Big Dog Names: 300+ From the Classic to the Unique
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Updated 09/19/2023 – Whether you’ve recently welcomed a massive furry friend into your life or you’re in the process of selecting the perfect name for your soon-to-be larger-than-life pup, naming your dog can be huge task. Finding a name that aligns with their substantial size and distinctive personality can be a challenge in itself. Fortunately, “Big Dog Names: 300+ Names from the Classic to the Unique” is here to simplify this process.
Our collection of large dog names, is a thoughtfully curated selection of over 300 names specifically tailored to suit those magnificent pups that grace our lives. Within this post, you’ll discover a diverse range of inspiration sources to draw from. These sources include classic monikers that have stood the test of time, names inspired by iconic canine characters in movies, elements of mythology that carry a certain grandeur, words that convey the sense of being big or large, and much more.
In the quest to find the ideal name for your big dog, we invite you to explore this guide and embark on a naming adventure where the right choice can aptly capture the essence of your canine companion’s personality and size.
How to Choose a Dog Name
Selecting the right name for your new dog can be a fun but sometimes tricky task. To make the process easier, here are some practical tips for you to use:
Consider Your Dog’s Personality: Think about your dog’s personality traits, such as whether they are playful, loyal, or independent. Then pick a name that reflects that trait.
Avoid Confusing Sounds: Pick a name that doesn’t sound like common commands like sit, stay, or no. This helps prevent confusion during training.
Keep It Short and Simple: Short names, typically one or two syllables, are easier for your dog to recognize and respond to.
Test It Out: Say the name out loud to see how it sounds and whether it feels natural when calling your dog.
Check for Popularity: Make sure the name isn’t common in your area or among your friends’ dogs to avoid mix-ups.
Keep it clean: Pick a name that you are comfortable saying in public. What might seem funny in private might not go over well in a public place.
Names have influence: Your dog’s name will influence what people think of your dog.
Wait a Bit: Spend some time with your new dog before finalizing the name.
Trust Your Instincts: Ultimately, go with a name that feels right and resonates with you and your furry friend.
Classic Big Dog Names
There are certain names that just scream big dog. Names like Big Bertha or Brutus and we can’t forget the childhood favorite Clifford the Big Red Dog from children’s books with the same name.
You can find these types of names and more here in our Classic Big Dog Names category.
Names
Gender
Nana
F
Queenie
F
Bandit
M
Beau
M
Beethoven
M
Bo
M
Buddy
M
Clifford
M
Cody
M
Comet
M
Goliath
M
Hunter
M
King
M
Names
Gender
Louie
M
Marmaduke
M
Milo
M
Ranger
M
Rocky
M
Sarge
M
Tyson
M
Unique Names For Your Big Dog
Looking for a unique name for your one of a kind pup? Check out these unique names that you probably won’t hear at the local dog park. For more unique name ideas please check out our post; Unique Dog Names: Plus Tips on How to Pick One
Name
Gender
Asia
F
Bisou – /bi.zu/ – ‘kiss in French’
F
Button – as in cute as a button
F
Danica – Type of Flower
F
Harmony
F
Keeba
F
Koda
F
Lacey
F
Lilou – French for Lily
F
Puff
F
Sashi
F
Shiloh
F
Star
F
Name
Gender
Arlo
M
Baloo
M
Darwin
M
Deuce
M
Digger
M
Ellington
M
Ferris
M
Hopper
M
Huron
M
Jai
M
Raine
M
Seymour
M
Taz
M
Funny Names for Your Dog
Looking for a name that will give you a chuckle? Check out these funny names for large dogs.
Name
Gender
Bean
N
Mocha
N
Shadow
N
Tiny
N
Female Names
Daisy
F
Mini
F
Pandoro
F
Peanut
F
Petunia
F
Piglet
F
Funny Names for your Male Dog
Funny Names
Gender
Attila
M
Chubbs
M
Dozer
M
Hugo
M
Jeeves
M
Junior
M
Rhino
M
Shaggy
M
Stallone
M
Tank
M
Tug
M
Vader
M
Wolf
M
Yogi
M
Ziggy
M
Dog Names from Movies
When putting together this list we couldn’t help but pull dog names from the movies. While not all of the names represent a large dog, they do make a good large dog name.
Female dog names from movies
Duchess – “The Aristocats” (1970) – Duchess is a sophisticated and elegant white Persian cat in this Disney animated film, but her name can be a unique choice for a large female dog.
