Unique dog names to stand out from the pack

Every dog is unique, and so they should have an equally special name to match their personality. Lots of pet parents are now choosing unusual dog names for their four-legged friends, and why not? As a nation of pet lovers, we famously shower our dogs with love – whether that's buying them birthday presents or ensuring they stay safe and happy at home while we’re away. And for those dogs, a simple ‘Rover’ or ‘Fido’ just won’t do!

From pop culture to the contents of the fridge, there are lots of places to find inspiration for cool, unique dog names. So, if you’ve been searching for a creative name for your dog, these are some of our favourites.

Unique girl dog names

Bella, Daisy, Molly — they’re all great puppy names (and TrustedHousesitters members agree! Did you know ‘Bella’ was the most popular dog name in our 10-year survey of TrustedHousesitters?). But when it comes to female dog names that are unique, maybe you want to think a little outside-the-box. For example:

1. Adele
2. Amelie
3. Athena
4. Betsy
5. Billie (Jean)
6. Bonnie
7. Brandy
8. Bruja 
9. Chanel
10. Cici
11. Coco
12. Cola
13. Coraline
14. Dahlia
15. Delilah
16. Dolly 
17. Dory
18. Duchess
19. Fliss
20. Gigi
21. Ginger
22. Giselle
23. Gloria
24. Harley
25. Jojo
26. Jolene
27. Kennedy
28. Lady
29. Leia
30. Lilo
31. Louise
32. Moana
33. Ophelia
34. Presley
35. Pumpkin
36. Sasha
37. Thelma
38. Venus
39. Winnie
40. Xena

Unique boy dog names

Charlie, Max, Rover — there are some great traditional dog names out there. But if you’re looking for something with a little more pizzazz for your male pooch, then check out these unique boy dog names.

1. Adonis
2. Albus
3. Aston
4. Beethoven
5. Boris
6. Bootsy
7. Buzz
8. Caesar
9. Chandler
10. Chaplin
11. Chewie (Chewbacca) 
12. Clyde
13. Einstein
14. Elvis
15. Fang
16. Galileo
17. Guinness
18. Hemingway
19. Homer
20. Huxley
21. Jimmy (Chew)
22. Kaiser
23. Keanu
24. Kibble
25. Kodak
26. Leonardo
27. Maddox
28. Matcha
29. Mozart
30. Nero
31. Ozzy
32. Picasso
33. Ronan
34. Saturn
35. Tigger
36. Thor
37. Whiskey
38. Yoda
39. Zeus
40. Ziggy

Literary dog names

Got a budding wordsmith in your pack? These cool unique dog names are inspired by the world of literature. 

1. Aramis
2. Arya
3. Atticus
4. Bellatrix
5. Clifford
6. D'Artagnan
7. Dobby
8. Frodo
9. Gatsby
10. Holden
11. Katniss
12. Malfoy
13. Matilda
14. Mr. Darcy
15. Paddington
16. Poe
17. Poirot
18. Romeo
19. Sansa
20. Sherlock
21. Sirius
22. Tennyson
23. Toto
24. Tybalt
25. Watson

Movie inspired dog names

Fan of the big screen? Then take a look at these star-studded dog names inspired by the movies.

1. Beethoven
2. Bruiser
3. Dug 
4. Fang 
5. Frank
6. Hachi
7. Hooch
8. Indiana Bones
9. Kujo
10. Lassie
11. Leia
12. Loki
13. Luke
14. Marley
15. Marmaduke
16. Padfoot
17. Pongo
18. Porkchop
19. Reno 
20. Wishbone

Food names for dogs

Some of the best unique dog names are lurking in your pantry. After all, some say their dogs are (almost) cute enough to eat. So, what about naming them after your favourite snack?

1. Beans
2. Biscuit
3. Cannoli 
4. Chilli
5. Cookie
6. Cream Puff
7. Doughnut
8. Dumpling
9. Fudge
10. Kiwi
11. Muffin
12. Nacho
13. Noodles
14. Nori
15. Oreo
16. Peanut
17. Pepper
18. Pickles
19. Popcorn
20. Potato
21. Taco
22. Toast
23. Toffee
24. Tofu
25. Wonton

Coming up with unique dog names isn't always easy. One of the best ways to do it is sit down and have a family brainstorming session, where no idea is too out there. Think about your favourite films, TV shows, books and snacks are a good place to start. Why not call out categories like science, plants or music and all try to come up with some seriously cool unique dog names?

Looking for pet care?

Whatever you decide to call your dog, no name is too bizarre for our pet sitters to shout across the dog park. Find a pet sitter today and rest assured they'll get the love and attention they need while you're away.