Finding the perfect name for your new dog can be a challenge.
I have first-hand knowledge of that. We couldn’t agree on a name for our new puppy.
So after two weeks of calling her by the name the shelter gave her, the name stuck with her.
Now we have four Bella’s that live on our street, most of them are humans.
When picking a name for your puppy you want to pick something that is unique to your dog.
The name should be easy to understand and one that fits your dog’s personality.
To help you not make the same mistake we did we have gathered a list of over 300 unique dog names to choose from. I wish I had this list when we got our puppy.
What makes for a unique dog name?
A unique dog name is not only unusual but it needs to be an uncommon name in both the human and canine worlds. Let’s go over what you should not name your dog if you are looking for an uncommon dog name.
Well, for starters if you want a un common dog name do not choose one of the common dog names like:
- Bailey
- Bella
- Charlie
- Cooper
- Daisy
- Lucy
- Luna
- Max
- Molly
By the way my last three dogs were named Bella, Molly and Charlie. Clearly, I really needed this list.
Also if you want a unique dog name avoid naming your dog one of the popular human names. This includes names like:
- Aria
- Bella
- Emma
- Lucas
- Noah
- Olivia
Since the popularity of baby names change each year it’s impossible to list all the popular names here. But the Social Security Administration has a baby naming page on their website. Here you can see what the top 20 names were for past years by plugging in the year. They also have an option where you can enter a name and see how it has ranked in the past 20 years.
Tips on Choosing a Unique Dog Name
Remember that when choosing a dog name keep the name simple. Pick a name that has no more than two syllables. Also make sure it does not rhyme with no, like as in Bo.
Names that are too long will be harder for your dog to recognize when you call them. Also think about what it will be like when you need to say that name over, and over again. Are you still going to like it after you said it 1,000 times?
Unique Dog Names
One of the easiest ways to come up with uncommon dog names is to think of a subject that you are really interested in. Then see what names represent your interests. Our first subject is going to be science because the science world has some really cool dog names to choose from.
Science Names for Dogs
| Name | Gender | As In |
| Ada | F | Ada King, Countess of Lovelace – Famous female mathematician |
| Albert | m | Albert Einstein |
| Alfred | M | Alfred Nobel |
| Aristotle | M | |
| Atlas | M | |
| Bennie | M | Benjamin Franklin |
| Bolt | M | |
| Carl | M | Carl Linnaeus and Carl Sagan |
| Carson | M | |
| Chadwick | M | James Chadwick |
| Chip | M | Microchip |
| Comet | N | |
| Cori | N | Gerty Cori |
| Crick | M | Francis Crick – Molecular biologist |
| Dalton | M | John Dalton |
| Darwin | M | Charles Darwin |
| Data | M | |
| Delta | F | |
| Digit | M | |
| Dmitri | M | Dmitri Mendeleev |
| Dob (Doby) | N | Dobsonian telescope |
| Doppler | N | |
| Edison | M | Thomas Edison |
| Einstien | m | Albert Einstein |
| Fisher | M | Ronald Fisher |
| Franklin | M | Benjamin Franklin |
| Galileo | M | |
| Gamma | M | |
| Geo | N | |
| Graham | M | Alexandr Graham Bell |
| Gram | M | |
| Gregor | M | Gregor Mendel |
| Halo | N | |
| Hawking | M | Steven Hawking |
| Hook | m | Robert Hook |
| Hubble | N | |
| Issacc | M | Issacc Newton |
| Jane | F | Jane Goodall |
| Leo | M | Leonardo Da Vinci |
| Loui | M | Louie Pasteur |
| Luna | F | |
| Maxwell | M | James Clerk Maxwell |
| Newton | M | Issacc Newton |
| Nikola | M | Nikola Tesla |
| Nova | F | |
| Pluto | M | |
| Rocket | M | |
| Radar | M | |
| Sonic | N | |
| Star | F | |
| Steven | M | Steven Hawking |
| Summer | F | |
| Sunny | N | |
| Tetra | M | |
| Titan | M | |
| Tyson | M | Neil deGrasse |
| Vector | M | |
| Volt | M | |
| Washington | M | George Washington Carver |
| Watson | M |
Next we will move on to the arts, starting with music. Here you will find various musician names and musical terms.