Gigi – “The Ugly Dachshund” (1966) – Gigi is a Dachshund who causes chaos in a family of Great Danes.
Juno – “The Proposal” (2009) – Juno is a fluffy white American Eskimo dog in this romantic comedy.
Lady – “Lady and the Tramp” (1955) – While Lady is a small Cocker Spaniel in Disney’s classic animated film, the name lends itself to a large dog too.
Maggie – “Hotel for Dogs” (2009) – Maggie is a lovable Bullmastiff who plays a central role in the movie.
Missy – “Beethoven” (1992) – Missy is Beethoven’s love interest in the movie.
Perdita – “101 Dalmatians” (1961) – Perdita is the Dalmatian mother of the 101 Dalmatian puppies in the Disney classic.
Rajah – “Aladdin” (1992) – Rajah is the pet tiger of Princess Jasmine in the Disney animated film.
Regina – “Seven Pounds” (2008) – Regina is a Great Dane featured in this drama film.
Stella – “Marley & Me” (2008) – Stella is the Labrador Retriever owned by the Grogan family.
Male dog names from movies
Beethoven – “Beethoven” (1992) – The St. Bernard from this film series is named after the famous composer due to his mischievous nature.
Bruno – “Cinderella” (2015) – In Disney’s live-action adaptation, Bruno is the loyal Bloodhound who helps Cinderella.
Buddy – “Air Bud” (1997) – Buddy, a Golden Retriever, is a talented basketball-playing dog in this heartwarming family film.
Butkus – “Rocky” series – Named after Sylvester Stallone’s real-life dog, Butkus is a Bullmastiff who appears in the “Rocky” films.
Chance – “Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey” (1993) – Chance is an adventurous and fun-loving American Bulldog.
Cujo – “Cujo” (1983) – In this thriller, Cujo is a Saint Bernard turned ferocious after being bitten by a bat. Just remember this will affect how people look at you and your dog.
Fang – Fang is the name of Hagrid’s dog in the “Harry Potter” series of books and films.
Frank – Frank the Pug is a character from the “Men in Black” franchise. He’s a talking pug and appears in the first movie, “Men in Black” (1997).
Hooch – “Turner & Hooch” (1989) – Played by a Dogue de Bordeaux, Hooch was a lovable but slobbery companion to Detective Turner.
Max – “The Secret Life of Pets” (2016) – While Max is a Jack Russell Terrier who embarks on a wild adventure with his friends, it also makes a good name for a large dog.
Rex – “The Adventures of Rex and Rinty” (1935) – Rex was one of the lead German Shepherds in this classic adventure serial.
Rintintin – Rin Tin Tin was a famous German Shepherd actor who starred in numerous movies and TV shows.
Shadow – “Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey” (1993) – Shadow is the very loyal and obedient Golden Retriever.
Other Names from the Movies
These movie names may not be dogs, but they do lead themselves to being a great name for a large dog.
Clyde – Clyde is a character from the movie “Every Which Way But Loose” (1978). He’s an orangutan and a close companion to the main character, Philo Beddoe.
Diego – Diego is a saber-toothed tiger in the “Ice Age” film series, with the first movie “Ice Age” released in 2002.
Gonzo – Gonzo is a Muppet character known for his distinctive appearance and eccentric personality in various Muppet movies and shows.
Lex – Lex is often associated with Lex Luthor, the iconic villain from various Superman movies and comics.
Maui – Maui is a central character in Disney’s “Moana” (2016), known for his strength and demigod abilities.
Maximus – Maximus is the name of the horse in Disney’s “Tangled” (2010), and it’s a fitting name for a strong and majestic dog.
Remi – Remi is the main character, a rat, in Disney-Pixar’s “Ratatouille” (2007).
Symba – Symba is a playful variation of Simba, the lion who grows up to become king in Disney’s “The Lion King” (1994).
Tramp – Tramp is one of the titular characters in Disney’s “Lady and the Tramp” (1955), known for his carefree and adventurous spirit.
Yoda – Yoda is the wise and iconic Jedi Master from the “Star Wars” franchise, appearing in various movies.
