How do you settle on a name for your new little boy dog? You’re all ready for the bundle of energy to hit your home, with the puppy bed installed, the puppy training treats in the pot, and the crate and puppy playpen set up, but choosing the name that will fit the dog for its whole life is a daunting responsibility. The range of dog names for boys veers from nature-related or sweet – Bracken or Toffee – to villainous (think Roscoe or Knuckles), to regal (Harry or Charlie).
Maybe your male dog has special markings that you want to reflect – Pirate or Spot – or that sums up his character (Bruiser, Happy). Or perhaps you have two new pups at once, and want a pairing (Flotsam and Jetsam? Willie and Wonka?) Whatever name you pick, it needs to be clear and easy to say – and not embarrass your kids or the dog-walker for the next decade of the pup’s life. This goes for female dog names, too.
A general guide to naming:
Two syllables is best: easy for the dog to understand, and simple to call across the park. Jiminy-Cricket is confusing to everyone.
Don’t pick a name too closely related to commands you want to teach your dog (No! Bo! or Fetch! Ketch!) or that other members of the family already have.
Names ending in a vowel can be easier for your dog to understand, according to the Kennel Club, because they force you to change your tone of voice, and that helps the dog pick out their name from other words in everyday conversation.
Hard consonants are easier for dogs to hear.
Try out a few names for the first week, and see which sticks with his personality, and you’re comfortable calling out on a walk.
Name him after something that inspires you – maybe a sportsman, a favourite film character or TV series.
And if you’re adopting an adult dog, this article is not for you – stick with the name he already has.
The most popular male dog names for boys
In 2023, the top 10 male puppy names in the UK were:
Milo
Teddy
Buddy
Alfie
Max
Charlie
Bailey
Reggie
Bruno
Hugo
In the US, Charlie takes top spot, Max comes in second and Cooper third. The Australians also love Charlie and Max, but Archie, Frankie and Alfie make it into their top 10, too.
But perhaps you want something more individual. Here are three boys’ names for each letter of the alphabet:
A Atlas, Angus, Amos
B Balto, Bandit, Bruiser
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Martha is an experienced journalist who is mad-keen on horses and dogs. Her reporting CV includes the Paris Olympics, European championships, Aachen World Equestrian Festival and World Cup finals. After growing up with assorted liver and white springer spaniels, she enjoyed 14 years with two rescue dogs. Now, her constant companion is Fidget, an extremely energetic and habitually muddy black and white springer. Martha has written on topics as diverse as a top horse’s clone to the best GPS trackers for dogs, as well as equestrian and rural matters for Country Life, The Field, The Times, The Spectator and The Telegraph alongside Horse & Hound.
