Naming your new pup can be an exciting time, but picking the right name can be stressful too.
One of the easy ways to pick a dog name is to base it on the characteristics of your dog.
Like giving them a name based on their appearance or the type of dog breed.
Another way is to give them a name that pays homage to their ancestry.
So if your puppy is an Australian Labradoodle, or Cattle dog, why not give them one of the many unique Australian dog names.
Even if you don’t have a dog breed that originated in Australia, names from the land down under can be fun and unique. Just imagine calling your canine companion Ozzie or Kolya (which means winter.) You are not going to hear those names too often at the dog park.
But remember whatever dog name you decide on; make sure it is easy to say; that it does not sound like a command; and pick something that you don’t mind saying in public.
To help you in your search we have created a list of 200 Australian dog names to choose from. These names come from the words Australians use to describe stuff, locations in Australia, the animals and foods of Austraila, famous Australians and aboriginal words.
Australian Dog Names
Australian Dog Names from Slang
I am pretty sure everyone has heard the term “barbie” which is short for barbecue. But there are many other commonly used words that are unique to Australian that can make a good dog name. My favorites are; Yolo, which stands for “You Only Live Once”; Koyla, meaning winter and Bae, which means “Before Anyone Else”. Trust me your dog will want you before anyone else. Check out more Australian dog names based on slang below.
| Name | Meaning | Gender |
| Ace | Excellent! | M |
| Arvo | Afternoon | M |
| Aussie | Shortened form of Australian | F |
| Avo | Avocado | F |
| Bae | Before Anyone Else | N |
| Barbie | Short for barbecue | M |
| Billy | Teapot | M |
| Bitzer | Mixed-breed dog | N |
| Bloke | Man | M |
| Bonzer | Great! | N |
| Boonie | Safari hat | N |
| Boujee | Rich | F |
| Bruce | Aussie Bloke | M |
| Brumby | Wild horse | N |
| Chappie | A man | M |
| Chrissie | Christmas | F |
| Cobber | Very good Friend | N |
| Crikey | Expression of surprise | N |
| Digger | Soldier | M |
| Epic | Very enjoyable | N |
| Greenie | Environmentalist | F |
| Grommet | Young surfer | N |
| Inala | A place of peace | F |
| Jumbuck | Sheep | N |
| Kiwi | Term for a person from New Zealand. | N |
| Kolya | Winter | N |
| Kylie | Boomerang | F |
| Mate | Friend | M |
| Oz | Nickname for Australia | M |
| Ozzie | Nickname for Australia | M |
| Postie | Postman | N |
| Rellie/Rello | Relatives | N |
| Sheila | Woman | F |
| Sparky | An electrician | M |
| Straya | Australia | N |
| Stubby | A bottle of beer | N |
| Tinny | Can of beer | N |
| Yolo | You lonely live once | F |
Dog Names Derived from Places in Australia
Australia is a wonderfully wild place and the names of many locations are equally wonderful for a dog’s name. My favorites are Thornton, a Peak high in the Daintree Rainforest and Byron, a bay located along the eastern coast. There are many more locations listed below that would make a good dog’s name.
