Dog Names That Start With R

  1. Rocket
    • Origin:

      Word name
    • Description:

      Starbaby name that might prove too supercharged for real life, but if like director Robert Rodriguez you're interested only in boys' names starting with R, you may need to add Rocket (and Rebel and Racer) to your list.
  2. Renly
    • Origin:

      Modern invented name
    • Description:

      Renly Baratheon was a fairly minor character in A Song of Ice and Fire and HBO's Game of Thrones, mostly remembered as the one of the show's few prominent LGBT characters. He played a major part in season 2 of the show, when he challenged the Lannisters and his older brother Stannis for control of the Iron Throne.
  3. Randi
    • Origin:

      Feminine diminutive of Randolph
    • Meaning:

      "shield-wolf"
    • Description:

      A relic of the midcentury Mandi-Sandi-Andi era.
  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. Roxie
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Roxanne
    • Description:

      Audacious offshoot of Roxanne, the wayward heroine of the musical Chicago.
  6. Richmond
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "powerful protector"
    • Description:

      Richmond is a place-name — it's the capital of Virginia — that makes a fresh way to honor an ancestral Richard.
  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. Rudolph
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "famous wolf"
    • Description:

      Sure, he'd probably get a certain amount of red-nosed teasing around the holiday, but a boy named Rudolph could probably take it. Besides, he's got other, more distinguished namesakes -- the great ballet dancer Nureyev, silent screen Lothario Valentino and 9-11 Mayor Giuliani.
  9. Reid
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "red-haired"
    • Description:

      The Reid spelling is surprisingly more popular than the naturey Reed for both boys and girls, though more than 95% of little Reids are male.
  10. Rajah
    • Origin:

      Arabic and Sanskrit
    • Meaning:

      "hope; ruler"
    • Description:

      Indian princely title, more exciting than Prince or Duke, that is also a widely-used name for both genders. In the US, the names Rajah and Raja are uncommon: Ten baby boys were named Rajah last year and 18 were given the Raja spelling.
  11. Rousseau
    • Origin:

      French surname
    • Meaning:

      "little redhead"
    • Description:

      Rousseau gives French flair to other red-haired names like Russell and Rory. It is associated with the influential eighteenth century philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, as well as the painter Henri Rousseau.
  12. Rira
    • Origin:

      Persian, French, Japanese, Yiddish
    • Meaning:

      "pure, laugh"
    • Description:

      Rira is a truly multicultural name with roots in four different languages. It's most common as a Japanese name, where it can be made up of various kanji combinations with meanings such as "good plum" and "easy pear." In French, it means "laugh."
  13. Reyes
    • Origin:

      Spanish surname
    • Meaning:

      "kings, royalty"
    • Description:

      This regal Spanish surname combines several of today's top trends — names that end in S, last names as first names — in a single, stylish form.
  14. Rostam
    • Origin:

      Persian
    • Meaning:

      "tall, strongly-built, brave"
    • Description:

      Used in Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, this strong-sounding name belonged to a hero in Persian legend. Its derivation is unclear, but the consensus seems to be that it relates to the hero’s great size and strength, possibly from Avestan raodha "to grow" and takhma "strong, brave, valiant".
  15. Ralphie
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Ralph
    • Meaning:

      "wolf-counsel"
    • Description:

      Ralphie is one of those short forms that have been out of style for so long it just might have a chance of coming back in, if you can get past seeing it as a desperate attempt to cute-ify a stodgy old man's name.
  16. Rumo
    • Origin:

      Cornish
    • Meaning:

      "red"
    • Description:

      Ancient martyr name that sounds totally modern, but perhaps too close to rumor.
  17. Rangi
    • Origin:

      Maori
    • Meaning:

      "sky"
    • Description:

      In Maori and other Polynesian mythology Rangi or Ranginui was a god of the sky, husband of the earth goddess Papa or Papatuanuku. This strong and simple Māori name would make for a fresh celestial choice.
  18. Raiden
    • Origin:

      Japanese
    • Meaning:

      "thunder and lightning"
    • Description:

      Raiden is a powerful choice for a baby girl. The Japanese god of thunder’s name is traditionally pronounced RYE-den, but most children named Raiden in the US pronounce it to rhyme with familiar choices Aiden, Jayden, and Hayden.
  19. Roone
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "red-haired"
    • Description:

      Roone is a lively, attractive and unusual redhead entry brought into the mix by the late TV sports and news executive Roone Arledge, who seemed to own it as a one-person name when he was alive.
  20. Roselle
    • Origin:

      Combination of Rose and Elle
    • Description:

      Most contemporary parents would probably opt for the more streamlined Elle.