Boy Puppy Names

If you’ve recently adopted a new furry family member, then you may be trying to find the best name possible. After all, while “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” this name has to last your new puppy a lifetime. From learning basic commands to recalling tricks, picking a name that resonates with you and your new puppy is important. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of the top boy puppy names to help you get started.

Ready to find the pawfect name for your new puppy? Keep reading!

How to Choose Your Puppy’s Name

As we mentioned above, your puppy’s name is actually quite important. Not only is it their name, but it’s also your number one way of communicating with your puppy. After all, calling your puppy’s name and having them recall reliably can be the difference in a life or death situation.

When choosing your puppy’s new name, make sure to pick something short and easy to say. If your dog’s name is several syllables long, they may have a more difficult time trying to learn it. However, long names are just one of the things to avoid when it comes to picking between different boy-puppy names.

What to Avoid

One of the first things to avoid is confusing names. Confusing names can come in many different forms, although they all center on one characteristic: they sound like something else! There are two cases in which this is most common.

First, you may accidentally pick a boy puppy name that sounds like a command. For example, while Mitt may be a cute name for a dog with markings that look like mittens, it can be difficult for your puppy to tell the difference between their name and the command “sit.”

If you have multiple dogs, you’ll also want to make sure that their names don’t sound alike. If you have one pup at home already named John, a name like Juno can be too confusing. In the same instance, Moe and Jo aren’t the best combinations either because of how similar they sound.

Top Boy Puppy Names

Most Common Boy Puppy Names

• Simba: a brave name perfect for Rhodesian Ridgebacks, who have a history of hunting lions
• Zeus: a strong name coming from Greek mythology
• Max: one of the most common boy puppy names
• Fido: a simple common name recently featured in the newest Pokemon games (spelled here as Fidough)
• Bailey: a simple name perfect for a girl or boy puppy
• Sparky: a bright name for a high-energy and happy dog

Boy Puppy Names from Movies and Literature

• Jack: the lovable and iconic dog from Little House on the Prairie
• Bandit: the second Ingalls’ dog to make an appearance in Little House on the Prairie
• Otis: the name of the pug in the iconic 1986 film The Adventures of Milo and Otis
• Pluto: the iconic name of Mickey Mouse’s dog
• Pongo: the name of the male dog of the 1961 Disney film One Hundred and One Dalmatians
• Odie: the lovable dog in Jim Davis’ comic strip Garfield
• Benji: the name of the adventurous dog in the 1974 movie of the same name
• Marley: the name of the Labrador Retriever in the 2008 film Marley & Me
• Beethoven: the perfect name for a lovable St. Bernard after the 1992 movie of the same name
• Buddy: the name of the Golden Retriever in the 1997 movie Air Bud
• Toto: the name of the dog in L. Frank Baum’s Oz series, later played by Terry in the movie The Wizard of Oz
• Bruiser: the name of the Chihuahua in the Legally Blonde movies, played by Moonie
• Shiloh: the name of the beagle in the 1991 book of the same name
• Chance: the adventurous young American bulldog in the 1993 film, Homeward Bound
• Bolt: the white German Shepherd in the 2008 film of the same name
• Buck: a perfect name for brave and loving dogs, after the sled dog in Jack London’s Call of the Wild
• Dante: the name of the unique Xoloitzcuintle in the 2017 film, Coco
• Marmaduke: the goofy but loving Great Dane from the movie with the same name
• Zero: the name of the dog from The Nightmare Before Christmas
• Copper: the name of the hound dog in the 1981 film, The Fox and the Hound

Other Boy Puppy Names

• Ace: perfect for the dog that aces commands and tricks
• Uno: for the dog that’s number one in your life
• Apollo: a bright name originating from the sun god in Greek mythology
• Fish: perfect for fishing dog breeds, like Portuguese water dogs
• Tom: an old-fashioned but simple name good for helping teach commands
• Moose: a name for strong dogs or even moose-hunting dogs like the Norwegian Elkhound 
• Henry: a simple name that’s easy for dogs to understand
• Hunter: a popular name for dogs with the same trade
• Goose: the perfect name for duck hunting dogs, like Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retrievers
• Oreo: a silly, easy-to-learn name for dogs with black and white markings, like Dalmations
• Ollie: can be short for Oliver, making it a great name that is easy for dogs to understand
• Prince: a name perfect for the pampered pup
• Rex: a strong but short name that’s easy to teach and learn
• Remy: an easy name that makes a great nickname for more complex names
• Romeo: a classic name for charming dogs
• Rusty: a good name for dogs with a reddish complexion, like Irish Setter
• Samson: a biblical name for strong, tough dogs
• Scout:
• Shadow: a name for lovable, clingy dogs who act like your shadow
• Void: a good name for solid black dogs, like Doberman Pinschers
• Tank: a tough name for large dogs, such as a Mastiff
• Salem: a trendy new name popular for its simplicity
• Ghost: the perfect name for solid white dogs, like the Bichon Frise
• Pumpkin: a cute name perfect for a dog you adopted in the fall months.