| Name | Meaning | Gender |
| Adelaide | City in Australia | F |
| Albury | City in New South Wales, Australia | N |
| Barry | Great Barrier Reef | M |
| Bendigo | City in Australia | N |
| Bondi | Famous beach | N |
| Boyce | Mountain in New South Wales Austria | N |
| Brindabella | Mountain located near Sydney | F |
| Brisbane | The capital of Queensland | N |
| Brizzie | Short for Brisbane | N |
| Bundy | Bundaberg, Queensland | M |
| Byron | Bay located along the eastern coast | M |
| Canberra | Capital of Australia | F |
| Carlton | Carlton Gardens | M |
| Coral | Great Coral Reef | F |
| Corindi | River that flows in New South Wales | N |
| Darling | Darling Harbor | F |
| Darwin | City named after Charles Darwin | M |
| Fitzroy | River in Queensland | M |
| Fraser | Island off the eastern coast of Australia | M |
| Goldie | Gold Coast City in Queensland Aus. | F |
| Grafton | City in New South Wales Aus. | M |
| Griffith | City in New South Wales Aus. | M |
| Hobart | Capital city of Tasmania | M |
| Kakadu | A national park in northern Australia | N |
| King | King Street In Perth | M |
| Marley | Australian beach | M |
| Mel | Short for Melbourne | M |
| Melbourne | State capital of Victoria | N |
| Nelson | City in New Zealand | M |
| Perth | Capital of Western Australia | N |
| Queenie | As in Queensland is a state of Australia. | F |
| Sunshine | Sunshine Coast | F |
| Sydney | Capital of New South Wales Australia | N |
| Talia | Coastal town | F |
| Tasmania | Island state of Australia | M |
| Taz | Short for the Tasmania | M |
| Thornton | Thornton Peak high in the Daintree Rainforest | M |
| Toowoomba | City in Australia | N |
| Uluru | Large sandstone rock formation | F |
| Victoria | One of Australia’s states | F |
| Wellington | Capital City of New Zealand | M |
| Zeil | Mount Zeil in Northern Australia | M |
Dog Names Based on Famous Australians
Here we collected some of the more unusual names from famous actors, actress, authors and sports heroes to add to our list of Australian dog names.
| Name | Meaning | Gender |
| Banjo | Australian poet | M |
| Baz | Australian director | N |
| Bindi | Steve Irwin’s daughter | F |
| Bradbury | Australian Olympic speed skater | M |
| Cate | Cate Blanchett – Actress | F |
| Errol | Errol Flynn – Actor during the Golden Age | M |
| Heath | Heath Ledger – Actor | M |
| Hemsworth | Thor – actor | M |
| Hugh | Hugh Jackman – Actor | M |
| Irwin | Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin | M |
| Jai | Jai Courtney – Actor | M |
| Kalinda | Ashton Kalinda – Author | F |
| Liam | Liam Hemsworth – Actor | M |
| Liane | Liane Moriarty – Author | F |
| Luke | Luke Hemsworth | M |
| Lynda | Lynda Stoner Pioneer in animal rights | F |
| Margot | Margot Robbie – Actress | M |
| Pearce | Guy Pearce – Actor | M |
| Perry | As in Perry the platypus – The Simpsons | M |
| Rebel | Rebel Wilson – Actress | F |
| Shane | Cricket heroes Shane Warne and Shane Watson | M |
Aboriginal Inspired Dog Names
Aboriginals are the original people of Australia and the surrounding areas. They can be split into two groups: Aboriginal people, who are related to those who lived in Australia before the presence of the British and Torres Strait Islander peoples, who are descendants from the surrounding islands. There are around 250 native lanuages in Australia. Below is a list of aboriginial words and their meanings. Some words will sound familiar as they are commonly used as names. To learn more about the Aboriginal people go to Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies website
| Name | Meaning | Gender |
| Aari | Mountain of Strength | N |
| Alinta | Fire – Name | F |
| Allyra | Quartz – Name | F |
| Amarina | Rain | N |
| Bardo | Water | M |
| Birrani | Boy (Wiradjuri) – Name | M |
| Bunji | Close friend (Warlpiri) | M |
| Daku | ‘Sand hill’ (Diyari) | N |
| Iluka | Seaside town – Name | M |
| Jarrah | From Djarraly – type of Eucalyptus tree – Name | M |
| Jedda | Little wild goose (Noongar) – Name | F |
| Jiemba | Laughing star (Wiradjuri) – Name | M |
| Karri | Type of eucalyptus tree | M |
| Kaya | Hello | N |
| Keira | Large Lagoon – Name | F |
| Killara | Always there (Dharug) – Name | F |
| Kirra | To live – Name | F |
| Koen | Thunder – Name | M |
| Kylie | Boomerang (Noongar) – Name | F |
| Lowanna | Girl – Name | F |
| Marli | Black Swan (Noongar) – Name | F |
| Marlu | Kangaroo | N |
| Medika | Blossom or flower – Name | F |
| Miki | Moon in Aboriginal language | F |
| Minjarra | Bush plum tree – Name | M |
| Moona | One who gives or provides light – Name | F |
| Ngarra | Together with you (Dharug) – Name | M |
| Norin | Honorable | M |
| Nullah | Hunting Stick (Dharug) – Name | M |
| Tahnee | Sound of the surf – Name | F |
| Waru | Milky way (Kalkadoon) | M |
| Yarran | Wattle tree (Wiradjuri) – Name | M |
| Yindi | Child – Name | F |
Native Animals of Australia
Naming your dog after one of the iconic animals in Australia can set you apart from the other dog owners. While you may not want to name your dog Kangaroo, selecting a name that plays off of the word can give you a few fun options. Instead of naming your dog Kangaroo think of names like Kanga, Roo or Joey.