Music Inspired Names for Dogs
| Name | Gender | Notes |
| Amadeus | M | |
| Bach | M | Bach |
| Bowie | M | David Bowie |
| Cash | M | Johnny Cash |
| Cooper | M | Alice Cooper |
| Elton | M | Elton John |
| Hank | M | Hank Williams |
| Marley | M | Bob Marley |
| Otis | M | Otis Redding |
| Smokey | M | |
| Santana | M | Santana |
| Wonder | M | Stevie Wonder |
| Beethoven | M | |
| Floyd | M | Pink Floyd |
| Melody | F | |
| Harmony | F | |
| Treble | F | |
| Echo | F | |
| Major | M | |
| Opus | M | |
| Maestro | M | |
| Bravo | M | |
| Diva | F | |
| Jazz | F | |
| Phantom (as in Phantom of the Opera) | M | |
| Sonata | F | |
| Sonatina | F |
Dog Names Inspired by the Arts
This list mainly includes names of famous artist but also includes some art related words.
| Name | Notes |
| Ansel | Ansel Adams |
| Bacon | Francis Bacon |
| Diego | Diego Rivera |
| Frida | Frida Kahlo |
| Georgia | Georgia O’Keefe |
| Goya | Francisco Goya |
| Judd | Donald Judd – American Minimalism |
| Leonardo or Leo | Leonardo diVinici |
| Lucian | Lucian Freud |
| Matisse | Henri Matisse |
| Michaelangelo | Michaelangelo |
| Pablo or Picasso | Pablo Picasso |
| Raphael | Raphael |
| Rembrandt | Rembrandt |
| Rockwell | Norman Rockwell |
| Van | Vincent Van Gogh |
| Walker or Kara) | Kara Walker |
| Fresco | |
| Mona (Lisa) | Mona Lisa |
| Muse |
Dog Names Inspired by Color
Thinking about art brings me to the world of colors. Naming your dog based on their color is not that unusual but these color inspired dog names will have you standing out from the pack.
For example, instead of naming your Golden Retriever Red, consider naming them Rory. Rory comes from the old Gaelic language of Scotland. The meaning of the name Rory is the “red-haired king”.
Names for Black Dogs
| Name | Gender |
| Cole | M |
| Ebony | F |
| Jet | M |
| Midnight | N |
| Onyx | M |
| Raven | F |
| Sable | F |
| Shadow | M |
| Slate | M |
Names for Brown Dogs
| Name | Gender |
| Sunny | M |
| Autumn | F |
| Blonde | F |
| Blondie | F |
| Brownie | N |
| Bruno | M |
| Carmela | F |
| Cinnamon | F |
| Cocoa | F |
| Fawn | F |
| Hazel | F |
| Honey | F |
| Kodiak | M |
| Mocha | F |
| Peanut | F/M |
| Sandy | F |
| Tawny | F |
| Copper | N |
Names for Gray Dogs
| Name | Gender |
| Ash/Ashley | F/M |
| Dove | F |
| Steel | M |
| Sterling | M |
Names for Reddish/Brown Dogs
| Name | Gender |
| Amber | F |
| Apple | F |
| Candy | F |
| Cherry | F |
| Coral | F |
| Dandy | F |
| Dijon | M |
| Flynn | M |
| Foxy | F |
| Ginger | F |
| Goldie | F |
| Poppy | F |
| Pumpkin | F |
| Reed | M |
| Rory | M |
| Rose | F |
| Rowan | M |
| Roy | M |
| Ruby | F |
| Rufus | M |
| Russell | M |
| Rusty | M |
| Scarlet | F |
| Sherry | F |
| Sienna | F |
| Sorrel | F |
Names for White Dogs
| Name | Gender |
| Bianca | F |
| Casper | M |
| Crystal | F |
| Daisy | F |
| Fiona | F |
| Ivory | F |
| Oyster | F |
| Pearl | F |
| Snow | F |
Looking for a name for your large dog? Check out our list of Big Dog Names: 300+ Names From the Classic to the Unique
Cultural Inspired Dog Names
Naming your dog a culturally diverse name will surely set you apart from the rest. Here we list dog names from the British, French, and Australian cultures. When trying to decide on a name not only look for a unique name but also one that has a meaning that represent your dog or what your dog means to you.
British/English Dog Names
| Name | Gender |
| Abby | F |
| Arlo | M |
| Aspen | F |
| Barkley | M |
| Barlow | M |
| Barnaby | M |
| Bernie | M |
| Bertie | F |
| Blossom | F |
| Clover | F |
| Colby | M |
| Darling | F |
| Dexter | M |
| Dudley | M |
| Earl | M |
| Farley | M |
| Harper | F |
| Iris | F |
| Jessie | F |
| Knight | M |
| Laddie | M |
| Lassie | F |
| Maddox | F |
| Manley | M |
| Murphy | M |
| Nash | M |
| Nellie | F |
| Otis | M |
| Poppy | F |
| Quincy | M |
| Quinnie (Quinn) | F |
| Roady | M |
| Ruby | F |
| Shelby | F |
| Shelley | F |
| Stella | F |
| Teddy | M |
| Trudy | F |
| Wren | F |
| Duke | M |
| Dutchess | F |
Not finding the right British dog name? Check out our post on British dog names British Dog Names: 550 English Dog Names For Your Pup. You are sure to find a name that you like.
Scottish Dog Names
| Name | Gender |
| Barclay | M |
| Barton | M |
| Blane | M |
| Bridie | F |
| Brodie | M |
| Carson | M |
| Clyde | M |
| Conner | M |
| Conway | M |
| Freya | F |
| Logan | M |
| Maxwell | M |
| McGee | M |
| Nessie | N |
| Patton | M |
| Smokey | N |
| Toaty | N |
| Wallace | M |
| Watson | M |
If can find the meaning of some of the Scottish names listed above in our post here, plus 500 Scottish dog names.