Scottish Names for Large Dogs
If you happen to have a large dog breed from Scotland then a Scottish name might be in order. For more Scottish inspired names check out our post; Scottish Dog Names: 500 Names to Choose From
Name
Gender
Meaning or association
Ayla
F
Strong
Bean
F
Fair
Dixis
F
Flora
F
Goddess of Flowers
Kyla
F
Lexi
F
Madra
F
Dog in olde Galtic
Nessie
F
Loch Ness Monster
Selkie
F
Mytholgical creatures
Name
Gender
Meaning or association
Angus
M
Town in Scotland
Bodie
M
Bute
M
Island of Scotland
Duffy
M
Dugal
M
Duncan
M
Fagan
M
Oliver
M
Tavish
M
Names Inspired By Pop Culture
This list was inspired by the famous dogs of our present and past pop culture.
Names
Gender
Chloe – The secret Life of Pets
F
Maggi – The Simpsons
F
Tinkerbelle – Fairy from Peter Pan
F
Appa – Flying Bison from Avatar: the Last Air Bender
M
Astro – The Jetsons
M
Bart -The Simpsons
M
Baymax – Big Hero Six
M
Buddy – Air Bud
M
Buzz- Buzz Light Year From Toy Story
M
Comet – Air Bud
M
Gandalf – Wizard from Lord of the Rings
M
Hercules – The Sandlot
M
Hooch – Turner and Hooch
M
Hulk – Super Hero
M
Jabba – Star Wars
M
Lassie – Book: Lassie come home
M
Marley – Marley and Me
M
Mr. Big – Sex and the City
M
Pluto – Micky Mouse’s dog
M
Scooby – Animated series: Scooby Doo, Where are you?
M
Smalls- Movie: The Sandlot
M
Toto – Small dog from Wizard of Oz
M
Babe- The Big Blue Ox from Paul Bunyan
N
Chewie- Star Wars
N
Groot- Guardian of the Galaxy
N
Names Inspired by the North
Many large dogs originate from colder climates so why not give them a name that is inspired by cold or up north.
Name
Aspen
Blizzard
Bjorn
Burke
Everest
Has
Hunter
Jackson
Juneau
Klondike
Kodiak
North
Soren
Tundra
Vale
Winter
Yeti
Yuki – Meaning snow
Big Dog Names Inspired by Cultures
Names inspired by the cultures around us tend to be unique and well…. inspiring. For more names from various cultures around the world check out our other posts for dogs names:
Big dogs don’t always have to have a name that implies they are big especially when they are girls. In our list of names for large dogs we made sure we added lots of sweet names for our big girls.
Names
Names
Names
Akira
Helga
Rikki
Bertha
Ida
Rogue
Blossom
Kara
Rosie
Cali
Kira
Roxie
Cassie
Larissa
Ruby
Cleo
Lexi
Sasha
Clover
Lola
Shelby
Coco
Luka
Stella
Dakota
Luna
Tika
Darling
Maya
Tilly
Dixie
Mimi
Trinity
Faith
Nayla
Uma
Greta
Penelope
Vegas
Gwen
Princess
Willow
Harley
Hope
Winnie
Hazel
Zoey
Names for Large Male Dogs
While reading through this list you might wonder why there is so many more male names on our list then female names. We wondered the same thing. It appears that names that invoke the image of “big” tend to be more masculine.
Male Names A to B
Ace
Admiral
Archie
Archer
Apollo
Axel
Bailey
Bear
Bennett
Benny
Boone
Boris
Brady
Brody
Bronson
Bruiser
Bruno
Brutus
Bryson
Males Names C to F
Caesar
Captain
Casper
Chance
Chase
Colby
Dawson
Dexter
Diesel
Dude
Dudley
Duke
Dunkin
Finn
Flynn
Forest
Male Names G to K
George
Gizmo
Grizzly
Gunther
Gus
Homer
Indigo
Jasper
Jax
Judge
Julius
Kai
Kaine
Kodi
Kona
Kong
Kylo
Male Names L to N
Laddie
Lenny
Leo
Levi
Lewis
Lilo
Loki
Mack
Marley
Marvel
Maverick
Max
Moose
Murphy
Nash
Nikko
Norman
Male Names O to T
Oliver
Ollie
Otis
Ozzy
Pablo
Preston
Prince
Rex
Rufus
Ryder
Scout
Simon
Talon
Teddy
Tiger
Titus
Toby
Trooper
Troy
Male Names W to Z
Whooper
Wolfgang
Wyatt
Zuke
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