100+ black dog names for your four-legged charcoal chum

Naming your dog - oh the pressure! Can you shout it across the dog park? Is it easy for your dog sitter to learn? Are there too many syllables? Are there too few? 

It’s safe to say we’re no novices when it comes to the dog naming game. So to make naming your new charcoal chum simpler, we’ve collected 100+ black dog names for you to choose from.

There are heaps of popular dog names that you could pick (like these top male dog names in the UK) but we thought it would be nice to name your pup after their gorgeous shadow-chic coat - celebrate that jet-black fur baby!

And while we can agree your pooch’s midnight coloured-coat clearly is a striking feature, your pup is more than their coat! That’s why we’re exploring names for black dogs who are female, male, unique, cool, and cute that all work perfectly with their gorgeous jacket.

Choosing a name for a black dog 

Before we get into the best black dog names we could find, we thought it could be helpful to explore a few tips for naming your new pooch. Follow this guide and you’re sure to find the perfect dog name for your black dog…

1. Be syllable-conscious. When picking a name for your pup, make sure it’s not too long. There are a couple of reasons for this - firstly, you want it to be punchy enough so that you can easily and quickly shout it across the dog park, should you need to. Secondly, you need your pup to be able to respond easily to it - a name with multiple syllables could get confusing for your four-legged friend. So, stick to three syllables maximum.
2. Consider their personality. Does your pooch have a defining trait that everyone finds simply adorable? Maybe they’re super lazy, love nothing more than cuddles or have a particularly odd, yet favourite pastime. Whatever it is, pick the trait and see which rabbit hole it could take you down!
3. Express yourself. Your pooch is part of your pack, so create a sense of belonging by finding a black dog name inspired by something you love - maybe it’s a TV show, book series, or hobby.

The best black dog names

Sometimes the best way to go is classic - music, cars, dog names… you name it. So here we’ve come up with a list of good names for black dogs that tick all the boxes for midnight-coloured fur babies. Think dark-coloured objects, the time of day, your go-to dark-coloured drinks… the classics you’d expect are here, and trust us, these names won’t take any explaining at the dog park.

• Ebony
• Dusk
• Inky
• Midnight
• Graphite
• Liquorice
• Jet
• Panther
• Puma
• Coffee
• Cocoa
• Pepper
• Shadow
• Velvet

Female black dog names

While dog names are pretty subjective when it comes to gender, we’ve tried to separate these names for black dogs into female and male. So even though these 30+ female black dog names below could fit a male dog perfectly, we thought it could be handy for you to explore the names separately. 

• Onyx
• Sapphire
• Opal
• Sand
• Olive
• Luna
• Caviar
• Melanite
• Puma
• Panther
• Swan
• Quartz
• Coffee 
• Tea
• Cocoa
• Pepper
• Sesame
• Blackberry
• Velvet
• Petunia
• Tulip
• Orchid
• Dahlia
• Primrose
• Iris
• Pearl
• Sky
• Baccara
• Myna
• Cookie
• Sherry
• Vanilla

Male black dog names

As promised, here’s our list of male names for black dogs! Just note that you might not instantly get the connection between the name and the colour of your pooch’s coat. But not to worry - just look it up and realise that’s what makes some of these names for black dogs the ideal conversation starter at your local dog park or puppy training class.

• Shungite
• Tourmaline
• Ilvaite
• Obsidian
• Onyx
• Carbon
• Charcoal
• Tux
• Bat
• Stallion
• Checker
• Spade
• Shade
• Fog
• Dusk
• Iron
• Mud
• Diesel
• Pit
• Coal
• Jasper
• Jaguar
• Clove
• Phantom
• Mondo
• Bamboo 
• Black Beard
• Mangave 
• Tuxedo
• Baloo
• Fang
• Crow
• Magpie
• Beetle
• Seal
• Gothic
• Gibbon
• Soot
• Tarmac
• Space
• Polish
• Tar
• Suit
• Belt
• Goth
• Darth
• Lead
• Raisin
• Ash
• Thunder
• Bull
• Stout

Cute black dog names

Have you recently adopted a pooch so fluffy and squishy (like a black Labrador Retriever, Cockapoo or Labradoodle, just to name a few) and simply can’t have a name that doesn’t match their looks and personality? We get it, so here’s a (very subjective) list of good names for black dogs who are so cute it should be illegal.

