Naming your dog can be an effort worthy of the most challenging TV cliffhangers – you think you’ve settled on a winner, then someone else comes in with an absolute banger and extends the discussion by another season. Your dog’s name blends with their personality, and their personality can inspire their name. Plus, you might also want the name to reflect the passions or interests of the family they’re coming into.
As your dog is likely to hog as much of the sofa as they can during family boxset bingeing sessions, picking a name from the near-endless supply of fiction, non-fiction, and reality TV series will suit them just fine. From the classic (Scooby) to the very recent (Martha), names from TV shows are trending with the best of them in 2024.
Fantasy & Sci-Fi Series for Fantastic Beasts
Boldly going where no dog has gone be-paw? From the cutesy (Grogu) to the gallant (Galadriel) to the smart and adventurous (Picard), there’s always a name from the works of fantasy and sci-fi TV to inspire the tag on your dog’s collar.
Star Wars remains widely popular. Cara, Fennec, and Sully feature are all trending up this year due to various Star Wars shows. Skywalker has been the fastest climber in 2024 with a boost of 491%, and Jabba, Kenobi, and Luke are among this year’s fastest trending names. Reva is seeing a bump from her recent introduction in Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Jones has also experienced a boost this year in memory of James Earl Jones — the voice of Darth Vader — who sadly passed this year.
- Skywalker (The Mandalorian)
- Jabba (The Mandalorian)
- Mando (The Mandalorian)
- Obi/Kenobi (Obi Wan Kenobi)
- Leia (Obi Wan Kenobi)
- Scotty (Star Trek)
- Picard (Star Trek)
- Eleven (Stranger Things)
- Fennec (Shand, The Mandalorian)
- Cara (Dune, The Mandalorian)
- Daenerys (Game of Thrones)
- Galadriel (Rings of Power)
- Elrond (The Rings of Power)
- Sully (Obi-Wan Kenobi)
- Arya (Game of Thrones)
- Raven (The 100)
Superhero-Show-Inspired Dog Names for the Pup Who Saved Your World
Superhero overload might not be producing a vast amount of quality content, but it’s giving us a near-endless reel of outlandish names to choose from. Does your dog have a mischievous streak? It might be something of a Loki. Constant zoomies? Flash might be the one. Takes constant leaps off of furniture? Falcon could be a good descriptor. And why not empower a sight-impaired dog with the name Daredevil?
- Wanda (WandaVision)
- Starlight (The Boys)
- Falcon (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier)
- Tick (The Tick)
- Agatha (Agatha All Along)
- Loki (Loki)
- Flash (The Flash)
- Logan (X-Men ‘97)
- Magneto (X-Men ‘97)
- Rogue (X-Men ‘97)
- Murdoch (Matt Murdoch, Daredevil)
- Elektra (Daredevil)
- Sloane (Umbrella Academy)
- Viktor (Umbrella Academy)
- Lila (Umbrella Academy)
- Echo (Hawkeye/Echo)
Crime and Mystery Shows for Suspicious Dog Name Ideas
Names inspired by detectives and masterminds from crime dramas. Only Murders in the Building returned for a 4th season this year, which might explain why Mable/Mabel has become the fastest-trending French Bulldog name of the year (although not why it’s that particular breed).
- Sherlock (Sherlock)
- Luther
- Dexter
- Beth (The Queen’s Gambit)
- Poirot
- Mabel (Only Murders in the Building)
- Gus (Breaking Bad)
- Walter/Wally (Breaking Bad)
- Jesse (Breaking Bad)
- Soprano (The Sopranos)
- Stringer (Bell, The Wire)
- Hercule (Poirot)
- Vera (Stanhope, Vera)
- Shelby (Thomas Shelby, Peaky Blinders)
- Jackson (Slow Horses)
Comedy-Series-Inspired Dog Names to Get a Chuckle
Playful names from beloved sitcoms and comedy series. Gwen was the third-highest trending dog name overall, likely due to the recent Gavin & Stacey reunion. Comedy is part of why people find streaming TV with their dogs so comforting, combining laughs and cuddles, so you might want to tap into this for their name.
