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Besides which “Gotcha Day” photo to post on social media, picking the perfect boy dog name is another fun, all-nighter decision. Choosing a name is a work of art. After all, the name is what everyone, from your dog sitter to the veterinarian, will use every day.
So should you go classic? Cute? Pick something from pop culture? Or stick with a more unique dog name?
Dive into our heavily researched list of the top male dog names—all pulled from our Rover database and sourced from over a million pet parents. From finding the right name to the perfect inspiration, you’ll get an idea of what to name your dog.
Pro-tip: Skip to our alphabetized list, if you already have an idea of what letter you like.
50 Most Common Male Dog Names
Certain male dog names come out on top over and over. And if you’re looking to “run with the pack,” here are the most popular and trendy male dog names.
- Max
- Charlie
- Cooper
- Milo
- Buddy
- Rocky
- Bear
- Teddy
- Duke
- Leo
- Beau
- Tucker
- Oliver
- Jack
- Bentley
- Ollie
- Winston
- Zeus
- Toby
- Loki
- Jax
- Finn
- Blu
- Bruno
- Murphy
- Louie
- Moose
- Gus
- Koda
- Hank
- Apollo
- Ace
- Archie
- Henry
- Dexter
- Maverick
- Thor
- Scout
- Kobe
- Remi
- Gunnar
- Lucky
- Benji
- Jasper
- Simba
- Diesel
- Jake
- Bandit
- Otis
Cool and Unique Male Dog Names
Does anything beat the “cool canine” in the neighborhood? We pulled the top names from our list that immediately conjure up images of sunglasses and fan clubs!
- Atlas
- Atticus
- Bodhi
- Boone
- Cassius
- Dash
- Denver
- Enzo
- Ezra
- Hendrix
- Huxley
- Kai
- Knox
- Legend
- Luca
- Mateo
- Raphael
- Remy
- Ronan
- Sawyer
- Silas
- Theo
- Wayne
- Wilder
- Yoshi
15 Classic Boy Dog Names
There’s nothing like a classic male dog name, and these have stood the test of time.
- Axel
- Buddy
- Champ
- Chief
- Dash
- Hank
- Hunter
- Lucky
- Nugget
- Pops
- Scout
- Rusty
- Waldo
- Winston
- Zeus
Fun Food Male Dog Names
- Queso
- Cacao
- Raisin
- Macaroni
- Tater Tot
- Espresso
- Won Ton
- Nacho
- Mochi
- Crunchwrap
Popular Fame-Inspired Male Dog Names
Top athletes, characters from television and movies, and recording stars serve as perfect choices for your new dog’s name—especially if his ears perked up when one of these heroes showed up on screen.
- Thor, Loki, Odin — whether it’s Marvel or Nordic gods, we grouped these names together since they’re all in the family
- Kobe — after the famous LA Lakers basketball player
- Diesel — likely short for Vin Diesel, this name is for the most Fast & Furious of pups
- Bucky — Captain America’s best friend is also now yours
- Draco — mischevious
- Elvis — the famous rock n’ roll singer that your hound dog might like to howl along with
- Finnegan — this Star Trek rival of James Cameron Kirk was a practical jokester.
- Pluto — the planet, the god, or Mickey Mouse’s best friend, this name is for the versatile dog
- Rambo — this movie character name was inspired by “the sound of force”, which could suit more stubborn dogs
- Simba — this Lion King moniker may not be unique but it works for the brave boys
8 Tips for Creating a Good Dog Name
Selecting a dog’s name gets tricky when you really think about it. Not every name is suitable, and the name you choose can affect how you communicate with your dog. Once you consider the basic “rules of thumb,” you’ll understand why.
How to find inspiration
- Be unique. The most popular and simple names can cause confusion on crowded days. You don’t want to upset your dog when he hears five people call him.
- Consider your dog’s personality. Take the time to get to know your new dog. Does he have an active streak? Have you noticed him sniffing certain foods? All of those personality cues are perfect for choosing cute and unique names. And such names offer the best stories when someone asks what inspired you.
- Lean into nicknames. Everyone tends to give their dog multiple names. And if you find nicknames that are shortened versions of your dog’s name, it will reinforce the original. For instance, break down Cinnamon to Cinni, Cin, or MonMon.
Consider the science behind naming a dog
- Vowel sounds work best. When a name ends in a vowel, it captures the attention of those doggie ears. So choosing names such as Iggy, Zany, Reboot, and Gogo ensures your dog will perk up when you call.
- So do hard consonants. Hard consonants pop up in most commands. (Think about it: The T in “Sit” and “Stay.” Or the C in “Come.”) Your dog will learn to respond to those sharp sounds, so a name with the same focus will help them zero in when you call.
- Their call name should be two syllables. Choosing a long name is tempting, especially if you want to be unique. But the longer you get, the more confusing it is for your dog—and you. If you do go for a long name, make sure they have a nickname too.
