She’s the new love of your life, but she needs a name. There’s an almost overwhelming choice when choosing your girl’s moniker, from food, TV, and pop culture to history, nature, and human names throughout the ages. The problem may not be finding inspiration but could instead be ruling out options that don’t sum up your pup and sound uncomfortable when you’re calling them over after daycare.
We’ve rounded up the cutest names possible from across a wide section of categories to help you get to the *why* of your dog’s name as easily as possible. After all, she deserves the best.
Food-Inspired Names
If your girl’s feet smell of popcorn and you spend the whole day telling them they’re so cute you want to eat them up, you could pick a far worse name than one based on food. If they’re particular food-motivated or pester you for a specific meal, that could also inspire it. Sweet, sugary, treat foods, comforting autumnal treats, and zesty spices seem to be popular when bringing out feelings of cuteness.
Brownie and Peach are both among the top 20 names trending in any category this year. And tea-inspired names are also enjoying a bump, with Chai and Matcha seeing more entries in 2024 than in 2023. So why not give people a taste of the pinch of sweetness to expect when meeting your pup?
- Cookie
- Peanut
- Peach
- Cinnamon
- Pumpkin
- Sugar
- Honey
- Brownie
- Maple
- Mocha
- Matcha
- Marshmallow
- Truffle
- Chai
- Taffy
- Butterscotch
- Olive
Nature-Inspired Names
Dogs famously love running around in nature, so a name inspired by the wild could be right up their street. Do they have a favourite spot on their walk? Are there any particular smells or areas that perk their ears up or have them running around with the zoomies? Or do you simply like how certain words sound and the feelings they conjure up?
For example, Willow has seen a climb this year. Plenty of words from nature double up as names for humans, too, so if there’s a Hazel, Willow, Fern, or Juniper in your life you’d like to pay tribute to, that also works.
- Willow
- Sunny
- Fern
- Juniper
- Blossom
- River
- Meadow
- Clover
- Hazel
Pop Culture and TV Characters
The small and big screens offer near limitless lively characters and real-life personalities to inspire your dog’s name. You might have a favourite TV show from your childhood that features a range of cute characters, or your kids could have a character they champion from a program they’re constantly making you put on.
Whether they’re dog-related, like Skye from Paw Patrol, Chilli from Bluey, or Daphne from Scooby-Doo, or a sassy heroine, villainess, princess, warrior, magic being, or actress playing these roles, a range of cute girl dog names abound on the screen.
Popular entries this year include Leia and Cara from the Star Wars universe, with Cara showing an upward trend from last year. Skye from Paw Patrol and both Myrtle and Ginny from Harry Potter are all popular and trending this year. Bella is also trending, and Zosia is seeing a notable bump in 2024.
- Bella (from Twilight)
- Cara (from The Mandalorian)
- Reva (from Obi-Wan Kenobi)
- Arya (from Game of Thrones)
- Luna (from Harry Potter)
- Leia (from Star Wars)
- Peppa (from Peppa Pig)
- Maggie (from Mighty Express)
- Chilli (from Bluey)
- Harley (from Harley Quinn)
- Myrtle (from Harry Potter)
- Skye (from Paw Patrol)
- Ginny (from Harry Potter)
- Daphne (from Scooby-Doo)
- Hermione (from Harry Potter)
- Sansa (from Game of Thrones)
- Rue (from The Hunger Games)
- Rapunzel (from Tangled)
- Katniss (from The Hunger Games)
- Wanda (from WandaVision)
- Zosia (Actress)
- Zendaya (Actress)
Pop Queens
The world of pop provides icons, old and new, that have inspired generations of dog names. If you have a vocal girl, like a husky or beagle who “awoos” with the best of them, honoring one of the great vocalists of this or previous eras might be a fun, cute name for your dog.
Roan is leading the pack in 2024 with a 91% climb on last year, while the names Miley and Taylor have also had a great year. The trend seems to be – perhaps unsurprisingly – that the newer the popstar, the more popular the name.
