Choosing the perfect name for your new dog can be tough, but luckily there’s a lot of choice when it comes to male dog names.
Good male dog names can range from the traditional — like Charlie, Bailey or Max — to names that are a little more unique, perhaps inspired by a favourite film or even food. There’s the right name waiting for every pup — you just need to find it…
To give you a helping paw, we’ve taken a look through TrustedHousesitters own canine archive, and come up with the most popular male dog names in the US. Fancy a classic dog’s name, like Buddy or Duke, or are you searching for more unusual male dog names? Either way, with this list of the best dog names to choose from, you’ll be able to find the perfect moniker for your new good boy in no time.
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Top US male dog names
Our sitters have met so many of your wonderful pooches over the last ten years. We've come across such cute, cool and funny male dog names that we couldn’t resist sharing some of them with you.
Our data wizards have made a list of the top US male dog names from our archives, and we hope it’ll give you some naming inspiration for your own pup.
- Archie
- Ace
- Angus
- Alfie
- Axel
- Bailey
- Buddy
- Bear
- Beau
- Bodhi
- Charlie
- Cooper
- Cody
- Cosmo
- Chewy
- Duke
- Dexter
- Diesel
- Dusty
- Diego
- Enzo
- Elvis
- Ernie
- Eddie
- Ember
- Finn
- Frankie
- Frank
- Fred
- Finley
- George
- Gus
- Georgie
- Gunner
- Guinness
- Hank
- Harley
- Harry
- Henry
- Hunter
- Indy
- Ivan
- Indigo
- Iggy
- Igor
- Jack
- Jake
- Jasper
- Joey
- Jackson
- Kona
- Koda
- Kai
- Koa
- Karma
- Leo
- Lucky
- Louie
- Loki
- Luke
- Max
- Murphy
- Marley
- Milo
- Moose
- Nugget
- Norman
- Nutmeg
- Norm
- Noodles
- Oliver
- Ollie
- Oscar
- Otis
- Oreo
- Paco
- Pepper
- Peanut
- Prince
- Porter
- Quincy
- Quinn
- Quixote
- Queso
- Quentin
- Rocky
- Riley
- Rusty
- Rudy
- River
- Sammy
- Shadow
- Scout
- Sam
- Stanley
- Tank
- Toby
- Teddy
- Tucker
- Theo
- Uno
- Ursel
- Umbro
- Ulysses
- Unix
- Vonnie
- Vista
- Virgil
- Vinyl
- Vinnie
- Winston
- Walter
- Wilson
- Willie
- Whiskey
- Xander
- Xavier
- Xero
- Xylo
- Xoro
- Yoda
- Yoshi
- Yogi
- Yankee
- Yale
- Ziggy
- Zeke
- Zeus
- Zorro
- Zippy
Do any of these fabulous male dog names make your shortlist? If you need a bit more help to choose the pawfect name for your pup, we’ve broken them down a bit further into our favorite unique, cool and funny male dog names.
Honestly, we love our members’ imaginations when it comes to naming their pets! Some of these unique male dog names really made us smile. Check out these unusual male dog names...
Top unique dog male names in the US
If you’re looking for something a little unusual, maybe a bit edgy, we’ve taken some of the most unusual male dog names from our long list. One of the advantages of unusual male dog names is that when you shout out for your good boy to come to heel, you won’t end up with a dozen other Jacks and Maxes.
Of course, it can be tricky to come up with something weird and wonderful. To get you started, here’s the TrustedHousesitters' list of unique male dog names.
- Ember
- Karma
- Koda
- Norm
- Pepper
- River
- Tank
- Ulysses
- Vinyl
- Zeke
Top funny dog male names in the US
While we were searching for unique male dog names, we also came across a few that brought big smiles to our faces. Funny names can be perfect for a dog who’s a real character, and some of the names you’ve all come up with are so cute!
So again from our list of the best male dog names, here are a few of our favorite quirky handles.
