172 Unique Dog Names for Your New Pup in 2022
Updated: Jan. 31, 2022
You definitely can do better than Spot, Rover, or Fluffy when you're naming your dog. Get creative and unique!
Your dog is your bestie, your trusted sidekick, a beloved member of the family. Whether you’re a first-time dog owner or a longtime pet expert, it’s no wonder you want to choose a name that matches your pooch’s heart and soul. Since choosing a name is such a big decision, we’ve rounded up some of the most unique dog names known to capture a pup’s personality. We turned to the American Kennel Club, Rover.com, and PetPlace—the latter two organizations analyzed their databases to publish this year’s top unique dog names—to find the most unusual and fun boy dog names, girl dog names, and funny dog names for all the cutest dog breeds.
Top unique dog names for girls
Leave Bella, Luna, and Bailey in the past and opt for something more expressive. These unique dog names for girls from Rover.com will perfectly showcase all the personality your little gal has to offer.
1. Ana
2. Bellatrix
3. Blair
4. Brooklyn
5. Cardi
6. Coconut
7. Daisey
8. Dorothy
9. Gina
10. Josey
11. Junie
12. Kasey
13. Linda
14. Meg
15. Mira
16. Moma
17. Moon
18. Nadia
19. Patsy
20. Pennie
21. Pippi
22. Posey
23. Shyla
24. Tessie
25. Zora
Top unique dog names for boys
Leave the ever-popular Cooper, Max, and Charlie to another pup, and take a look at some of Rover.com’s lesser-known boy dog names.
26. Arwen
27. Bambam
28. Beckett
29. Bill
30. Breck
31. Brinkley
32. Crash
33. Cricket
34. Deebo
35. Dennis
36. Dodge
37. Edgar
38. Finnigan
39. Gumbo
40. Kujo
41. Luca
42. Marlo
43. Ninja
44. Oslo
45. Pancake
46. Pickle
47. Porkchop
48. Preston
49. Scotch
50. Seymour
51. Skip
52. Socks
53. Stuart
Noteworthy dog names for big dogs
While giant dog breeds may be intimidating, we know they’re just big softies. If you decide to go for a name that captures their grand proportions, it’ll be all the more amusing when all they want to do is cuddle and play with you.
54. Apollo
55. Astro
56. Bigfoot
57. Buggie
58. Caesar
59. Giant
60. Goliath
61. Kong
62. Monster
63. Moose
64. Moxie
65. Tank
66. Thumper
67. Tita
68. Yeti
Unique dog names for small dogs
Toy-sized dogs deserve a little love, too! They may be tiny, but they have big personalities that you can easily show off in their names. One of these should do the trick for your pup.
69. Atom
70. Birdy
71. Cashew
72. Diesel
73. Frank
74. George
75. Jellybean
76. Jeb
77. Little
78. Minnie
79. Peanut
80. Pint
81. Ruby
82. Shrimp
83. Sunny
84. Toy
85. Trifle
86. Weazle
Unique hipster dog names
Hipsters may come to mind when you think about unique dog names. Generally speaking, a hipster is an independent thinker and embraces alternative forms of expression. If your dog is just too cool (even for you), you’ll want to give them one of these hipster dog names.
87. Admiral
88. Anastasia
89. Beta
90. Bitsy
91. Bohemian
92. Cabernet
93. Coco
94. Ghost
95. Gidget
96. Gracie
97. Gus
98. Hazel
99. Jersey
100. Jinx
101. Kenzi
102. Milo
103. Mopsey
104. Octavia
105. Onyx
106. Prince
107. Rafa
108. Sugar
109. Teddy
110. Tiberius
111. Trixie
112. Willa
113. Winter
114. Wyatt
115. Yoshi
116. Zeke
117. Ziggy
118. Zooey
Unique strong dog names
Even if your pup isn’t quite a guard dog, you may want his name to show off what a tough doggo he is. These strong dog names will remind you, especially when you forget because you just can’t get over how cute he is. Hey, who said strong dogs can’t also be adorable?
119. Ajax
120. Beamer
121. Bongo
122. Bullet
123. Cairo
124. Captain
125. Chaos
126. Commander
127. Dallas
128. Dash
129. Dracula
130. Flash
131. Gizmo
132. Laser
133. Rex
134. Ranger
135. Saber
136. Shadow
137. Vader
138. Warlock
Unique dog names from movies and TV
Take inspiration from your favorite movies and TV characters for unique dog names. Sometimes a character embodies your dog’s personality so much that a name immediately makes sense. We’ve narrowed the list to a few memorable contenders. If none of these character names fit your pup, they may at least jog your memory for other favorite characters that fit better, like one of these Disney dog names.
139. Abu
140. Aladdin
141. Archie Bunker
142. Barney Stinson
143. Bart Simpson
144. Batman
145. Buffy Summers
146. Bugs Bunny
147. Cersei
148. Cogsworth
149. Derek Morgan
150. Dexter Morgan
151. Dumbo
152. Fonzie
153. Frank Costanza
154. Frasier Crane
155. Fred Flinstone
156. Gandalf
157. Gatsby
158. Hobbit
159. Homer Simpson
160. Jafar
161. Joker
162. Loki
163. Mr. Rogers
164. Muppet
165. Nemo
166. Olivia Benson
167. Pinocchio
168. Spock
169. Steve Urkel
170. Thumper
171. Tinker Bell
172. Tony Soprano
A unique name isn’t the only thing your pooch requires—these are the things you need before you bring your new pup home.
Sources
- PetPlace: “Uncommon Dog Names”
- Rover.com: “Most Unusual, Unique Dog Names of 2021”
- American Kennel Club: “AKC Dog Name Finder”
