Those adorable puppy eyes, droopy ears, and the irresistible tail wag won you over, and you got yourself a new puppy. Now you have a new family member and pet that you cannot take your eyes off.
But what should you name it?
The sky is the limit! Gone are the days of Lassie, Charlie, and Buster. In 2022, dog names are as unique as the names of celebrities’ kids. Instead of choosing a run-of-the-mill name for your new furry friend, it is a good idea to do a little research.
Some dog owners will just know the name of their dog right away. The other will need to take some time to figure out what they should name their new fury baby.
It can be daunting and quite nerve-wracking. Will others like the name of my pet? Will I like the name, after I start using it? What if I don’t like it and want to change my dog’s name later? Will that confuse my dog? Ughh, so many questions.
Well, no stress! We are here to help. Read on to find out what they are and how you can choose a name you will love!
Why Naming Your Dog Is Important?
It is a popular belief that names affect personalities, and we believe it’s true for pets too! Moreover, names definitely affect how your pets are perceived; a cat named Prada and a dog named Gucci are always going to be perceived as high-maintenance animals. Whereas Ziggy and Snowball will always give the impression that your pet is playful and mischievous.
Your pet’s name is going to stick with them for their lifetime; hence, you must choose a suitable one.
After choosing a name for your dog, it is a good idea to test the name. You should call it out a few times and test it to make sure you can say it easily and observe how your dog responds.
It is important to remember that your dog will take time to get used to their name. They may not respond immediately in the beginning, but with time they will realize that is their name and respond to it. If you change the name over and over, your dog will become confused and will not respond to their name being called.
It is hearing it over and over that will eventually prompt them to respond to it. It is a cue word that they remember. And they will associate positive things with it if you provide positive reinforcements like treats.
How To Choose a Good Name for Your Dog?
You would be surprised to find out that they are rules when it comes to choosing a dog name. There are some things you should keep in mind that can help you in making sure you choose a good name for your dog.
What to remember:
- Names that end with vowels are much better because dogs respond to them more.
- Avoid names with too many syllables. Two is enough.
- Avoid names with negative associations like Frisky, Big Red, Rascal, and so on.
- Do not name your dog something that could be confused with a command. Like Bo, that could be confused with No.
- Do not give the same name to two pets.
- Think of your dog’s personality when choosing a name.
- Pick a name and stick with it. Changing the name frequently will only confuse your dog.
Most people consider their pet’s physical characteristics to pick a name; for example, cat names are often inspired by the color of the cat’s fur or eyes. Smokey, Snowball, Raven, and Noir are popular choices.
You can apply the same technique to choose your dog’s name: Bluey for a Merle blue French Bulldog, White shadow for a white alsatian, and so forth.
The naming rules and the pressure to choose a unique name can make it challenging to come up with something good. Luckily, in 2022, you can take help from dog name generators and entertaining online quizzes.
Using a Generator to Name Your Dog
If you are confused about what to name your new dog, you can always turn to a dog name generator.
A dog name generator works by first asking if you want to choose female dog names or male dog names. It will then ask you your style and theme preferences. Your style will indicate which genre of name you like, and then you can pick a specific theme within that style.
Styles could be:
- Sporty
- Friendly
- Tough
- Elegant
- Classic
The themes could be:
- Movies
- TV
- Books
- Sports
- Musical
- Historic
- Mythical
Some name generators like the Rover.com name generator will actually ask you for your dog’s breed and sex and then give you the most popular names for that breed by taking the top dog names of 2022 into consideration.
There is also a wheel name generator, which involves luck and some creativity.
Just like a raffle, you can insert your top name picks on the wheel, or you can let the website pick them for you. Either way, you are at the mercy of the wheel.
It is a great way to pick your dog’s name if you have many options but are not sure which one to pick.
Taking a Quiz to Name Your Dog
Another great way to name your dog is to use a what should I name my dog quiz that you can take to answer a few questions about yourself and your dog. The answers to the questions will direct the website to then suggest a few options you can choose from depending upon whether your dog is male or female.
Questions that you may answer in the quiz could be:
- What kind of physical activities does your does enjoy?
- Choose your dog’s dream bed after being shown various images.
- Where is your dog the happiest in your home?
- What is your dog’s favorite treat?
- How does your dog like to get around?
- Your dog’s favorite outfit?
This method probably is not recommended if you believe that answering some questions will not help you choose a name. It takes into consideration your answers and then pulls names accordingly. If you believe that your dog’s name should depend on their likes and dislikes, then this method is for you.
Rover, Daily Paws, Buzzfeed, Purina, and many other dog name websites have jumped on this bandwagon to create engaging quizzes. Take out 5 minutes of your time, answer a few questions, and voila! You have a couple of top dog names of 2022!
