Dog Names

What’s in a name? Turns out, there can be a lot significance to the name you choose for your dog. There was a time when dog names were separate from human names; Rover, Fido, and Rex ruled. Nowadays ‘people’ names lead the pack. Olive, Annabelle, Lucy, and Leo are names you’re as likely to hear at a puppy class or play group as at a kindergarten for kids. While ‘people’ names are currently the norm, some favor names that announce their preferences. It would seem there are a lot of foodies in NYC; Sushi, Macaroni, Cookie, and Tempeh are all students of ours. There are also an abundance of sports fans as we’ve had twelve canine students named Jeter enrolled in school and we’ve  also had quite a few Chiefs, Saints, Cowboys, and Dodgers. People also seem inspired by movies as evidenced by our students named Hagrid, Marley, and Dug.

Suki the Tibetan Spaniel

When choosing a name, consider that you and your dog will be living with this for a long time, and you will be saying it many times a day for years to come. What might seem funny to start may end up being a joke that falls a little flat. The name you choose for your dog can spark a conversation, or stop it in its tracks; here we consider our student who chose to call her dog FU2. We kid you not.

Further, names can have a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy effect. Picking a name that sounds tough and intimidating may cause people to react accordingly. If you are calling out for Hannibal, Demon or Hades at the dog park, don’t be surprised if the other pet parents seem a bit concerned.

Choose a name that suits your dog as a puppy, but more importantly, as the lovely adult dog you will help them become. In this case, allowing yourself some time to get to know your dog prior to naming them is advisable so the name is a good reflection of their personality. There really is no rush to choose a name in the first week or two a dog is in your home.

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How do dog trainers choose a name for their dog? We favor names that are easy for our dog to distinguish from other words we intend to teach them and typically choose names that are one or two syllables. Anything longer, like Maximillian, and it tends to get shortened regardless (in this case to Max). With that said, we kind of love it when a student is registered for dog training classes under a more ‘formal’ name. Perhaps one of our favorites is the super lovely and talented, Milo Monkey Boy. His name says it all.

20 Most Popular Dog Names

1. Oliver
2. Penny
3. Luna
4. Lucy
5. Sophie
6. Piper
7. Bella
8. Leo
9. Olive
10. Coco
11. Walter
12. Stella
13. Bear
14. Henry
15. Milo
16. Jack
17. Cooper
18. Murphy
19. Charlie
20. Sam

Murphy the Frenchie

List of Dogs to Help You Choose

As a dog training school in NYC for 27 years that offers private classes and group lessons, we are lucky to have thousands of wonderful puppy students a year. We see the cycles of popular and trendy names, just like one might see for baby names. Of course, there are some perennial favorites, like Oliver and Lucy. But, below is a more extensive list of our canine students’ names which might inspire you when choosing a name for your next furry family member