Male dog names can be hard to choose. Whether it’s a boyish, handsome moniker you want, something tough, or a unique 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 Angus to Zeus and everything in between, Rover.com dug into their database to discover the most popular male dog names in America. If you’re already pet parent, check to see if your pup’s name made the list!
Top 100 Male Dog Names
These are the most popular male dog names of 2018 in Rover’s database.
- Max
- Charlie
- Cooper
- Buddy
- Jack
- Rocky
- Duke
- Bear
- Oliver
- Tucker
- Milo
- Bentley
- Toby
- Leo
- Teddy
- Jax
- Zeus
- Winston
- Murphy
- Louie
- Jake
- Ollie
- Finn
- Gus
- Dexter
- Bailey
- Henry
- Riley
- Buster
- Moose
- Lucky
- Hank
- Jackson
- Loki
- Harley
- Bruno
- Beau
- Oscar
- Blue
- Diesel
- Thor
- Baxter
- Apollo
- Bandit
- Cody
- Sam
- Ace
- Koda
- Jasper
- Gunner
- Scout
- Bo
- Shadow
- Gizmo
- Marley
- Sammy
- Brody
- Otis
- Maverick
- Roscoe
- Simba
- Tank
- Rex
- Rocco
- Luke
- Boomer
- George
- Copper
- Chance
- Ziggy
- Rusty
- Cash
- Hunter
- Benny
- Ranger
- Prince
- Chester
- Oreo
- Benji
- Tyson
- Romeo
- Coco
- Chewy
- Chase
- Rudy
- King
- Frankie
- Bruce
- Joey
- Samson
- Zeke
- Archie
- Peanut
- Odin
- Theo
- Kobe
- Brutus
- Brady
- Mac
- Chico
Male Dog Name Trends
We’re noticing some interesting trends, like the rise of -er names like Cooper, Dexter, and Tucker, as well as mythological names like Thor, Odin, Loki, and Zeus. In fact, Thor and Loki went up almost 50% in rankings from last year!
The classics remain in favor, of course, from friendly Max and Charlie to strong Rocky and Duke. All kept a spot in the top ten.
The three fastest-rising male dog names of the year were Chester, Finn, and Ollie, while Theo and Archie both debuted in the top 100 for the first time this year.
Choosing Puppy Names
Puppy names can be inspired by anything from food to pop culture to nature. Unique dog names are much more common now than some of the more classic pet names. What’s most important is that YOU love the name. Every time you say it, you should feel a little spark of happiness. “That’s my dog!”
We’re fans of the “backdoor test” for naming dogs. Try calling out your top choices as if you’re calling your new dog in for dinner, to return to you at the dog park, or to follow your cues in puppy kindergarten.
Popular Dog Names
Dogs are considered family members, so human names have become very popular for pets. These days, in fact, you’re more likely to meet a golden retriever with a human name like Dylan than a name like Fido. You’ll see that reflected in our top male dog names list: six of the top ten are human names. Your new dog could be an Eddie, a Theo, a Max—or a Kobe, an Ozzy, or a Bosco. From cute dog names like Taz or Otis to Irish choices like Murphy and Logan, the sky’s the limit when it comes to giving a traditionally “human name” to your dog.
Humor is another popular source of dog naming inspiration: Sir Barkley and Muttley Crue are both boy puppy names in our database. A great Dane named Chico? A small dog named Rocket? Why not?
Lastly, dog breeds sometimes shape dog naming choices. Huskies often sport Alaska-themed names like Juneau, while hunting dogs might get a “country name” like Dallas or Tucker. Female dog names for strong dog breeds can be inspired by Amazon warriors like Diana or natural wonders like the mountain Denali. Retrievers love water, so an aquatic dog name could be a good fit for your new Lab or golden. We like Ocean, Jacques, and Captain.
