Many people agonize over finding just the right name for their new puppy. Others settle for the first thing that pops into their heads. But, finding dog names and their meanings can be like finding bits of information that enrich the connection between you and your canine companion. Looking for original dog names and their meanings can be fun. More than that, it can be educational when you look for dog names and their meanings rooted in your own ethnic heritage.
This list of dog names and their meanings is not exhaustive, but it is a good indication of the many interesting possibilities available. For example:
- Alessandro: Italian for "defender of man"
- Alonzo: A Spanish man's name meaning noble and ready, alert
- Arnold: This man's name with German origins translates to "power of an eagle"
- Bailey: German for "able".
- Belinda: A variation of the Spanish word for beautiful
- Belle: "Beauty" in Latin
- Bernadette: This German woman's name means "power of a bear"
- Blackjack: This is a popular casino card game as well as the nickname of Gen. John "Blackjack"
- Pershing, a World War II hero
- Cabal: King Arthur's legendary canine companion
- Chang: Chinese word that translates to "Flourishing, prosperous"
- Chips: Aside from a tasty salted potato snack (or a French fry if you live in England), Chips was also the first sentry dog -- a German Shepherd Dog -- used by the military in World War II
- Chitto: American Indian (Creek) word for "brave"
- Dakota: American Indian word meaning "friend or ally"
- Drogo: The patron saint of shepherds
- Duke: "Leader" in Latin
- Fenris: This huge wolf from Norse mythology was the offspring of Loki and Angrboda
- Frodo: A character from the well-read and well-loved J.R.R. Tolkien book trilogy, "Lord of the Rings"
- Grommet: Originally the name a seasoned British sailor gave a newcomer to the ship.
Now, the spelling has been changed to Gromit, the sidekick of Wallace in the quirky cartoon "Wallace and Gromit" - Gunnar: Swedish name meaning "strong in battle"
- Handsome Dan: The perpetual name of the Bulldog mascots of Yale University's athletic teams
- Istago: American Indian (Hopi) for "coyote man"
- Katie: This Greek form of Catherine translates to "pure"
- Keegan: This Irish name translates to mean "little fiery one"
- Jake: This is the Hebrew form of Jacob, which means "held by the heel"
- Lassie: The most famous of famous dog names, this Rough-Coated Collie was the subject of books and television shows; translated from Scottish, Lassie means "young girl; the feminine of laddie"
- Lobo: Spanish for "wolf" or the artist who had the 1970s hit "Me and You and A Dog Named Boo"
- Madeleine: Sweet French cookies
- Maggie: English meaning "pearl"
- Max: Latin for "the greatest"
- Meli: The light-hearted word translates to "honey" in Hawaiian
- Ming: Chinese word for "shining brightly, clear"
- Molly: "Mary" in Hebrew meaning "the perfect one"
- Nixie: From German, it means "little water sprite"
- Paloma: Spanish for "dove"
- Pegasus: Nobel winged horse of Greek mythology who carried thunder bolts for Zeus; constellation in the night sky
- Sadie: Hebrew form of Sarah which means "princess"
- Sam: Hebrew for "to hear"
- Sirius: Before it was a satellite radio, it was the Dog Star in night skies (Canis Major), seriously
- Thor: The Norse god of thunder
Dog names and their meanings may seem like a scholarly field of study to some. But, for the person with a very special new canine companion, finding the right dog names and their meanings may be one of the most important bits of research they do.