| Name | Meaning |
| Croc | Crocodiles |
| Dingo | Feral dog native to Australia |
| Emu | National bird of Australia |
| Heeler | Blue Heeler, Type of Australian Cattle Dog) |
| Joey | Baby kangaroo |
| Kanga | Kangaroo |
| Kelpie | Australian Kelpie, a herding dog |
| Koala | Animal – marsupial |
| Kookaburra | Bird native to Australia |
| Loggerhead | Type of Turtle |
| Potoroo | Small, nocturnal rat-kangaroo |
| Possum | Mountain pygmy possum |
| Quokka | Aka short-tailed scrub wallaby |
| Quoll | Carnivorous marsupial |
| Roo | Short for Kangaroo |
| Rufus | Hare -wallaby |
| Wallaby | Small marsupial |
| Wallaroo | Related to the Kangaroo and Wallaby |
| Wombat | Small marsupial |
Australian Foods
Some Australian food names can also make for fun dog names. Most of these names are gender neutral. My favorites are; Bikkie – a cookie, and Lamington – a type of cake.
| Name | Meaning |
| Bikkie | Cookie or biscuit |
| Biccy | Biscuit |
| Chiko | Australian snack |
| Choccy | Chocolate |
| Jaffa | Candy in Australia and New Zealand. |
| Lamington | Traditional cake popular in Australia |
| Lollies | Sweets |
| Orchy | Juice brand |
| Pavlova | Dessert of meringue mixed with fresh fruit |
| TimTam | An Australian cookie |
| Vege | Short for Vegemite |
| VoVo | Biscuit |
| Yellowtail | Wine |
More Australian Dog Names
Still haven’t found the right name? Below are even more Australian inspired dog names to choose from.
| Name | Meaning | Gender |
| Acacia | National emblem aka Wattle trees | N |
| Alice | Name | F |
| Blaze | Name | N |
| Blitz | Term in Rugby | N |
| Boomer | Name | M |
| Cassia | Name | F |
| Copper | Name | M |
| Cricket | Animal/game | N |
| Dianella | Name of a small plant that grows in Australia | F |
| Didgeridoo | Wind instrument native to Australia | N |
| Digby | Name | M |
| Dundee | Movie Crocodile Dundee | M |
| Heath | Name | N |
| Jacinda | Means hyacinth | F |
| Jack | Name | M |
| Jasper | Name | M |
| Kai | Indigenous Game | N |
| Keentan | Game played in Australian | M |
| Macadamia | Trees that produce the Macadamia Nut | N |
| Matilda | National anthem Waltzing Matilda | F |
| Myrtle | Name | N |
| Penn | Name | M |
| Ranger | Name | M |
| Ruck | Term in Rugby | N |
| Rugby | Sport | N |
| Sin bin | Term in Rugby | M |
| Thatcher | Roof maker | M |
| Tillie | Name | F |
| Toni | Name | F |
| Trek | Name | M |
| Wally | Name | M |
For More Dog Name Ideas Check Out These Posts:
- Black Dog Names: 450+ Names for Black Dogs
- Unique Dog Names: Plus Tips on How to Pick One
- Scottish Dog Names: 500 Names to Choose From
- Flower Names For Dogs: Plus Nature Inspired Dog Names
- 550 British Dog Names: You Will Want to Use
- Norse Dog Names: Viking Names for Your Dog
- French Dog Names For Your Doodle
- Big Dog Names: 300+ From the Classic to the Unique
- White Dog Names: 375+ Names for White Dogs
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