Picking a dog name can be a challenge. Finding the balance between the quirky, the noble, and the not-embarrassing can be a fine line, and everyone in your family might have different thoughts on the matter. But when it comes to shouting things across a field, festivals might offer some kind of clue.
Music festivals are the closest human beings get to the freedom of being a dog: Frolicking in nature, taking everything in, jumping around free of judgment, and pooping in a field. They often provide some of our happiest memories and most euphoric moments – why else would we spend three days fending off wasps in our tents and sleeping outside? You can share that freedom with your dog by giving them a name inspired by one of the many UK festivals you want to shout out.
Iconic-Festival-Inspired Dog Names
You might have recent or long-buried memories from specific festivals in your youth, or certain festivals might be a flagship of your year that you return to again and again. Whether you go for the classics (like Glasto), the newer contenders (Lovebox), or the downright weird (TRNSMT), embrace your inner welly-wearer and trigger a warm, fuzzy feeling inside every time you say your dog’s name.
- Glasto (Glastonbury)
- Latty (Latitude)
- Vee (V Festival)
- Tee (T in the Park)
- Loadster (Download)
- Cream (Creamfields)
- Outy (Outlook)
- Lovebox
- Boom (Boomtown)
- Wireless
- Wilderness
- Shambala
Dog Names Based on Festival Locations
Amazing locations are central to memorable festivals, and some, like the Isle of Wight Festival, the Edinburgh Fringe, and Camp Bestival, have become permanent parts of their local areas’ cultural fabric. As you might love the place but can’t take your dog to Glastonbury’s Pyramid stage, for example, you may want to shout out your fave festival without excluding your dog’s idea of fun!
- Pilton (Glastonbury’s location)
- Wight (Isle of Wight)
- Summer/Somer (Somerset)
- Hyde (Hyde Park)
- Eddy (Edinburgh Fringe)
- Brixton (Brixton Academy)
- Stratford (Stratford-upon-Avon for Nocturne Live)
- Brighton (The Great Escape)
- Chel (Cheltenham Jazz Festival)
- Larmer (Larmer Tree Gardens for End of the Road)
- Knebber (Knebworth/location of iconic rock concerts)
- Finsbury (Finsbury Park for Wireless)
Dog Names that Pay Tribute to Different Genres & Styles
Dogs might be more inclined towards classical music than other genres, but if you’re a festival veteran with a particular preference, consider naming your dog after the soundtrack to your life or elements from it. For example, Jazz and Disco are trending up for 2024 in our dog name data.
Not all genres make for great dog names, but elements from them might work instead. For example, a dog called “Dubstep” might be stretching the concept a little, but “Wob” or “Wobby” sounds a lot more like it fits a dog’s vibrant personality.
- Indie
- Rocky (Rock)
- Jazz
- Folkie
- Wobby (Dubstep)
- Funky (Funk)
- Deebee (Drum and Bass)
- Rub-a-dub (Reggae)
- Grime
- Soul
- Punky (Punk)
- Techno
- Bluesy (Blues)
- Electro
- Disco
- Chequer (Ska)
Dog Names Inspired by Classic Performers and Headliners
What are festivals without the performers? As our musical heroes and idols, they’re the figures who occupy festival-goers’ imaginations for years to come. Naming a dog after your musical heroes can show anyone you bump into in the street exactly who you’re into. (Not to mention that they opened up a world of costume opportunities: the dog name “Bowie” has been up 5% since last year, and it might be an excellent name for a dog with two different-coloured eyes, or heterochromia, just like David Bowie had. And imagine a Ziggy Starpug costume!) Florence is also one of the highest-trending “It” girl names.
- Bolan (Marc Bolan, T-Rex)
- Mardy Bum (Arctic Monkeys)
- Stormzy
- Elton (Elton John)
- Lipa (Dua Lipa)
- Adele
- Oasis/Gallagher
- Costello (Elvis)
- Damon (Albarn, Blur)
- Smith (Robert Smith, The Cure)
- Florence (Florence + The Machine)
- Muse
- Martin (Chris Martin, Coldplay)
- Billie (Billie Eilish)
- Macca (Paul McCartney)
- Yorke (Thom, Radiohead)
- Foal (Foals)
- Mogwai
- Sheeran (Ed Sheeran)
- Bowie/Ziggy/Aladdin (David Bowie)
- Gilmour (David Gilmour, Pink Floyd)
Dog Names Inspired by Cool Alternative & Indie Festivals
You might love festivals but not be into dropping a few hundred quid on a ticket every year. The smaller, weirder festivals might be more your vibe, so why shouldn’t they also be your dog’s vibe? Celebrate the quirky with names inspired by alternative festivals with cult followings. Some names translate very well (Kendall is seeing an increase in 2024, but more due to the TV show Succession than Kendal Calling), while others require a bit of a rework to make sense as a dog name, like getting Portia from Portals.
- Roadie (End of the Road)
- Truck
- Blue (Bluedot)
- Kendall (Kendal Calling)
- Beacon (Beacons)
- Doune (Doune the Rabbit Hole)
- Farmer (Farmfest)
- Wildie (Wilderness)
- Portia (Portals)
Ravey Dog Names Based On Electronic & Dance Festivals
Glowsticks at the ready! Festivals aren’t all about bands. If you’re more into your club music than guitar solos, you might want to name your dog after one of the many electronic music festivals. Love is the order of the day at any festival, especially one so focused on dancing and good vibes, which might help explain why the dog name “Love” is trending in 2024. After all, they have a lot to give!
