Funny Dog Names

Associated with havoc, disaster, and trouble, this bold moniker is unlikely to be many parents' first choice, but it has nevertheless been appearing in the US charts since 2006. It may appeal to those who like Danger, Wild, and Rowdy, or associate Chaos with rebellion, mythology, or physics.
 
Derived from the Greek khaos, the word originally meant "abyss, vast, empty", and in Greek creation myths, Chaos was the first being to exist, out of which Erebus and Nyx (darkness and night) were born. In some versions of the myth, Gaia, Tartarus, and Eros were also born out of Chaos. 
 
Given to more than 140 babies since the mid-2000s, Chaos had its (current) peak in 2021 when 22 boys received the name. Nickname Ossie (or Ozzie) might just help ground it, though you could consider Chaol, a modern literary name inspired by the word.

Chaos

Crash is a particularly calamitous entry in the badass boys' name category, taking Wilder and Maverick one -- or maybe a dozen -- steps further. But we can think of at least a dozen reasons you shouldn't name your baby Crash: crash test dummies, car crashes, economic crash, crashing out, just to name a few
 
If you do enjoy the bold, confident edge of Crash, you could always use it as a nickname. Cassian, Cassius, Christopher, Casper, Charles, Cashton, or Caspian might work, for example.
 
British people of a certain age may associate this with the character Crash from the CCBC show, Tracy Beaker, though more recently, influencers Julia and Hunt Havens chose Crash Coyote for the son in 2025.

Crash

Dijon is the capital city of the Burgundy region of eastern France, famed for its wine and yes, its mustard. As a first name, it's been brought to wider attention by a few prominent musicians and could grow in use.

Dijon

This sizzling nickname Zuzu is heard every Christmas as the name of Jimmy Stewart's little girl in "It's a Wonderful Life," but we love it all year round as a lively alternative to double names like Gigi and Bibi.
"Top Chef" 's Tania Peterson named her daughter Zuzu Audrey.

Zuzu

One Fergie was an aberration. But two women with that nickname -- the duchess and the Black Eyed Pea -- might make a trend. 

Fergie

Weapon-related names like Saber have been on the rise in recent years.  In 2014, ten baby boys in the US were named Saber and five Sabre.  The name may also relate to the Arabic Sabir, though to contemporary English-speakers, the reference will more likely be the sword.

Saber

The kind of potential baby name dads use to tease moms.

Tarzan

In Nabokov's notorious novel, Lolita is the pet name given by the pedophilic narrator, Humbert Humbert, to his victim: a young girl called Dolores and nicknamed Lola or Lo by her mother. Still, it seems that a few parents are prepared to look past this problematic association, seeing this as a offbeat option for those who defy convention. We would recommend thinking seriously about the background of this name before bestowing it on your daughter.

Lolita

It's easy to love a name that rhymes with "cuddly" and is also attached to the surname Do-Right -- once you ignore the "dud" connection. 
 Dudley has aristocratic roots--the name was originally famous via a sixteenth century noble British family, one member of which, Robert Dudley, came close to marrying Queen Elizabeth I.
 Dudley was the name of the angel played by Cary Grant in "The Bishop's Wife," later remade with Denzel Washington in the role, while Dudley Dursley is a Harry Potter character. The name's most well known bearer in modern times was comic actor Dudley Moore.

Dudley

These days, it's thought of less as the name of the great general and more as the first name of Lecter the fictional cannibal. Either association is too heavy for a child to bear. 

Hannibal

Icy baby names are currently hot, with names like Icelynn, Iceland, and Winter trending up for girls. Rapper Gucci Mane chose simple, streamlined Ice for his son 2020-born son, appropriately a winter baby. In 2021, it debuted on the charts for both boys and girls and has since been predominantly used for boys, with 13 receiving the name in 2023 and 6 in 2024. 
 
One thing to bear in mind with the name: ICE is associated with the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, an acronym that is known outside the States too. If you like the sound or wintery feel, of Ice you might like Ives, Frost, Eirwyn, Pine, or Brice are alternatives.

Jinx, a James Bond heroine name has an ominous meaning but kinetic energy. In the film "Die Another Day," the actual first name of the character played by Halle Berry is Giacinta. It could therefore be a playful nickname to Ginevra, Jessica, Genevieve, Gianna, Josephine, or Georgina, or a bold choice for those wanting some sparky and witchy. 