- Gwen (Gavin & Stacey Reunion)
- Delboy (Only Fools & Horses)
- Rodney (Only Fools & Horses)
- Trigger (Only Fools & Horses)
- Basil (Fawlty Towers)
- Sybil (Fawlty Towers)
- Manuel (Fawlty Towers)
- Hyacinth (Bucket) (Keeping Up Appearances)
- Chabuddy (People Just Do Nothing)
- Borat
- Bruno
- Vicky (Little Britain)
- Ted (Ted Lasso)
- Fleabag
Elegant Dog Names Inspired by Period Dramas
Classic and elegant names inspired by characters from historical or period series. Bridgerton-themed named are immensely popular (just think of the costumes), with Daphne, Colin, and Violet rapidly climbing the naming ranks this year. Violet is also a name in both Bridgerton and Downton Abbey, which might also be gaining popularity after the late Dame Maggie Smith’s Downton character following her tragic passing this year.
- Claire (Outlander)
- Jamie (Outlander)
- Lady Penelope (Bridgerton)
- Daphne (Bridgerton)
- Colin (Bridgerton)
- Bertha (The Gilded Age)
- Peggy (The Gilded Age)
- Maud (The Gilded Age)
- Agnes (The Gilded Age)
- Violet (Downton Abbey/Bridgerton)
- Cora (Downton Abbey)
- Mariko (Shogun)
- Yoshii (Shogun)
- Kashigi (Shogun)
- Toranaga (Shogun)
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Wacky Dog Name Inspirations from Animated Series
Animated TV shows aren’t just for kids, and a range of quirky, bizarre, and interesting characters offer canine (Mr. Peanut Butter), human (Gromit), and robot (Bender) dog name inspiration.
- Rick (Rick & Morty)
- Morty (Rick & Morty)
- BoJack (BoJack Horseman)
- Mr. Peanut Butter (BoJack Horseman)
- Wallace (Wallace & Gromit)
- Gromit (Wallace & Gromit)
- Finn (Adventure Time)
- Bender (Futurama)
- Jinx (Arcane)
- Vi (Arcane)
- Keyleth (The Legend of Vox Machina)
- Pike (The Legend of Vox Machina)
- Kima (The Legend of Vox Machina)
- Mizu (Blue Eye Samurai)
- She-Ra (She-Ra and the Princesses of Power)
Reality-TV-Inspired Dog Names
The nature of reality TV means that it offers up an ever-rotating roster of names, which is perfect for inspiration. Plus, if you shout at your TV when your fave gets kicked off your show (and your dog also barks at the TV in horror), your fur baby might be the perfect choice for a reality TV dog name.
Charlie, Holly, and Polly top the list of the most popular names inspired by Married At First Sight contestants, and they’ve all trended a little this year. However, Ross, Eve, and Orson are the most trending in 2024. Down under (whose take on MAFS is just as popular over here), Jack, Ellie, and Ben top the most popular list but aren’t actually trending this year, with Stephen, Michael, and Tori gaining the most steam as dog names instead.
And although anyone you might meet on Love Island would be competing with your dog for your affections, Sean, Josh, and Matila are 2024’s most trending Love Island names, with Lola, Hugo, and Ronnie the most popular overall. Omar and Blade are also trending.
- Ru (RuPaul’s Drag Race)
- Gordon (Hell’s Kitchen)
- Jeff (Survivor)
- Pru (The Great British Bake Off)
- Hollywood (The Great British Bake Off)
- Noel (The Great British Bake Off)
- Hammond (The Great British Bake Off)
- Lola (Love Island)
- Hugo (Love Island)
- Ronnie (Love Island)
- Omar (Love Island)
- Josh (Love Island)
- Matilda (Love Island)
- Blade (Love Island)
- Jack (Married At First Sight Australia)
- Ellie (Married At First Sight Australia)
- Ben (Married At First Sight Australia)
- Stephen (Married At First Sight Australia)
- Michael (Married At First Sight Australia)
- Tori (Married At First Sight Australia)
- Charlie (Married At First Sight UK)
- Holly (Married At First Sight UK)
- Polly (Married At First Sight UK)
- Ross (Married At First Sight UK)
- Eve (Married At First Sight UK)
- Orson (Married At First Sight UK)
- Shea (Shea Couleé, Drag Race USA)
- Bob (Bob the Drag Queen, Drag Race USA)
- Bimini Bon Boulash (Drag Race UK)
- Tia Kofi (Drag Race UK)
- Dakota Schiffer (Dakota Schiffer, Drag Race UK)
Dog Names Inspired by Streaming Hits
Streaming’s popularity shows no signs of slowing down in 2024. Baby Reindeer’s Martha was one of the year’s most popular names, and 2024 has offered up some true gems to pick from, from sci-fi epics like Fallout and 3 Body Problem to shows about iconic villains (The Penguin) and prestige dramas (The Bear). And showcasing Succession‘s popularity, Kendall is still trending up in 2024 despite the show winding down in 2023.