- Roan
- Miley
- Taylor
- Britney
- Cher
- Beyonce
- Lizzo
- Madonna
Flower Names
A dog’s sense of smell is their pride and joy, and you’ll often catch them foraging in flowerbeds for the exciting aromas on show. Plus, flowers make for pretty, cutesy names that give the impression of pure innocence and joy.
Violet and Lily are popular choices in 2024. Hyacinth has entered the ranking for the first time this year, but with only a single dog named Hyacinth in our database, it’s hard to say the name is trending. Still, welcome, Hyacinth!
- Daisy
- Hyacinth
- Lily
- Bluebell
- Rose
- Buttercup
- Poppy
- Violet
- Iris
- Jasmine
- Petunia
- Dahlia
- Zinnia
- Azalea
- Poppy
- Camellia
- Magnolia
- Lavender
- Lilac
- Hollyhock
Modern Human Names
Dogs with human names just take on a whole load of character without even needing to try. And the sources of inspiration are infinite: Pick from people in your own life, the world of celebs, sports, music, or wherever human names usually live (clue: everywhere).
For example, many of the year’s most popular human girl dog names – like Fran, Ella, Lucy, Millie, Chloe, Klara, Lauren, Mary, and Kirby – are trending this year because of women’s football. Beth and Lola are both names trending in 2024 after the Olympics. Dakota is also having a great year, maybe due to Hollywood actress Dakota Johnson.
Other names, including Holly, Polly, Lacey, Tori, Emma, and Eve, are trending from the reality show Married At First Sight in both the UK and Australia. Names like Ellie and Emma are trending in both MAFS and Love Island, while Matilda is one of the trending names from Love Island. Reality TV seems to offer a whole host of cute girl dog names.
- Lola
- Sophie
- Molly
- Lila
- Lacey
- Eve
- Lauren
- Fran
- Chloe
- Lucy
- Ella
- Tori
- Dakota
- Maya
- Beth
- Matilda
- Leah
- Klara
- Kirby
- Grace
- Olivia
- Mia
- Ava
- Mary
- Emily
- Emma
- Amelia
- Zoe
Image Source via iStock
Mythological Names
Mythological monikers are some of the most timeless names available, nodding to stories that have endured for thousands of years. Particularly dramatic, poised, or stately pups might warrant a nod to the many heroines, goddesses, and female figures throughout Greek, Roman, Norse, and Egyptian mythology.
This may explain their popularity. Helen, for example, is known for being beautiful enough to start wars, and the name has seen a jump of 291% for dogs since 2023. Medusa, the Greek creature with snakes for hair – a near-perfect name for a Hungarian Puli – and Isis, the Egyptian goddess, are also having a great 2024 in terms of popularity. Freyja and Athena have also been trending up slightly since 2023.
- Athena
- Selene
- Artemis
- Nixie
- Pandora
- Gaia
- Juno
- Aphrodite
- Hera
- Calliope
- Persephone
- Rhea
- Echo
- Nyx
- Freyja
- Venus
- Hela
- Medusa
- Isis
- Helen
- Neptune
- Diana
- Minerva
- Vesta
Disney-Inspired Names
Where’s cuter than Disney? It seems to be designed for its library of princesses, cute animal sidekicks, and range of cultural inspirations to inspire dog names. From Disney 3D animations and the classics, you can choose from canine characters (like Perdita), other animals, brave, noble humans, and even sentient toys and emotions (thanks, Pixar).
Lady and Duchess both saw a climb in popularity in 2024. Encanto’s enduring popularity since its release seems to be driving dog naming trends, too: both Camila and Pepa are leading the pack with over 100% more dogs with these names appearing since 2023, and Dolores not far behind. Red, made popular by Turning Red, is another popular choice.
