Top dog male names in the US

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.

Need a sitter for your good boy?

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