- Cream (Creamfields)
- Boom (Boomtown)
- Ape (All Points East)
- Fieldy (Field Day)
- Parklife
- JayToo (Junction 2)
- Boxy (Lovebox)
- Love (Love Saves The Day)
- Minty (Mint Festival)
- Leccy (Eastern Electrics)
- Noisily
O_Lypa via iStock
Festival-Element-Inspired Dog Names
It can be tough to get through the day without your dog, but even harder to get through a day at a festival without a tent or wellies! From the praccies you need to get through a cold, wet night in a field to the elements that make festivals fun (looking at you, glitter), naming a dog after festival essentials is a unique approach that almost guarantees that no dog will have the same name as yours. Even abstract words like “Energy” can help to sum up your dog’s character if they’re the life of the party.
- Bass
- Raver
- Pyramid (Stage)
- Welly (Wellington boots)
- Glitter
- Lantern
- Techie
- Crew
- Fire (Campfire)
- Sunset
- Groove
- Energy
- Folkie
- Glowstick
Dog Names that Use Folk & Acoustic Festivals
Few things are more folk than someone pouring their heart out on a guitar with their dog by their side. Connect your dog to the rustic and rural without sacrificing a nod to their beautiful, pure, creative heart by naming them after one of the UK’s many folk festivals. As many folk festivals are named after their location, your dog’s name can also pay homage to some of the UK’s best-kept secrets.
By playing with the name of the festival (turning Chippenham to Chip, for example), you can reference your favourite folk festivals in interesting ways. Take Lunar Festival near Birmingham, for example – “Luna” is one of the most popular dog names and has continued to grow in popularity through 2024.
- Cambridge (Folk Festival)
- Sid (Sidmouth)
- Celt (Celtic)
- Luna (Lunar)
- Corny (Cornbury)
- Shire (Shire Folk Festival)
- Hebbie (Hebridean Celtic Festival)
- Purbeck (Purbeck Valley Folk Festival)
- Lindisfarne
- Ely (Ely Folk Festival)
- Tiree (Tiree Music Festival)
- Chip (Chippenham Folk Festival)
- Leigh (Folk Festival)
- FolkBeast (FolkEast)
Dark and Brooding Dog Names from Rock & Metal Festivals
Dogs might not love metal. But if you’re a rock obsessive or metalhead, one of these festivals might be an annual pilgrimage that needs a proper tribute in your home. If you have a dog with ‘tude or a breed like an Aussie Shepherd or Great Dane that comes with natural black eyeliner and lippy, a dog name that uses inspiration from one of the UK’s great metal gatherings might do the trick.
Using the full names of these festivals might give you paws for thought (although we approve of any tiny, sweet dogs called Damnation), but have fun with the names! Swap the festival for its location, like Donington, and shorten it into a name like Donny. Or just use the festival name as inspiration.
(Plus, we’ve thrown in the United States’ Gathering of the Juggalos because… well, imagine a long-haired chihuahua called Juggalo.)
- Donny (Donington/Download Festival)
- Stocky (Bloodstock)
- Riot (Riot Fest)
- Sonny (Sonisphere)
- Damnation
- Juggalo (Gathering of the Juggalos, USA)
- Arca (ArcTangent)
Fun Dog Names from Family-Friendly Festivals
Dogs are part of the family, and your kids (if you have them) will likely want a say in naming them, too. So, if you’ve shared an amazing festival experience with your little ones and want to pass that joy along to your family’s newest member, plenty of family-friendly festivals lend themselves to dog names. (With a little creativity, sure, but isn’t that what festivals and dog names are all about?) Even better, take the festival names and let the kids riff on them for a truly unique offering.
- Bestie (Camp Bestival)
- Deer (Deer Shed)
- WOMAD
- Elderflower (Elderflower Fields)
- Latitude
- Larmer (End of the Road’s location)
- Justin (Just So Festival)
- Timber (Timber Festival)
- Shambala (kid-friendly)
- Big (The Big Feastival)
- Curious Clive (Curious Arts Festival)
- Blissa (Blissfields)
- Tree (Into the Trees)
- Greenie (Green Man, known for its family activities)
Dog Names Based on Festival Founders and Icons
They’re the trailblazers, so why not pay tribute with your tail-waggers? From legendary festival founders like Michael Eavis, Nick Harvey, and Rob Da Bank, they’re the guiding light behind your festival experiences.
- Mikey/Jane Eavis (Glastonbury founders)
- Rob (Rob Da Bank)
- Jaymo/Andy George (Lost Village founders)
- Morrison (Van Morrison)
- Branson (Richard Branson, Isle of Wight 1970)
- Benny (Melvin Benn, Reading/Leeds founder)
- Geldof (Bob Geldof, Live Aid)
- Phil (Pechonis, Creation Fest founder)
- Harvey (Nick Harvey, Latitude founder)
- Ali (Montache, Pine Fetsival Llandudno founder)
- TeeTee (Gill Tee, Black Deer)
- Ron/Ray (Foulk, founders of the UK’s first festival)
- Maggie (Farrer, Leith Hill Music Festival founder)
Dog Names Inspired by Boutique Festivals
Boutique festivals cater to a niche audience and a particular genre of music, often allowing avid fans to immerse themselves in the weird and wonderful. If your dog fits that description – for example, if they’re an odd mix of breeds or a rare breed – you might want to dip into the world of boutique festivals for name inspiration.
- Wilderness
- Secret (Secret Garden Party)
- Bliss (Blissfields)
- Barney (Barn on the Farm)
- Stan (Standon Calling)
- Lost (Lost Village)
- Timber
- Into (Into the Trees)
- Meira (Portmeiron, Festival No. 6 location)
- Firefly
- Maverick (Maverick Festival)
- Purbeck (Purbeck Valley Folk Festival)
- Erica (Eroica Britannia)
Too full of post-festival blues to think of a name? Never fear! Our yearly dog name data offers a wide range of inspiration, and you can also try our Dog Name Generator for more food for thought.
