Girl Dog Names That Start With R

  1. Reva
    • Origin:

      Hindi river name; Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "rain"
    • Description:

      Refers to one of the seven sacred rivers of India.
  2. Rihanna
    • Origin:

      Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "sweet basil"
    • Description:

      Rihanna, the name of the Barbados-born singer, whose birth name was Robyn Rihanna, attracted a fair number of parents for several years, but has now dropped out of the Top 1000 again. It has generated several spelling variations, including Rihana, Rhianna and even the Brianna-inspired Brihanna.
  3. Rafaella
    • Origin:

      Italian variation of Raphaela, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "God has healed"
    • Description:

      Oh, the many spellings of Rafaella. Those with Fs and double-Ls denote Italian origins, while an F and a single L is Spanish and Portuguese. The original Hebrew form is Raphaela.
  4. Rumer
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "fame, braggart"
    • Description:

      Demi and Bruce made waves when they named their now-grown firstborn after novelist Rumer Godden; a possible downside is its connection with the word rumor. English author Godden was actually born Margaret, with Rumer (a family surname) as her middle name
  5. Remington
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "place on a riverbank"
    • Description:

      Between 1980s-era television private eye Remington Steele and Remington Arms, this name might seem all-boy. But in 2014, Remington entered the US girls' Top 1000, and it's been rising since.
  6. Rosamond
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "horse protection"
    • Description:

      The kind of serious old-school name that sounds appealing again; perfect for the intrepid baby namer. More commonly spelled Rosamund but highly unusual these days in either version, with fewer than 20 baby girls named Rosamund in the US last year while Rosamond didn't even register with five.
  7. Roxanna
    • Origin:

      Persian
    • Meaning:

      "little star"
    • Description:

      Spelled with one 'n', this was the name of the wife of Alexander the Great, and is more attractive than the better-known Roxanne.
  8. Rabia
    • Origin:

      Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "spring"
    • Description:

      Thought to be one of the ten angels who accompanies the sun on its daily course: a lovely image redolent of mythology. If you're looking for names that mean new beginnings, this makes an unusual and evocative choice.

  9. Raddix
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "root"
    • Description:

      This eye-catchingly unique name was coined by Cameron Diaz and Benji Madden, who gave it to their daughter, born in 2020. It may derive from the Latin radix, meaning "root", or perhaps from the Slavic name element rad, meaning "happy; willing".

      Raddix is among the most unique celebrity baby names of recent years.
  10. Ryuko
    • Origin:

      Japanese
    • Meaning:

      "dragon child"
    • Description:

      Strong Japanese unisex choice. Dragons are a symbol of power in Japan.
  11. Rainbow
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "rainbow"
    • Description:

      Colorful, yes, but also probably among the hippiest of hippie names. Holly Madison recently chose it for her little girl.
  12. Rona
    • Origin:

      Scottish spelling variation of Rhona; Norwegian; Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "might; song"
    • Description:

      Rona ranked in the US Top 1000 in the mid-20th century but holds new meaning in the 2020s. "Rona" has become slang for coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, which gives the name a dark and somber edge. In 2020, Rona was given to 17 baby girls (a fall from 26 the previous year). In 2021, it dropped to just 5 — we expect it to drop off the list entirely in the years to come.
  13. Roxie
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Roxanne
    • Description:

      Audacious offshoot of Roxanne, the wayward heroine of the musical Chicago.
  14. Raegan
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Reagan, Irish
    • Meaning:

      "little king"
    • Description:

      An increasingly popular spelling as parents are responding more and more to the ae form of Braeden, Jaeden, Janae, and Nevaeh.
  15. Rosario
    • Origin:

      Spanish
    • Meaning:

      "rosary"
    • Description:

      Anglo parents are taking note of this Latina classic, thanks to actress Rosario Dawson and a character on Will & Grace.
  16. Rylie
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Riley
    • Description:

      Rylie is a spelling variation of the more-popular traditional Riley. We recommend the "y" at the end rather than in the middle.
  17. Rana
    • Origin:

      Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "queenly"
    • Description:

      A favorite in Near Eastern cultures, with a charming meaning.
  18. Rowen
    • Origin:

      Spelling variation of Rowan
    • Meaning:

      "little redhead"
    • Description:

      About seven times as many babies of both genders are named Rowan over Rowen, making this by far the secondary spelling. Rowan is used twice as often for boys, while Rowen runs three to one in the boys' favor, with about 300 boys named Rowen in a recent year compared with about 100 girls. That may be because of this spelling's similarity to Owen.
  19. Roselle
    • Origin:

      Combination of Rose and Elle
    • Description:

      Most contemporary parents would probably opt for the more streamlined Elle.
  20. Ramsey
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "low-lying land"
    • Description:

      The cruelly-macho character of Ramsey Bolton on Game of Thrones would seem to mitigate against this name being seen as the least bit girlish, but in 2021 there were 120 female Ramseys born to 134 male, placing it among the most popular of the truly unisex baby names.