Dog Names That Start With R
Across 22 pages
of 22
Raina
Slavic and German variation of Regina
"queen"
Strong and solid, with a touch of foreign intrigue, it's the most popular of the rain-related names, with a variety of pronunciations—RAY-na, rah-EE-na, or RY-na. Alternate spellings Reyna and Rayna…
Rowdy
American word name
"noisy, disorderly, riotous"
Rowdy was first famously used as a given name in the television series Rawhide, with the young Clint Eastwood playing Rowdy Yates. More recently, competitive swimmer Rowdy Gaines has been featured in…
Ricky
English diminutive of Richard or Frederick
"dominant ruler; peaceful ruler"
Gone with Richard and Rick, Ricky has been falling since the turn of the 21st century. Probably still suffering from overuse in the 1990s.
Rosalee
Variation of Rosalie, French
"rose"
With sweet, sparky Rosalie revived and ranking in the US Top 200, this variant is also catching on. While some may consider it a modern, creative spelling, it has long been used in the US. In fact,…
Roselyn
Combination name of Rose and Lynn
Roselyn was a frequent member of the US Top 1000 in the early twentieth century until it dropped off the charts in 1954. It didn't return until 2003. This name takes Rosalind and makes it rosier. As…
Ransom
English
"shield's son"
Ransom may be rakish and handsome, but it carries an unavoidable association with holding someone for ransom. But that kind of bad boy image might be exactly what attracts you to Ransom in the first…
Rani
Hebrew
"my song, my joy"
Too bad everyone in this country will tend to hear Ronnie.
Rani
Hindi, Hebrew
"queen; she is singing"
Rani, alternatively spelled Ranee, is the female equivalent of Raja in Hindi. In many Indo-Aryan languages it can mean "queen" or "lady". The Hebrew version is used for both genders in modern Israel.…
Reine
French
"queen"
This regal French name is a descendant of the Latin Regina, as is the Spanish Reina. Reine is also a male name in Scandinavia.
Rangi
Maori
"sky"
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…
Raiden
Japanese
"thunder and lightning"
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…
Ranger
French
"forest guardian"
The list of occupational boys' names continues to expand, and this is one of the latest to ride onto the range. With a hint of cowboy and Western, a sprinkle of preppy surname, an outdoorsy,…
Reika
Japanese
"beautiful flower"
Lovely Japanese choice that would translate well cross-culturally.
Ranger
French
"forest guardian"
The range of occupational baby names is ever expanding, and Ranger is a recent addition to the list. It feels both natural—reminiscent of park rangers—and western and rugged, as in the Lone Ranger.…
Raicho
Japanese
"Thunderbird"
Japanese feminist Raicho Hiratsuka chose the name Raicho for herself - no doubt because of its fabulously meaning. As a journalist and publisher, Raicho fought for the rights of working class women…
Randi
Feminine diminutive of Randolph
"shield-wolf"
A relic of the midcentury Mandi-Sandi-Andi era.
Reilly
Irish
"courageous"
This more elaborate but not unfamiliar spelling of Riley feels oddly more feminine. Designer and Beatle daughter Stella McCartney has a daughter named Reilley. Still, Reilly or more common Riley is…
Reid
English
"red-haired"
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.
Reia
Reia is a feminine name with multiple possible origins, giving it rich cross-cultural significance. In Japanese, Reia (麗愛) can mean 'lovely love' or 'beautiful affection,' depending on the kanji…
Rancher
Occupational name
Any name that combines two big trends -- in this case, occupational and western names -- has potential.