- Minnie (Mouse)
- Tinkerbell (from Peter Pan)
- Elsa (from Frozen)
- Nala (from The Lion King)
- Moana (from Moana)
- Perdita (from 101 Dalmatians)
- Belle (from Beauty and the Beast)
- Mulan (from Mulan)
- Tiana (from The Princess and the Frog)
- Merida (from Brave)
- Ariel (from The Little Mermaid)
- Bambi (from Bambi)
- Lady (from Lady and the Tramp)
- Wendy (from Peter Pan)
- Flora (from Sleeping Beauty)
- Izzy (from Jake and the Never Land Pirates)
- Red (from Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest)
- Jesse (from Toy Story 2)
- Abby (from Turning Red)
- Joy (from Inside Out)
- Alma (from Encanto)
- Pepa (from Encanto)
- Priya (from Turning Red)
- Marie (from The Aristocats)
- Mei (from Turning Red)
- Camilo (from Encanto)
- Dolores (from Encanto)
- Alisha (from Turning Red)
- Duchess (from The Aristocats)
- Isabela (from Encanto)
- Miriam (from Turning Red)
Color-Based Names
From the tones of their fur to our favourite hues, colors can play a central role in naming your girl dog. You can skim past the primary colors like red, yellow, and blue to the more exotic, unique shades. We’re so used to some, like Amber, Ginger, Coral, and Ruby being names that they barely register as color-related. And yet, colors relate to so many other beautiful and exciting parts of the world (as do dogs, of course).
Between precious gemstones, sunsets, and beautiful underwater reefs, colors can link your dog to everything glamorous and naturally stunning. However, the reasoning can also be more mundane. For example, Amber is in the top six beer-inspired names, maintaining a steady position from last year. And the name Jade is yet another famous name from MAFS Australia.
- Ruby
- Pearl
- Sienna
- Ivory
- Coral
- Scarlet
- Amber
- Ginger
- Blush
- Indigo
- Crimson
- Ebony
- Jade
Vintage Human Names
Yes, we have a section on human names above. But some names carry an air of distinction and the weight of the years, added by time-honoured tales of royalty, nobility, wisdom, and class.
Darla is one of this year’s top trending names overall, and Daphne and Penelope (in particular, Lady Penelope) are both trending in 2024, largely thanks to Bridgerton. Florence, possibly due to Florence Pugh’s rise through Hollywood, is also trending this year, as is Rita (from Rita Ora).
- Darla
- Daphne
- Beatrice
- Millie
- Maisie
- Dottie
- Winnie
- Agnes
- Edith
- Mabel
- Harriet
- Nellie
- Rita
- Ethel
- Dorothy
- Clara
- Sylvia
- Vera
- Florence
Cute Nicknames
Some names are already cute. The repeated sounds (Lulu, Gigi, Fifi, Mimi) are almost how you would coo a baby to sleep. And, well, your dog is your baby. Also, you’re likely to pick a host of cutesy nicknames for your dog as your relationship grows, so you can dip into nicknames for their official name and cut out the middle… mutt.
- Pippa
- Lulu
- Gigi
- Trixie
- Bunny
- Mimi
- Coco
- Fifi
- Bitsy
- Pixie
- Dottie
- Sissy
- Bebe
- Tootsie
- Tilly
Roman Names
Like mythology, female names from the Roman Empire carry a certain air of grace. The “a” endings make the names alluring and unusual. Consider doing as the Romans do and dipping outside the norm for your girl dog’s name. Plus, it can make picking a dog costume for Halloween really fun and easy.
As a result, Claudia, Priscilla, and Portia are seeing more popularity in 2024, with Valentina also trending slightly. However, Vita and Cassia have seen dips this year.
- Octavia
- Valentina
- Cecilia
- Camilla
- Priscilla
- Antonia
- Claudia
- Blandia
- Portia
- Aurelia
- Livia
- Flavia
- Sabina
- Vita
- Cassia
Still stuck for inspiration? Check out the full breakdown of our annually updated Dog Name Database or try our fun Dog Name Generator.
