The Top 100 Girl Dog Names

Choosing a name for your dog requires a little luck and inspiration and a lot of thought. After all, this is a word you’ll be saying frequently for years to come. Like girl baby names, dog names trend in popularity. You don’t meet many toddlers names Ethel, nor dogs named Fido these days. Popular culture is always a rising theme; after the movie, “Frozen” came out, there was a 900 percent rise in dogs named for the movie’s characters. Names from The “Twilight” movies, “Star Wars,” and other icons of pop culture are also popular. Nature names are in the increase, too, with 78 percent more dogs named for nature themes, like “Lightening” or “Panda.” And food and drink-themed names have also increased, by 37 percent, over the last few years. If you’re looking for a more original name and want to steer clear of popular names, check out our list of unique dog names.

Looking for a girl dog name in 2018? Take some advice from experts in the field:

• Choose a name with one or two syllables. These are easiest to say and short enough to get your dog’s attention.
• Consider a name with hard consonants, which may be easier for dogs to hear than sibilant sounds, for example, Gracie or Bailey.
• Try not to choose a name that sounds similar to a command, names like Kit, which sounds like “sit,” or Bo, which sounds like “no.”
• When a dog hears her name, it’s a signal that whatever is coming next is meant for her. So use her name frequently in a positive context, so she doesn’t associate it with punishment or something negative.
• Don’t name a dog something that sounds a lot like the name of another family member. If your daughter is Annie and the dog is Franny, the dog (and your daughter) may be confused and not know when to respond.

Take a little time to get to know your new pet. Sometimes, her looks or behavior will inspire the perfect name. But, if you’re still stuck, this list of the top 100 female puppy names may help you decide.

The AKC’s most popular dog names represent the AKC registered breeds. Have you thought about registering your dog with the American Kennel Club?