Male dog names

¶How to choose a name for your dog – and what the research says

A dog's name has to work for ten to fifteen years, be called thousands of times and feel right both at the dog park and at the vet. Here's what we know about what makes a good dog name – and what is mostly myth.

Dogs listen to both words and tone

In 2016, researchers at Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest had dogs lie still in an MRI scanner while they listened to recordings of their trainer. The dogs processed the meaning of words mainly in the left side of the brain and the tone of voice in the right – much like humans do. The brain's reward system only lit up when a praising word was said in a praising tone.

For choosing a name, this means how you say the name matters at least as much as which name you pick. Say it happily and link it to something good, and the name becomes a signal your dog wants to listen for.

Does the name need an "s"?

A common piece of advice is that dog names should contain an "s", or end in a vowel like Molly and Sigge. No study shows that "s" sounds in particular make a name easier to learn.

There is a reasonable idea behind the advice, though. Sharp sounds like s, k and t and a clear vowel at the end carry further and stand out from everyday talk. Treat it as a rule of thumb that can help, not a requirement.

Short or long name?

In 2020 the same research group measured the brain activity of awake dogs as they heard words. The dogs responded differently to words they knew and to made-up words that sounded completely different. But a made-up word that differed from a known word by a single sound – roughly like "sit" and "set" – was treated almost like the real word. Dogs listen to the overall shape of a word more than the details.

That's why a name with one or two syllables is usually easiest. It's easy to say the same way every time and carries well over a distance. A longer name works too – most dogs end up with a nickname anyway, and that's usually the name they learn.

Avoid names that sound like commands

Because dogs don't hear small differences in sound, names that resemble common commands can cause confusion. Kit can sound like "sit", and Joe is close to "no". The same goes for names that sound like other family members – two dogs called Molly and Holly are hard to tell apart, both for the dogs and for you.

Dog names follow the same trends as baby names

According to the Swedish Board of Agriculture's dog register, Molly was Sweden's most common dog name in 2025 with 8,636 dogs, followed by Bella (7,786) and Charlie (6,309). Doris, Sally, Bosse, Luna and Sigge are also near the top. More and more dogs get ordinary human names, and the top list looks more and more like a list of baby names.

Pop culture shows up clearly too: Nala and Simba from The Lion King, Leia from Star Wars and Zelda from the video games. At the same time, old names are coming back – Doris, Selma and Bosse were common among people several generations ago and are now popular dog names. Pick a name from the top of the list and you can expect to meet a few namesakes at the dog park.

Test the name before you decide

Say the name out loud a few times, both cheerfully and firmly, and imagine calling it across a park. Check that it doesn't sound like a command or like someone else at home. Also ask yourself whether the name suits an adult dog – puppies grow fast. If it still feels right after a week, you've probably found the one.