Naming a dog can feel like a marathon: constantly feeling like you must be near the end only for another contender to appear out of leftfield and throw you into a tailspin. You might want to pick a name that’s timeless but modern, meaningful but not pretentious, and characterful without being self-consciously quirky. After all, you’ll be saying this name more than a crowd of overeager sports fans.
It makes sense, then, to look to the Olympics for inspiration. Every four years (or two if you include the Winter events), the Olympics gathers sporting hopefuls from around the globe to compete for their place in history, achieving unprecedented feats and setting the benchmark for the next generation. Our dogs look to us for training, guidance, hope, and values, just like we look to Olympians. Likewise, we can look on, awestruck, at the way our dog bounds across the beach or playfights with near-limitless energy and gain similar motivation.
Your dog is always top of the podium, so here are the best Olympics- and sports-themed dog names for 2024.
Dog Names Based on Famous British Olympians
Give a nod to some of the most celebrated names in UK sporting history by taking inspiration from the UK’s Olympic greats. Maybe your dog can run and run and run — they could be a longer-distance Mo, Kelly, or Paula. Perhaps they’re a greyhound with short, powerful sprints and limited bursts of energy, like a Linford Christie.
Rowing and cycling are also popular options for name inspiration. Kenny (possibly after champion cyclists Jason and Laura Kenny) is trending up this year, as is Steve (after Steve Redgrave, rowing hero). And if you bring in a pair of dogs, why not name them after UK ice-dancing legends Torvill and Dean?
- Mo (Mo Farah)
- Ennis (Jessica Ennis-Hill)
- Daley (Tom Daley)
- Hoy (Chris Hoy)
- Radcliffe (Paula Radcliffe)
- Ainslie (Ben Ainslie)
- Kelly (Holmes)
- Steve/Red (Steve Redgrave) – Steve +22%
- Kenny (Jason/Laura Kenny) + 3%
- Wiggins (Bradley Wiggins)
- Coe (Seb Coe)
- Redmond (Derek)
- Torvill/Dean
- Linford/Christie (Linford Christie)
- Thompson (Daley Thompson)
- Sandy (Tessa Sanderson)
Olympic-Sport-Themed Dog Names
With such a wide array of sports to choose from, finding a name to fit your dog’s personality can become a breeze. Do they perform an excited wiggle dance when you get back from work? Try Bolero out for size. Or are they a breed like a Husky or Bernese Mountain Dog who flourishes in the snow? Maybe Alpine is more appropriate.
Some sports are just asking to become dog names. For example, Bob (after Bobsled) is trending up almost 50% this year. And for dogs who love a good play-wrestle, the name Judo is nearly twice as popular as last year.
- Sprint
- Dive
- Rowan (Rowing)
- Racquet (Tennis)
- Cycle
- Bolero
- Bob (Bobsleigh)
- Alpine (Skiing)
- Volley (Volleyball)
- Cricket
- Freestyle
- Judo
- Lacrosse
- Ruggers (Rugby)
- Squash
- Polo (Water Polo)
- Wushu
Using the Olympic Medal to Name Your Dog
There aren’t many podium positions to choose from, but these can make for particularly good names when representing your dog’s fur colour. Whether a Golden Retriever, silver Weimaraner, or bronze-copper Red Setter, if you’re an Olympics fan, this could be a great way to shout out the sports you love while also paying tribute to your dog’s striking appearance.
- Goldie
- Bronze
- Silver
- Pody (Podium)
Dog Names that Use Olympic Towns in the UK
You might live in a proudly Olympic area that has hosted events or simply wish to give your dog’s name a sense of place and purpose. Not many towns across the UK have hosted Olympic events, so feel free to pay tribute to your area if it’s one of the lucky few and you’re an Olympics fan looking for dog names.
- London
- Wembley
- Stratford (Olympic Park)
- Wimbledon (Tennis)
- Weymouth (Sailing)
- Eton (Eton Manor, rowing and canoeing)
- Dorney (Dorney Lake, rowing and canoeing)
- Manny (Manchester, some football events)
- Cardy (Cardiff, football)
- Glasgow (Football)
- Cov (Coventry)
UK Olympic Stadium and Venue Dog Name Inspiration
When the Olympics come to town, the destination spends a lot of time getting ready to host. This includes building stadiums or getting established venues like Wembley and the O2 prepared for their events. Whether you walk your dog near one of these arenas or simply love the events there, these stadiums and sporting facilities form part of the skyline for years to come and might directly inspire your pup’s name.
Many of these names, like Earl’s Court or Lord’s Cricket Ground, cross with those linked to nobility. These names are gaining in popularity in 2024, with the number of dogs called Earl up 8% on 2023 and around eight times as many dogs named Lord over the previous year.
