Dogs' names

Dozens of boy dog names and girl dog names to choose from

Got your new puppy? Read to start sifting through dogs' names? Congratulations!

If you've bought your new puppy (check out Where to Buy Puppies first) or picked the one you want from the litter, you're ready to name that pup!

• Boy puppy names
• Girl puppy names
• Unique puppy names

This is an exciting time! Everyone wants to give their dog a suitable name - something that fits his or her character and appearance. Here we've gathered names from around the world for you to choose from. We have also included meanings to help you pick the perfect name.

Once you have chosen the perfect dog name, don't forget that you will need to teach your puppy to recognise it! Check out our Puppy Names page, where you'll find tips and techniques that show you how.

A guide to naming your dog

After choosing what breed of puppy you want from all the puppy breeds and deciding where to buy puppies, your next most important decision is your puppy's name.

Ideally, dogs' names should be short - no more than one or two syllables - and easy to say. For example, Spot or Rover.

If you really want to give a dog a longer name, it might be better to use a shorter version of the name when giving cues to the dog and keep the longer name for when you are talking about the dog to your friends or family.

For example, 'Wilberforce' could become 'Wil' or 'Wilber' when asking your dog to sit or come, but you could speak of 'Wilberforce' when you and your family discuss whose turn it is to feed him tonight!

Try to avoid names that sound like cue words or your punishment word. For example, calling a white dog 'Snow' might seem clever but it sounds like the word 'No' - you don't want your dog confused between his name and the word you use to stop him doing something! 'Snowy' would be a better choice.

Similarly, if your dog's name is 'Jess', it would be better not to use 'Yes' as a marker word, to avoid confusion. (Find out about marker words at Puppy Training Tips.)

When training, make sure you use the proper version of your dog's name. Don't use a pet name or nickname - for example, if you like to refer to Spot as 'Spotty' or 'Spottikins' when playing with him, don't use these fun dogs' names when training him! You'll only confuse him. Keep the pet names for playtime.

Apart from these simple precautions, it doesn't matter what you call your puppy as long as it's easy to say and distinctive. Using the short training session described at Puppy Names, your puppy will soon learn that there's a particular sound you make when you want him to pay attention.

Now it's time to choose from among our great dogs' names!