Jinx

Kermit was a Top 500 name until the 1960s, not coincidentally the decade in which Kermit the Frog made it a one-person (well, one-frog) name.
 
Derived from the Irish surname Mac Diamada, itself from the given name Diarmaid or Dermot, Kermit is a Manx form, meaning "without injunction" or "without envy".
 
 Historically, Kermit is known via Kermit Roosevelt, soldier and explorer son of President Theodore Roosevelt, while more recent bearers have been pilot and aviation enthusiast Kermit Weeks, basketball player Kermit Washington, and soccer player Kermit Erasmus.
 
Still, in the US, is it very much the frog's name and only used on a tiny handful of boys each year. But could it be revived? Fellow Sesame Street name Grover has seen a increased use in the US, while over in the UK, other once children's TV character names Ernie and Barney are being reconsidered.
 
Could Kermit 'Kit' sell the name? Time will tell, but for now, there is similar Kurtis and Irish Dermot.

Kermit

Translating literally to "the street, the road" in French, this name is typically stylized as LaRue. Familiar in the early 20th century. It has a touch of vintage charm.
 
Alongside being a French word name, it may be a variation of Biblical Ruth, combined with the La- element, reminiscent of Laura, Lara, and Larissa.

Larue

Long in our category of so-far-out-it-will-always-be-out category, once seen as a gum-cracking 1940's telephone operator, we think it's time to reassess Myrtle, and look at is as a nature name, a plant with pink or white aromatic berries. Ruled by Venus, myrtle is a plant associated with love, peace, fertility and youth.
 Myrtle has lots of literary references as well: in Thomas Hardy's The Hand of Ethelberta, Theodore Dreiser's The Genius, P. G. Wodehouse's Meet Mr Mulliner, and especially The Great Gatsby. Fitzgerald's Myrtle Wilson has been played on film by actresses as varies as Shelley Winters, Karen Black and Isla Fisher.

Myrtle

Wisecracking waitress name stuck in the luncheonette. Started as nickname for girls named Regina -- queen in Latin -- now mostly a canine choice. 

Queenie

Superhero names are fit for humans today, and there's no reason Rambo can't take his place among a generation of babies named Loki, Odin, and Atlas.

In the eponymous movie, Rambo is the character's surname, reportedly taken from the Rambo apple, named for Swedish immigrant to the US and farmer Peter Gunnarsson Rambo, who adopted the surname Rambo whih may mean "raven's nest". 

Various reports say Rambo is rooted in the German, Scandinavian, French, or Slavic languages. Rambo is a homonym of Rimbaud, the name of the French poet with a very different vibe.

Rambo

Sure, and we hope he has a good time playing with Buster and Buddy. 

Skipper

Its jaunty o-ending makes this name more appealing than most of its Germanic brothers, and we hope we're beyond the constant response to his name being "Where's Waldo?" The weighty reputation of writer and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson adds a measure of backbone to the name.
 In tribute to Ralph Waldo, many babies were given those two names, including Ralph (Waldo) Ellison, author of Invisible Man.
 In popular culture, the young Robert Redford played the dashing titular character in The Great Waldo Pepper and Waldo Lydecker was a key character in the haunting classic film Laura.

Waldo

The name Barney is hot among hip Londoners and it has been above the Top 500 in the UK since 2012. You can see why - it's got a friendly happy sound and a lovely meaning and is more easily worn than Barnabas. However, Barney is a more difficult sell in America, due to Barney the Dinosaur and Barney Gumble, the loveable lout from The Simpsons. In the positive column for Barney are jazz clarinetist Barney Bigard and guitarist Barney Kessel. For those who love the name but can't get past the dinosaur, may we suggest the related names Bernard or Barnaby?

Barney

Funny dog names may be used for a goofy-looking pup or just for fun. Naming babies is serious, but dogs won't be teased for having a silly name. In fact, everybody loves unexpected and playful names on pets!

 are popular among pet names, with Cookie, Moose, and Ziggy ranking among the top choices. Along with Cookie, other 

 include Zippy, Susan, and LaRue. In addition to Moose, other 

It's funny to name your dog after a silly character, like Kermit or Gru. 

Featured here is our expansive selection of funny dog names. Search below to find the perfect goofy name for your dog or puppy.

Funny dog names, including Dudley, Dweezil, Diva, and other funny names for dogs, with meaning, origin, and popularity (Page 8)