Not Sure What to Name Your Puppy? We’re Here to Help!

Our friends at www.pupbox.com have come up with this great info graphic to help with the daunting task of naming your new puppy, they have even included an automatic puppy name generator.    You can find this tool towards the end of the article. Have fun!

Not Sure What to Name Your Puppy? We’re Here to Help!By Kristen Seymour

Selecting a name for your new puppy can be a lot of fun, but if you find the process rather stressful, you’re not alone. After all, your options for cute puppy names are virtually limitless. Plus, the name you choose now is the name you’ll call out thousands of times in your puppy’s first year alone, so it should be something you enjoy saying—and hearing—a lot.

Once you’re clear on what to look for in a name that your puppy will be able to learn easily, it’s time to think about what kind of name really suits him or her—and your family.

Are you drawn to classic dog names, such as Spot and Shadow? Would you prefer to call your pup by a traditionally human name, like Fred or Katie? Are you more interested in coming up with a quirky or unique name? Or is there something about your dog, such as size (Peanut), color (Raven), or personality trait (Happy), that you’d like to base your puppy’s name on?

In any case, finding inspiration is easy, because puppy name lists abound.

As long as you don’t mind knowing there may be another dog with the same name as yours at the dog park, taking a quick glance at the top dog names of any given year might be enough to spark an idea.

Popular Boy Puppy Names

• Max
• Charlie
• Cooper
• Buddy
• Jack
• Rocky
• Oliver
• Bear
• Duke
• Tucker

Popular Girl Puppy Names

• Bella
• Lucy
• Daisy
• Luna
• Lola
• Sadie
• Molly
• Maggie
• Bailey
• Sophie

If you’d prefer to dub your dog something less likely to show up on another dog’s tag, then seeking out lists of trendy names, gender specific names, and unusual names is sure to help you start a list of potential monikers.

Still struggling to narrow the list down? Think about whether there are any specific themes that speak to you, especially if you already have a pet with a name that fits or anticipate adding more to your brood. Of course, picking a theme is a hefty decision in and of itself, because you can go with just about anything including:

• Same first letter (Stella, Sammy, Scout)

• Flowers (Daisy, Lilly, Poppy)

• Historical figures/celebrities (Einstein, Wolfgang, Hepburn)

• Characters from a favorite movie, TV show, or other pop culture reference (Rey, Leia, Chewy from Star Wars)

• Food or drink (Biscuit, Cocoa, Oreo)

• Greek or Roman gods and goddesses (Loki, Zeus, Athena)

• Destinations (Rio, Phoenix, Sydney)

• “Doggo lingo,” an Internet-created language used to describe dogs (Fluffer, Corgo, Woofer)

• Companies or brands (Nike, Prada, Bentley)

• Famous dogs (Scooby, Benji, Rin-Tin-Tin)

• Band members (Ringo, Lennon, George)

• Cultural names based on your heritage, a favorite part of the world, or the origin of your dog’s breed (Bailey, Duff, Clover)

Another popular trend is to come up with a clever pun based on a fictional character or celebrity name such as Bark Ruffalo, Harry Paw-ter, or Tina Spay. And while these are undoubtedly adorable, keep in mind that you’re not likely to use their full name regularly, so before you decide what to name your dog, think through whether you’ll actually use that name or if you’ll stick with a shorter version. If that’s the case, it’s okay! But keep in mind that it may not have quite the same effect.

Your puppy name planning and research can be just as involved as you want. If you enjoy the process, dig in until you find the moniker that’s absolutely perfect. Or you can skip the research and list-making entirely and give our Puppy Name Generator a whirl. Is your puppy a Gus? Sugar? Dakota? You might not know until it shows up on your screen!