- Oswald (The Penguin)
- Esther (Nobody Wants This)
- Sasha (Nobody Wants This)
- Morgan (Nobody Wants This)
- Danvers (True Detective: Night Country)
- Evangeline (True Detective: Night Country)
- Johanna (Constellation)
- Cooper (Fallout)
- Maximus (Fallout)
- Lucy (Fallout)
- Lee (Fallout)
- Auggie (3 Body Problem)
- Sophon (3 Body Problem)
- Tatiana (3 Body Problem)
- Vera (3 Body Problem)
- Rooney (3 Body Problem)
- Saul (3 Body Problem)
- Martha (Baby Reindeer)
- Eric (Eric)
- Vincent (Eric)
- Carmy (The Bear)
- Tenax (Those About to Die)
- Charlie (Heartstopper)
- Tara (Heartstopper)
- Nick (Heartstopper)
- Elle (Heartstopper)
- Tao (Heartstopper)
- Kendall (Succession)
- Logan (Succession)
- Roman (Succession)
Kids & Family Shows to Inspire Your Pup’s Name
Sweet and simple names from kid-friendly series. As a dog-themed show, Paw Patrol names are pretty common, especially when the dog-naming reins are handed to the kids! Rocky is the show’s most popular name but hasn’t gained any ground since last year. However, Carlos – currently the 6th most popular Paw Patrol name – is also the highest climber of 2024, and Chase is definitely on the case, trending second-highest.
However, Scooby is still among the highest-trending names of the year, showing you can’t beat a classic. Special mention should go to Bluey, the animated Aussie Blue Heeler who became the most watched cartoon character in the States this year.
- Scooby (Doo)
- Bluey (Bluey)
- Bandit (Bluey)
- Chilli (Bluey)
- Stripe (Bluey)
- Trixie (Bluey)
- Peppa (Peppa Pig)
- Chase (Paw Patrol)
- Rubble (Paw Patrol)
- Rocky (Paw Patrol)
- Marshall (Paw Patrol)
- Skye (Paw Patrol)
- Everest (Paw Patrol)
- Zuma (Paw Patrol)
- Shaun (Shaun the Sheep)
- Maggie (The Mighty Express)
International Series
TV doesn’t end at the US or UK border, and globally popular TV series offer a host of fantastic shows with names that can highlight your dog’s personality and country of origin. For example, if you have a German breed, like a Pinscher and enjoy Dark, the twisty German mystery show, why not combine your two loves and name your pup after one of these characters?
- Alvaro (Money Heist)
- Ursula (Money Heist)
- Pedro (Money Heist)
- Alba (Money Heist)
- Uhtred (The Last Kingdom)
- Lea (The 7 Lives of Lea)
- Noah (Dark)
- Claudia (Dark)
- Lupin
- Squid (Squid Game)
- Leya (Snabba Cash)
- Dada (Snabba Cash)
There are literally thousands of shows happening every year, so pick any name from your favourites if you’re looking to the small screen for inspiration. If choosing your dog’s name feels like scrolling through the Netflix menu trying to settle on an option, why not look through our Dog Name Database, which gets updated every year? Alternatively, try our Dog Name Generator for more ideas.
Your dog’s favourite show might differ from yours, but they may learn to appreciate it if they’re named after its main character.