- Chewy
- Loki
- Moose
- Noodles
- Nugget
- Oreo
- Peanut
- Queso
- Unix
- Yoda
We love how so many people turn to food when it comes to choosing their funny male dog names, and we’re glad to see that Star Wars is still a popular source of inspiration.
If you’re looking for male dog names with meaning, we love Loki, the Norse God of Mischief: perfect for those cheekier pups.
Top cool dog male names in the US
In the course of our research, we came some great names for super-cool canines. Take a look at these cool dudes...
- Dior
- Ransom
- Mamba
- Jasper
- Blaze
- Odin
- Chase
- Ziggy
- Remy
- Scout
Male dog names by state
What are the most popular male dog names where you live? In a 2019 survey conducted by Nationwide of more than 750,000 insured pets under the age of 2, the most popular male dog names in the US were (drumroll please) Bailey, Cooper and Charlie!
Nationwide also broke it down state-by-state. So, the best dog names, male and female, by state are:
- Alabama: Bella
- Alaska: Lucy
- Arizona: Bella
- Arkansas: Duke
- California: Luna
- Colorado: Luna
- Connecticut: Luna
- Delaware: Luna
- Florida: Luna
- Georgia: Bella
- Hawaii: Bella
- Idaho: Bella
- Indiana: Charlie
- Illinois: Luna
- Iowa: Bella
- Kansas: Bella
- Kentucky: Bailey
- Louisiana: Stella
- Maine: Cooper
- Maryland: Bailey
- Massachusetts: Luna
- Michigan: Luna
- Minnesota: Luna
- Mississippi: Bella
- Missouri: Cooper
- Montana: Sadie
- Nebraska: Max
- Nevada: Bella
- New Hampshire: Bella
- New Jersey: Luna
- New Mexico: Buddy
- New York: Luna
- North Carolina: Bella
- North Dakota: Louis
- Ohio: Lucy
- Oklahoma: Bella
- Oregon: Bella
- Pennsylvania: Luna
- Rhode Island: Cooper
- South Carolina: Bella
- South Dakota: Luna
- Tennessee: Bella
- Texas: Bella
- Utah: Luna
- Vermont: Ruger
- Virginia: Luna
- Washington: Luna
- West Virginia: Molly
- Wisconsin: Luna
- Wyoming: Luna
How to choose the perfect dog name
We hope our lists of these cute male dog names have given you some inspiration. But what else do you have to take into account when choosing the pawfect name for your four-legged friend?
Here are some helpful hints and tips to keep in mind:
- Keep it simple. Evidence shows that dogs are more likely to recognize and respond to names with no more than two syllables
- Start with a consonant. Experts suggest that names beginning with a consonant are good for training methods (Buddy, stay!). Find out more in our guide to puppy training
- Avoid names that could be misheard as a different word. So, don’t pick anything that sounds like a command. For example, Fletcher sounds like fetch, which could cause some confusion
- Also, avoid names that sound like a family member. If your name is Jack, don’t call the puppy Jackson (however cute that may seem!)
- Take inspiration from your dog's breed. For example, some of the best names for Beagles pay tribute to their cute (and floppy-eared) exterior, while working dogs like Dobermans or German Shepherds may be a little more suited to a strong and powerful moniker.
So is your good boy a Cooper or a Cody, or is he more of a Karma? We were pleased to see that lots of the names on the TrustedHousesitters list met the expert advice.
Do dogs recognize their own name?
Yes, your good boy will recognize his name, but not in the same way that we humans do. They learn their names because something usually happens after a certain sound is made, like a command or a pat or a treat. Therefore, the name is what’s called a “cue word” to the dog.
This makes it even more important that we choose strong male dog names that are clear and easy to say and hear.
For even more unique male dog names, take a look at our ultimate puppy names guide. You can also check in with our fabulous online Community Forum, where you can discuss popular male dog names with our members.
Need a sitter for your good boy?
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