Australian Dog Names
| Name | Gender |
| Ace | M |
| Bindi | N |
| Boomer | M |
| Boomer | M |
| Brizzie | N |
| Brumby | N |
| Chrissie | M |
| Daku | N |
| Digby | M |
| Digger | N |
| Goldie | F |
| Jack | M |
| Jasper | M |
| Jedda | F |
| Kaya | F |
| Kaya | F |
| Kiwi | N |
| Perry | N |
| Ranger | M |
| Sydney | F |
For more Australian dogs names go to our post where you will find 200 unusual Australian names for your dog. Plus you will find the meaning to many of the Australian dog names.
French Dog Names
| Name | Gender |
| Babette | F |
| Beau | M |
| Éloise | F |
| Enzo | M |
| Felix | M |
| Fifi | F |
| GiGi | F |
| Percy | M |
| Rémy | M |
| Sable | F |
For more French inspired dogs names with their meanings go to our post where you will find more that 450 French names with their meanings for your dog.
Norse Dog Names
| Name | Gender |
| Loki | M |
| Alvis | M |
| Astrid | F |
| Aurora | F |
| Bjorn | M |
| Frida | F |
| Gunther | M |
| Halle | F |
| Loki | M |
| Odin | M |
| Ragnar | M |
For more Norse inspired dogs names with their meanings go to our post: Norse Dog Names: Viking Names for Your Dog
Greek Dog Names
| Name | Gender |
| Adonis | G |
| Ajax | M |
| Aleksy | M |
| Alena | F |
| Althea | F |
| Andela | F |
| Angel | F |
| Apollo | M |
| Atlas | M |
| Barlett | M |
| Basil | M |
| Carin | F |
| Cassie | F |
| Cosmo | M |
| Delta | F |
| Jordy | N |
| Lucky | N |
| Nikki | F |
| Nikola | F |
| Theo | M |
| Xander | M |
| Zeus | M |
Fun Dog Names
Having a dog is all about having fun, so why not give your dog a fun name.
| Name | Gender |
| Asia | F |
| Bigsby | M |
| Frosty | M |
| Giget | F |
| Honey | N |
| Houdini | M |
| Indie | F |
| Jetta | M |
| Jordie | N |
| Kiper | M |
| Layla | F |
| Lovey | F |
| Merlin | M |
| Mimi | F |
| Moxie | N |
| Peanut | N |
| Pickles | F |
| Pixie | F |
| Rain | F |
| Rainey | F |
| Rizzo | N |
| Stormy | N |
| Summer | F |
| Sweetpea | F |
| Trixie | F |
| Truffle | N |
| Venus | F |
| Winnie | F |
| Winter | F |
| Yoda | N |
| Zeus | M |
| Ziggy | N |
If your pup loves the outdoors, maybe a name that represents nature will be the perfect fit.
Nature Inspired Dog Names
| Archie | M |
| Basil | F |
| Bear | M |
| Bolt | M |
| Colt | M |
| Cricket | F |
| Fern | F |
| Flint | M |
| Ford | M |
| Forrest | M |
| Hollis | N |
| Hunter | m |
| Indy | M |
| Ivy | f |
| Ivy | F |
| Jade | f |
| Kai | M |
| Koa | M |
| Maple | F |
| Meadow | F |
| Oakley | N |
| Olive | F |
| Olive | F |
| Remington | M |
| Rocky | M |
| Scout | M |
| Sky | F |
| Trip | M |
| Tuck | M |
| West | M |
| Willow | F |
For more nature inspired dogs names go to our post: 200 + Flower Names For Dogs: Plus Nature Dog Names
More Unique Dog Names
Our last list of names are unique dog names that didn’t fit into any of the other groupings.
| Arrow | N |
| Baxter | M |
| Bruno | M |
| Caspian | M |
| Chester | M |
| Cleo | F |
| Collins | F |
| Ellington | M |
| Ferris | n |
| Griffin | M |
| Pascal | M |
| Pax | N |
| Penn | M |
| Roscoe | M |
| Sacha | M |
| Soren | M |
Well, I hope you were able to find the perfect name for your new pup, but if you didn’t check out our other posts on dog names.
- Black Dog Names: 450+ Names for Black Dogs
- British Dog Names: 550 English Dog Names For Your Pup
- Scottish Dog Names: 500 Names to Choose From
- Norse Dog Names: Viking Names for Your Dog
- Flower Names For Dogs: Plus Nature Inspired Dog Names
- Australian Dog Names: 200 Dog Names to Choose From
- French Dog Names For Your Doodle
- Big Dog Names: 300+ From the Classic to the Unique
- White Dog Names: 375+ Names for White Dogs
More from Happyoodles.com
Now that you have found the perfect name for your pup it’s time to train them. Check out our posts on puppy training below: