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  9. Top dog male names in the US

Top dog male names in the US

TrustedHousesitters blog author - Danielle Petch
Danielle Petch
30 July 20216 min read
A small brown dog sitting on a sofa

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.

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.

  1. Archie
  2. Ace
  3. Angus
  4. Alfie
  5. Axel
  6. Bailey
  7. Buddy
  8. Bear
  9. Beau
  10. Bodhi
  11. Charlie
  12. Cooper
  13. Cody
  14. Cosmo
  15. Chewy
  16. Duke
  17. Dexter
  18. Diesel
  19. Dusty
  20. Diego
  21. Enzo
  22. Elvis
  23. Ernie
  24. Eddie
  25. Ember
  26. Finn
  27. Frankie
  28. Frank
  29. Fred
  30. Finley
  31. George
  32. Gus
  33. Georgie
  34. Gunner
  35. Guinness
  36. Hank
  37. Harley
  38. Harry
  39. Henry
  40. Hunter
  41. Indy
  42. Ivan
  43. Indigo
  44. Iggy
  45. Igor
  46. Jack
  47. Jake
  48. Jasper
  49. Joey
  50. Jackson
  51. Kona
  52. Koda
  53. Kai
  54. Koa
  55. Karma
  56. Leo
  57. Lucky
  58. Louie
  59. Loki
  60. Luke
  61. Max
  62. Murphy
  63. Marley
  64. Milo
  65. Moose
  66. Nugget
  67. Norman
  68. Nutmeg
  69. Norm
  70. Noodles
  71. Oliver
  72. Ollie
  73. Oscar
  74. Otis
  75. Oreo
  76. Paco
  77. Pepper
  78. Peanut
  79. Prince
  80. Porter
  81. Quincy
  82. Quinn
  83. Quixote
  84. Queso
  85. Quentin
  86. Rocky
  87. Riley
  88. Rusty
  89. Rudy
  90. River
  91. Sammy
  92. Shadow
  93. Scout
  94. Sam
  95. Stanley
  96. Tank
  97. Toby
  98. Teddy
  99. Tucker
  100. Theo
  101. Uno
  102. Ursel
  103. Umbro
  104. Ulysses
  105. Unix
  106. Vonnie
  107. Vista
  108. Virgil
  109. Vinyl
  110. Vinnie
  111. Winston
  112. Walter
  113. Wilson
  114. Willie
  115. Whiskey
  116. Xander
  117. Xavier
  118. Xero
  119. Xylo
  120. Xoro
  121. Yoda
  122. Yoshi
  123. Yogi
  124. Yankee
  125. Yale
  126. Ziggy
  127. Zeke
  128. Zeus
  129. Zorro
  130. 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.

  1. Ember
  2. Karma
  3. Koda
  4. Norm
  5. Pepper
  6. River
  7. Tank
  8. Ulysses
  9. Vinyl
  10. 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.

  1. Chewy
  2. Loki
  3. Moose
  4. Noodles
  5. Nugget
  6. Oreo
  7. Peanut
  8. Queso
  9. Unix
  10. 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...

  1. Dior
  2. Ransom
  3. Mamba
  4. Jasper
  5. Blaze
  6. Odin
  7. Chase
  8. Ziggy
  9. Remy
  10. 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:

  1. Alabama: Bella
  2. Alaska: Lucy
  3. Arizona: Bella
  4. Arkansas: Duke
  5. California: Luna
  6. Colorado: Luna
  7. Connecticut: Luna
  8. Delaware: Luna
  9. Florida: Luna
  10. Georgia: Bella
  11. Hawaii: Bella
  12. Idaho: Bella
  13. Indiana: Charlie
  14. Illinois: Luna
  15. Iowa: Bella
  16. Kansas: Bella
  17. Kentucky: Bailey
  18. Louisiana: Stella
  19. Maine: Cooper
  20. Maryland: Bailey
  21. Massachusetts: Luna
  22. Michigan: Luna
  23. Minnesota: Luna
  24. Mississippi: Bella
  25. Missouri: Cooper
  26. Montana: Sadie
  27. Nebraska: Max
  28. Nevada: Bella
  29. New Hampshire: Bella
  30. New Jersey: Luna
  31. New Mexico: Buddy
  32. New York: Luna
  33. North Carolina: Bella
  34. North Dakota: Louis
  35. Ohio: Lucy
  36. Oklahoma: Bella
  37. Oregon: Bella
  38. Pennsylvania: Luna
  39. Rhode Island: Cooper
  40. South Carolina: Bella
  41. South Dakota: Luna
  42. Tennessee: Bella
  43. Texas: Bella
  44. Utah: Luna
  45. Vermont: Ruger
  46. Virginia: Luna
  47. Washington: Luna
  48. West Virginia: Molly
  49. Wisconsin: Luna
  50. 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.

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