How To Choose an AKC Name for Dogs?
One of the things to remember when picking a name for your dog is that if you want to register with the American Kennel Club (AKC), then you must choose an AKC-approved name.
This is the name that will be used if you choose to show your dog. The reason for this is that the AKC has to maintain the uniqueness of dog names within pedigrees when it comes to show dog names.
The following are the rules to following when picking an AKC approved name for your dog:
- First, make sure to choose a name that is not more than 36 characters, including spaces. You can use up to 50 characters if you pay an additional $10 fee.
- You cannot include AKC titles in your dog’s name like ‘Champ’ and ‘Champion.’
- Avoid offensive terms, obscene phrases, rude terminology. AKC will reject names that are inappropriate.
- You cannot use the name of breeds in your dog’s name like Collie, Beagle, etc.
- Stay away from names that describe gender.
- Your dog will need a last name. Usually, the last name is yours, but if you and your partner have different last names, then you could hyphenate your dog’s last name.
Other tips to follow when trying to get your name recognized by the AKC is:
- Use the appropriate kennel name. This means that if your dog belongs to a long-established line of pedigree, there may be a first name that is a kennel name.
- You could choose a name that is inspired by a special date if your dog was born near that date. For example, Abraham Lincoln’s birthday might inspire you to name your dog Lincoln.
- You can choose a name inspired by the location. That location could be the first street you lived on etc. Like Astoria or Madison, etc.
- You could combine two names to make one.
Top Dog Names 2022
Each year, a new set of dog names inspired by pop culture, world events, and the entertainment industry create the top dog names of 2022 list.
Unsurprisingly, this year, covid-inspired names were among the most famous dog names. The names of singers, covid heroes, and favorite characters, were also included in the popular dog names of 2022.
Some of the most popular dog names in 2022 are:
- Fauci
- Zoom
- Siri
- Chadwick (for Chadwick Bosman)
- Britney (for Britney Spears)
- Jamie Lynn
- Gronk (after New England Patriot Rob Gronkowski)
- Queenie
- Reese
- Glasto
A new trend was born during the pandemic, as people who missed traveling due to the lockdown started naming their pets after foreign places and even food. Male and female dog names inspired by this trend included the following:
- Caviar
- Baguette
- Dijon
- Fig
- Olive
- Tangerine
- Marseille
- Lyon
- Paris
- Madrid
In late 2021 and early 2022, people also named their dogs after cryptocurrency. Go figure.
In addition to these popular names, there are popular names for different categories including, the following:
Unique Dog Names Male
Male dogs and boy puppy dog names in 2022 were inspired by various events. In years past, male dog names were inspired by sports personalities and famous political leaders, and this year is no different.
Unique dog names in 2022 include Max, Charlie, Buddy, Cooper, Jack, Rocky, Bear, Duke, Toby, and Tucker.
Unique Dog Names Female
When choosing your female dog or girl puppy dog names, you want to choose a unique name that is not very common. In the past female dog, names have been inspired by singers, actresses, and shortened famous names.
Some of the top girl dog names this year include Britney, Jamie, Isabella, Lucy, Luna, Millie, Molly, Pearl, Penny, PomPom, Poppy, Precious, Reese, and Ruby.
The names Adele and Taylor dipped in popularity from their usual high spot, but they are predicted to be back up by mid-2022.
Bird Dog Names
Bird dog? Yes, yes, this is not a typo. Bird Dog names are dog names inspired by birds.
Dogs are often used for hunting fowl, so using bird names to name your dog is appropriate. Moreover, sometimes the name of the bird can describe the personality of your dog. For example, an eagle could be a name for a dog that is very fast and astute.
Common bird dog names are Buzz, Mac, Shirke, Efron, Griffen, Condor, Aspen, Talon, Falcon, Grebe, Grouse, Rosco, and Rocky.
You can also consider your dog’s breed to create unique names. For example, some Shih Tzu breeders recommend names like Teddy, Gizmo, Daisy, Poppy, and Bear to suit their cute and cuddly looks. On the other hand, big dogs like Pitbulls are often dubbed Butch, Vixen, Spike, and Blaze.
So, What Name Are You Choosing for Your Dog?
There are no strict rules to name your dog. You can use a name generator, a wheel name generator, or even take a dog quiz to name your dog. You can find inspiration in historical events, mythology, and pop culture or look online for dog names that made the cute for top dog names 2022.
Whatever the name of your dog, it’s important that your dog responds to it. Strengthen the association with positive reinforcement so that your dog associates its name with good vibes. Using treats is a great way to achieve this.
Choosing a name that is well-loved in the family will make sure it’s used properly and consistently. At the end of the day, it is important that you and your fur baby like the name and stick to it. Over time your dog will respond to its name and learn to love it when you call it by its name.
