Forum menu
Seriously, how the hell do you decide on a name?
Are most people not that bothered, and we're overthinking it? We don't have kids - I can't imagine how the heck you manage that one.
11 days old, so we've got time...
Two syllable names seem to work well for recall. My other half refused to call ours Wolfgang or Helmut even though he’s a dachshund. Couldn’t see the problem myself.
Simon?
Will you ever have kids? - if yes then write down your top 5 boys and girls names and don't use them for the pooch.
I once had a girlfriend who had the same name as her dad's dog when he was a lad and she moaned a lot about it.
If I had that dog Walter and Jasper would be on the short list
When I saw my dog for the first time, he looked like a Ted. It fitted him, so he was called Ted.
His brother had 'Bilbo' as a puppy name and that did not suit him. I have always liked The Fast Show, so with a Ted in the house, calling him Ralph was an obvious choice.
In order of ownership we've had:
Monty - basset hound
Hector - basset hounds
Basil - basset hound
Darcey - choccy lab
Watson - basset hound
Esther - black lab
Mrs DB is responsible for for the names (I wouldn't dare to encroach)
Get a baby names book and write a short list if you're stuck.
The best dog names are simple.
Dave
Cathy
Phil
Simon
Liz
Eric
Boy or girl?
If boy, looks like a Reg to me
If girl, I'd go with Millie.
@nobeerinthefridge Those are people names. You don't want to be the person shouting the dog and folk asking if you've lost your wean.
Mind you the dog probably still has better recall.
Dogs I have had are
Kai
Bailey
Flynn
Thor
Alf
And last but not least,
Roary.
Kai
Bailey
Flynn
I think my daughter goes to school with all three of those.
Knew a bloke with a labrador called Martin, and another one who had a dog called Christopher. Not Chris, but the full Christopher.
"Pretensions Marmaduke Rocket III" If you are a middle class prat with more interest in showing at cruft's than having a pet.
Monty – basset hound
I named a dog Monty once, because when he was a puppy he looked like a desert rat.
Best name I've heard people calling to their dog is Hopkins. It just works.
Snapper
Scraps
Boogie
Bill
Gibbs
Digby
My last six beasts.
We had one called Surf and now we have Fin.
Name it something you're comfortable shouting across a field.
Fenton?
Two syllable names seem to work well for recall.
Maybe something like Fenton.
edit, damm too slow, spent a couple of mins deciding if it was Fenton or Benton
Charlie
Meg
Fern
Skye
Lady
Flash
Goose
Earl
Will you be taking it to the beach? If so you should call it Shark.
Or chose a name related to it’s lineage. Our dog’s father came from Italy, and it’s kennel name included Enzo Ferrari, so we called him Luca, obviously.
(badoer-google is your friend!)
Our neighbour’s previous dog was called Trevor. It suited him. Their current rescue dog is called Ureshi as she came from Romania and has really big ears. They usually shorten it to Ushi
Beti.
She came from the rescue centre as a Betty and in Basque Beti means Forever (my wife is Basque).
But that probably doesn’t help you.
The simplest way is to get a rescue and they come complete with a name. 🙂
And remember to do the "would I feel a total arse yelling this name across a crowded playing field test" and the will this sound rude combined with the recall word test.
So if you get a choc lab for example don't call it Truffle or Praline or Orange Creme thinking it will be funny...
Minton, so you can use this joke:
A dog called Minton ate a shuttlecock. Badminton.
It looks like a Bracken to me, or maybe Bertie
Our 13 week old is Ada, after Ada Lovelace as she was local to where we live.
Go watch Smack the Pony dating videos and you will want to go with Elton John
Our two greyhound are Sally and Jerry. They came with those names from the revues, but we should have just changed them both to kn*bhead! They are amazing dogs, but definitely kn*bheads.
Off the top of my head
Poppy
Pippi
Gad
Gazza
Leo
Steffi
Rusty
Past dogs
Ben (childhood pet)
Onza (MY dog)
Baiey (came as a package deal with the wife)
Current one
Bella. Rescued at 4.5 years old so came with a name.
She often gets called, Belle, doggo or doggos.
Others have always been called silly names along the way. Bailey was even knows as Squinkles and stinky from time to time.
We fostered a dog around Christmas for the local rescue. His given name was Maverick, ended up calling him Charlie Bucket.
Point is, you're right, you're overthinking it. Name isn't all that important. If you've got something that value, they'll come to you. That might be food and if you build the relationship properly, they'll value your company and recall will be easy. You just need to be sexier than a squirrel.
I like naming dogs after other animals. Bear is a good name for a dog, Pigglet or Piggy would also work.
Wife suggests Bernard
If you live in Scotland you just call it Isla, then scream it fruitlessly across the park as it runs under the wheels of a cyclist/jumps on someone's clean trousers/chases a child and ignores you.
We got our last dog when we were living in N. Wales. We called him Mot which is Welsh for "mut", "pooch".
Then we moved to Yorkshire ...
Alternatively go the farmer's route: "Lie down you f***er! I'll kick your arse when I catch you!"
Father-in-law named a dog Jesus Christ, with predictable results...
Monty so you can yell "you terrible c*%t at it and not feel bad.
We've done our cats by Italian job characters
Croker
Charlie
And camp freddy.
My next dog I think if it's a boy will be Isambard.
Though I fancy some withnail and I characters
Our 13 week old is Ada, after Ada Lovelace
Our neighbours pug/lassoo absinthe thing is Ada Lovelace.
Ours was a reject and came as Harry. I call him Harold.
2 female labs, Poppy and Daisy
1 male jack russell, Kipper
All gone sadly...
All my Farming Father in Laws sheep dogs were called Bastard...
As in " come here you bastard" some had a first name of useless...
Barry.
RM.
My mum's dog is called Domino thanks to the pattern on his back when he was a puppy. Thankfully he also responds to Dom so I just call him Dog, I get some funny looks when walking him and a few people have asked when I'm going to name him 🤣
I'd actually just give it a few days and a name will suggest itself to you as his/her character comes out.
Two syllables and something not too human.
We had Merlot. Then Orla for a girl. But now we have Henry. And I wanted Kibble for personal reasons but that was over ruled.
At 12 weeks old Henry seems to be Mild Mannered. I get some serious looks from Mrs TiRed for that one.
My daughter’s gone for Chocco, Rocco or Puddi... but our mutt is named after a Trolls character and so perhaps we are not the best for suggestions 🐶
Our two greyhound are Sally and Jerry. They came with those names from the revues, but we should have just changed them both to kn*bhead! They are amazing dogs, but definitely kn*bheads.
See also; Buttface, arsehole, prick of a dug.
I love my Mikey but my god can he be a total dickhead.
I can't believe no-one has mentioned the two most obvious 'shout out loud' dog names.
FORE!
TIMBER!
Try giving those a holler
The dog doesn’t care, it’s what the neighbourhood thinks when you start shouting it out loud that’s important.
@ whitestone
Hate to break it to you mate, but Mot is South Welsh slang for a ladies pubic hair.
In your defence, South Welsh and North Welsh do differ considerably .
Holly - rescued her two days before Christmas
Archibald - suitably daft name