- Watch out for names that resemble commands. Dogs are smart, but if you name your dog Kit, you could find him struggling with the command “Sit”. They sound too similar. Before you name your dog, write a list of the commands you’d like your dog to learn. Then say your possible names aloud. If they match, maybe choose something else.
- Consider avoiding names of family and friends. If you use a human name for inspiration, try to ensure they aren’t someone you encounter daily. Name twins can make conversations confusing if an injury or illness befalls the dog or his namesake.
Pro-tip: You can always try out a name for a few days. Maybe your dog didn’t perk up at Power, but his tail started wagging when you called out Thanos. There’s nothing wrong with giving him time to settle into a name that works. All these lists, from top dog names and dog name generators are just the tip of the inspiration iceberg.
Top 250 Male Names in Alphabetical Order
Still looking for inspiration? We’ve got 250 male dog names for you to peruse. And, remember, there’s no need to rush the decision. You’ll find the perfect name to match your dog’s personality.
| A to C | C to H | H to M | M to R | R to Z |
| Ace | Chance | Hugo | Murphy | Rusty |
| Alfie | Charlie | Hunter | Nash | Ryder |
| Apollo | Chase | Indy | Nico | Sam |
| Archer | Chester | Jack | Niko | Sammy |
| Archie | Chewy | Jackson | Norman | Sampson |
| Arlo | Chico | Jake | Nugget | Samson |
| Ash | Chief | Jasper | Oakley | Scooby |
| Asher | Chip | Jax | Obi | Scooter |
| Astro | Clyde | Joey | Odie | Scout |
| Atlas | Coco | Jojo | Odin | Sebastian |
| Auggie | Cody | Kai | Oliver | Shadow |
| Axel | Copper | Kane | Ollie | Simba |
| Bailey | Cosmo | Kash | Onyx | Simon |
| Baloo | Dakota | Kevin | Oreo | Smokey |
| Bandit | Dallas | Kilo | Oscar | Snoopy |
| Banjo | Dash | King | Oso | Sonny |
| Barkley | Dexter | Koa | Otis | Sparky |
| Barney | Diego | Kobe | Otto | Stanley |
| Baxter | Diesel | Koda | Ozzie | Stitch |
| Bean | Dobby | Kona | Ozzy | Sully |
| Bear | Dozer | Kylo | Pablo | Sunny |
| Beau | Draco | Leo | Paco | Taco |
| Ben | Duke | Levi | Parker | Tank |
| Benji | Duncan | Lincoln | Peanut | Taz |
| Benny | Eddie | Logan | Pepper | Teddy |
| Bentley | Eli | Loki | Percy | Test |
| Bernie | Elvis | Louie | Petey | Theo |
| Biscuit | Enzo | Louis | Pluto | Theodore |
| Blaze | Finley | Luca | Porter | Thor |
| Blu | Finn | Lucky | Prince | Titan |
| Bodhi | Finnegan | Luka | Rambo | Tito |
| Bodie | Frank | Luke | Ranger | Toby |
| Boomer | Frankie | Mac | Reggie | Tucker |
| Boone | Franklin | Mack | Remi | Tyson |
| Bowie | Fred | Major | Remington | Wally |
| Brady | George | Marley | Rex | Walter |
| Brody | Ghost | Marshall | Rico | Watson |
| Brownie | Gizmo | Marty | Riley | Waylon |
| Bruce | Goose | Mason | Rio | Whiskey |
| Bruno | Griffin | Maui | River | Willie |
| Brutus | Guinness | Maverick | Rocco | Wilson |
| Bubba | Gunnar | Max | Rocket | Winston |
| Buck | Gus | Maximus | Rocko | Woody |
| Bucky | Hank | Mickey | Rocky | Wrigley |
| Buddy | Harley | Miles | Romeo | Yogi |
| Buster | Harry | Milo | Rosco | Yoshi |
| Captain | Harvey | Mochi | Roscoe | Zeke |
| Cash | Henry | Monty | Rudy | Zeus |
| Casper | Hercules | Moose | Rufus | Ziggy |
| Champ | Hudson | Mowgli | Ruger | Zuko |
Male Dog Name Video Inspiration
Find out how real dog owners picked their pets’ names in this sweet video.
You can also find plenty of inspiration for cool male dog names:
- Different dog breeds come from different cultures. You can choose names from that country or words in that language.
- Your family’s cultural history can suggest possibilities.
- Maybe you have fond memories from literature or pop culture that your new dog triggers.
- The dog’s coat pattern or colors could prompt a thought.
Don’t Forget to Engrave Your Dog’s Name
Choosing a cool male dog name is fun, but don’t rush the process. Every dog goes through an adjustment period in a new home. While you’re working on narrowing down that perfect name, he’ll be learning the household routine. In no time, you’ll be bragging to family and friends about how you came up with your new dog’s impressive name.
And don’t forget: Once you decide, you’ll want an ID tag to properly identify your dog and keep him safe. Nothing beats a customizable tag like this unicorn tag or this introductory tag from Etsy!
And if you’re still looking, you can also find additional naming inspiration below!
