10 male dog names and their meanings

Finding the right name for your new dog is serious business. Both of you will need to be able to live with the name for many years, so be careful how you choose.

While uniqueness is certainly a consideration, it’s also a good idea to try to choose a name that matches your dog’s personality and temperament.

Here are 10 male dog names along with their meanings.

partner

Meaning: messenger

This name has long been, and is likely to remain, on the hottest names list. Even people who don’t name their dog Buddy often end up using him as a nickname.

Duke

Meaning: leader or noble

This is another of the most popular names in the history of dog names. It was made even more popular by the cartoon of the Great Dane named Marmaduke.

Riley

Meaning: brave

While this name has traditionally been for male dogs, in recent years it has been used for both male and female dogs.

Zeus

Meaning: A Greek god

People who see their dog as tough and brave often choose this name. Zeus was the name of a famous television dog: the Doberman that was in the popular hit Magnum PI.

Sparkling

Meaning: animated

This name has long been popular and received an added boost when the creators of the popular animated series South Park gave this name to one of the character’s dogs.

Baxter

Meaning: A baker

How a name meaning “baker” became a popular name for dogs will likely remain a mystery. While less popular than it once was, this name is still fairly common.

Gizmo

Meaning: a gadget or device

Gizmo tends to be more popular with owners of smaller toy breeds.

Bruno

Meaning: to have brown hair

While the name may mean “having brown hair” to many, it conjures up images of a clumsy white bulldog. The name is a good choice for any strong, but slightly odd-looking breed.

Marley

Meaning: Meadow Lake

The popularity of this name has skyrocketed since the book was published and then the movie Marley & Me appeared.

Explorer

Meaning: observation post or one that collects information

While this name doesn’t make the top 50 list, it will likely never completely disappear from the dog naming scene.

Choosing a name for your dog has become big business. There are many books and websites dedicated to helping you select the perfect name.

Some people spend as much time selecting a name for their dog as they do selecting a name for their children. In fact, many people, in the search for the perfect pet name, buy baby name books in which they hope to find the perfect match. Have fun choosing your pet’s name and remember that you will have to say that name every time you visit the vet, meet someone new while walking the dog, or need to call him when he runs away. Keep this in mind and it will help you avoid choosing a name that both you and your dog might one day feel ashamed of.

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