative standout, it’s gotta be perfect. Choosing the best dog name, like choosing the perfect dog sitter, is a fun and important task for every pet parent. Luckily, we’ve rounded up some great options for you. From Abbie to Zoe and everything in between, we’ve got the scoop on girl dog names here at Rover.com. After all, we’ve got the nation’s largest database of dog names to work with. Here are the most popular female dog names in America—and unique choices if you’re looking for something a little different.
Source: Instagram user @river_thehusky
100 Most Popular Female Dog Names
- Bella
- Lucy
- Daisy
- Luna
- Lola
- Sadie
- Molly
- Bailey
- Maggie
- Sophie
- Chloe
- Stella
- Lily
- Penny
- Zoey
- Coco
- Roxy
- Gracie
- Mia
- Nala
- Ruby
- Rosie
- Ellie
- Abby
- Zoe
- Piper
- Ginger
- Lilly
- Lulu
- Riley
- Sasha
- Lexi
- Pepper
- Emma
- Layla
- Maya
- Izzy
- Lady
- Annie
- Olive
- Harley
- Belle
- Dixie
- Millie
- Willow
- Princess
- Charlie
- Maddie
- Kona
- Cali
- Ella
- Winnie
- Roxie
- Marley
- Cookie
- Hazel
- Scout
- Athena
- Callie
- Phoebe
- Honey
- Angel
- Dakota
- Minnie
- Holly
- Missy
- Sugar
- Shelby
- Nova
- Leia
- Josie
- Penelope
- Ava
- Gigi
- Peanut
- Fiona
- Cleo
- Jasmine
- Sandy
- Mocha
- Harper
- Macy
- Sydney
- Paisley
- Lacey
- Bonnie
- Baby
- Mila
- Delilah
- Pearl
- Charlotte
- Trixie
- Ivy
- Nina
- Heidi
- Georgia
- Shadow
- Xena
- Allie
- Oreo
Most Unique Female Dog Names
Least common female names from Rover’s dog name database
- Lotus
- Toffee
- Nessa
- Velvet
- Tala
- Bibi
- Cadence
- Sahara
- Rosebud
- BooBoo
- Ice
- Navi
- Rigby
- Carmella
- Esme
- Ladybug
- Harmony
- Friday
- Halle
- Taz
- Josephine
- Lainey
- Victoria
- Mariah
- Luca
- Mel
- Banjo
- Trouble
- Starr
- Naomi
- Cola
Tough Female Dog Names
If you want a dog name with a little more, well, backbone, these tough choices should do the trick.
- Artemis
- Athena
- Alex
- Lara
- Sasha
- Oakley
- Harley
- Indi / Indy
- Shadow
- Myka
- Juno
- Dakota
- Colby
- Finley / Finn
- Korra
- Red
- Astra
- Akira
- Cinder
- Bowie
- Koa
- Jinx
- Onyx
- Zola
- Stormy / Storm
- Xena
- Scout
- Kali
- Zelda
- Sage
- Raven
- Kaya
- Lilo
- Bear
- Cleo
- Ronan
- Freya
Choosing the Right Female Dog Name
Are you still uncertain about which dog name to choose? You’re not alone. Some dog owners just know their pet is a Bailey or Lucy as soon as they make eye contact, but many other pet parents need time to try out various options. If you’re having trouble deciding, keep in mind that a girl 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 French bulldog puppy might sport a French-inspired name like Chloe, while a Latin dog breed like the Chihuahua might be perfect for a name like Coco.
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.” Many dog experts recommend choosing a name with at least two syllables and a sing-song or vowel sound at the end.
Of course, what matters most is that the dog name you choose rolls off your tongue with ease. You’ll want to select a name that you feel comfortable repeating because you’ll be saying it…a lot. Your dog’s name should 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 “Willow, it’s time for dinner!” or “Ellie, leave it!” helps take the name out of your imagination and into reality.
The Bottom Line
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, popular names for hunting dogs, small dogs, white dogs, Huskies, German shepherds, and many more.
How to choose? To start, check out our guide to picking the perfect dog name.