• Coffee
• Cocoa
• Pepper
• Chocolate
• Olive
• Blackberry
• Dahlia
• Lace
• Baloo
• Chimp
• Vanilla
• Brownie
• Soot
• Shadow
• Oreo

Unique black dog names

For some pet parents, finding the perfect name for your new furry family member means helping them to stand out from the pack. Or maybe they’re quirky in their own way - whatever it is, take a look at this list of unique names for black dogs that’ll make for ideal conversation starters at your local dog park or your pup’s training classes. And while not all of these names will be to your liking, we do hope they serve as a source of inspiration for naming your black dog.

• Mondo. From black mondo grass. It’s a striking black plant made of grass-like leaves with white flowers, belonging to the Asparagaceae family. 
• Bamboo. Did you know that bamboo can be black? Well now you do - it’s native to the Hunan Province of China and grows clumps of slender canes which turn black after two or three seasons.
• Blackbeard. While dogs don’t technically have beards, we thought we’d include this one for all of you history enthusiasts. Blackbeard was an English pirate who died in 1718 and operated around the West Indies. His real name was Edward Teach, but that’s far less interesting (especially if you’re looking for black dog names).
• Mangave. Ever heard of the plant Mangave Black Magic? It’s a beautiful succulent plant with nearly black, pointed leaves that are known for growing fast (perfect for black puppies then).
• Baccara. The Black Baccara Rose is apparently the darkest-coloured rose in the world - perfect if you’ve recently adopted a black beauty. The flower is actually a dark red but under certain lights, it can appear to look black.
• Lily. While you might think of lilies in their vibrant pink, yellow or orange hues, the Black Odessa Calla Lily is so deep in purple that it can look black. And it attracts butterflies and hummingbirds.
• Rooster. Now we know you’ve adopted a black or dark-coated beauty of a pooch and not a bird, but the Black Rooster Ayam Cemani is a pretty cool black-feathered chicken native to Indonesia. 
• Myna. The Common Hill Myna is a beautiful black bird with a hint of blue and bright orange patches, native to Bangladesh. So, if you’ve adopted a super fast four-legged friend who loves to fly around your house, how about it?
• Squirrel. Perhaps you’ve welcomed a tiny dog breed into your home, so how about naming your new buddy after the Black Squirrel? They’re mostly found in Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States.
• Valais. A rather sassy black dog name, maybe for your new stylish Poodle? You might be surprised to know that this name is after the Valais Black Neck, a domestic Swiss goat from the canton of Valais that can survive in the harshest of conditions. 
• Galloway. Galloway Cattle are Scottish cows covered in a fluffy black coat.
• Swift. A good name for a black dog who simply can’t keep still! The Common Swift is a blackish-brown bird who flies from Portugal to West China in the summer and from central to southern Africa in the winter.
• Drongo. With Pongo being such a popular dog name, we thought you’d want to hear about this black-feathered counterpart, the Black Drongo. They’re small Asian passerine birds who are part of the drongo family Dicruridae.
• Caiman. This is a rather epic black dog name, if you ask us! Ideal if you’ve adopted a substantial Black Lab or Great Dane. The Black Caiman is an enormous crocodile that belongs to the largest existing members of the Alligatorida family.

Strong black dog names

If you’ve welcomed a Great Dane, Mastiff or Doberman home, maybe you’re on the lookout for a black dog name that reflects their stature. So, here’s a list of names for black dogs ideal for the beasty dog breeds, or pick one of these up and ironically name your black Chihuahua!

• Monk
• Night Rider
• Knight
• Miner
• Storm
• Cosmos
• Mountain
• Crow
• Beetle
• Rooster
• Bear
• Wolf
• Gibbon
• Gorilla
• Raven
• Caiman
• Tar
• Bull
• Scorpion
• Domino
• Zeus
• Thor
• King
• Nero

Cool black dog names

Does your pooch exude swagger? Here’s a list of cool names for black dogs.

• Sesame
• Ember
• Pepper
• Clove
• Velvet
• Mondo
• Lace
• Bonobo
• Orca
• Limo
• Domino
• Shadow
• Sirius
• Espresso
• Pitch
• Eclipse
• Nocturne
• Mystery

Are you still on the lookout for a black dog name?

Here’s our list of the top dog names that’ll hopefully settle the matter of naming your new pooch.