- Wembley
- Velo (Velodrome)
- Aquatic (Centre)
- Elizabeth (Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park)
- O2 (Arena)
- Hyde (Park, Marathon and Triathlon events)
- Excel (ExCeL)
- Greenwich (Greenwich Park, North Greenwich Arena)
- Earl (Earls Court Exhibition Centre)
- Lord (Lord’s Cricket Ground)
- Trafford (Old Trafford)
Dog Names Based on Olympic Symbols & Mascots
The Olympics are steeped in mythology dating back to the Greeks, so the various symbols carry powerful meanings. The rings, for example, symbolise Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania coming together, and the torch is an incredibly powerful icon of peace, unity, friendship, resilience, and innovation while also linking the current Olympics to the very first in Greek times.
Your dog is also an enduring emblem of friendship that is part of a millennia-long relationship with humans, so picking one of these symbols as a name would be apt. The mascots are… somewhat less powerful, instead just providing an extensive list of cute name options. Izzy and Millie are trending up this year, with 2024 also seeing more dogs called Tina.
- Torch
- Ring
- Olympia
- Medal
- Flame
- Waldi
- Izzy
- Tina
- Milo
- Wenlock
- Mandeville
- Phryge (pronounced Freej)
- Syd
- Olly
- Millie
Olympic-Location-Themed Dog Names
The Olympics have been held on pretty much every continent, focusing global attention on some of Earth’s most amazing cities. You can choose a dog name based on the Olympic city nearest to their country or region of origin, or simply pay tribute to one like Sydney that’s considered among the best.
Given that Paris was the most recent city (and one of the most successful) to host the Olympics, it’s hardly surprising that the French capital is trending as a name in 2024. Some names work taken as is (like Sydney) while others, like getting Lilly from Lillehammer or Soul from Seoul, need a little imagination.
- London
- Athens
- Paris
- Angel (Los Angeles)
- Louis (St. Louis)
- Tokyo
- Van (Vancouver)
- Lilly (Lillehammer)
- Soul (Seoul)
- Moritz (St. Moritz)
- Mel (Melbourne)
- Calgary
- Sydney
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Dog Names Inspired by UK Paralympic Heroes
The UK started the Paralympics at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in 1948, kicking off the first competition for wheelchair athletes. Since then, we’ve fielded some of the world’s leading Paralympians.
Why not pick a name that pays homage to the UK’s Paralympic champions and their inspiring performances? This might be even more poignant if you have a dog with additional needs or disabling injuries, as they, too, can still gleefully bolt around the park like any other.
- Storey (Dame Sarah Storey)
- Peacock (Jonnie Peacock)
- Ellie/Eleanor (Simmonds)
- Tanni (Grey-Thompson)
- Weir (David Weir)
- Cockroft (Hannah Cockroft)
- Bly (Twomey)
- Menna (Fitzpatrick)
- Simpson (Neil Simpson)
- Funmi (Oduwaiye)
- Gallagher (Kelly Gallagher)
- Maggie (Margaret Maughan)
British Sporting Legend Dog Name Inspiration
Whenever the UK does well in or hosts the Olympics, it highlights British sport. And we have a lot of legends to offer the world, from football and boxing to racing, darts, and tennis. This is reflected in dog names: Emma (from tennis impresario Emma Raducanu) is trending this year, and Saka is amongst the highest-trending names in any category. And tennis history offers one of the best possible sports/dog pun combinations: Sue Barker.
- Becks (David Beckham)
- Lewis (Hamilton)
- Andy (Murray)
- Wiggins (Bradley Wiggins)
- Prince (Naseem)
- Saka (Bukayo Saka)
- Harry/Kane
- Ally (McCoist)
- Charlton (Bobby Charlton)
- Roger (Bannister)
- Phil (Taylor)
- Beefy (Ian Botham)
- Tyson/Fury (Tyson Fury)
- Dujardin (Charlotte Dujardin)
- Zara (Philips)
- Emma (Raducanu)
- Humphrey (Luke Humphries)
- Davis (Steve Davis)
- Sullivan (Ronnie O’Sullivan)
- Becky (Adlington)
- Jonny (Wilkinson)
- Stirling (Moss)
- Amir/Khan (Amir Khan)
- Frank/Bruno (Frank Bruno)
- Lennox (Lewis)
- Tyson
- Fury
- Barker (Sue Barker)
- Gazza (Paul Gascoigne)
- Giggsy (Ryan Giggs)
Dog Names Based on Olympic Values
Everyone has values that are close to their heart, and we love dogs because they serve as examples of the very best of them: Loyalty, perseverance, honesty… all the good stuff. The Olympics also champions a whole range of the best aspects of humanity, as well as the upper reaches of what the body can achieve. Naming your dog after one of these virtues or ideals can show what’s important to you while giving them an almost superhero-like quality.
- Valor
- Glory
- Honor
- Faster
- Strive
- Percy (Perseverance)
- Champion
- Honesty
- Loyalty
- Legend
Is your dog so much of a champion that none of the greats’ names live up to them? You can dip into our annually updated Dog Name Database or try our Dog Name Generator for more inspiration.
