Black Dog Names
- Quartz
Origin:
Mineral nameDescription:
This may be a bit quirky to make it as a name, especially in first place. If you love it, you might try it in the middle.
- Godiva
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"God's gift"Description:
Whether you think of the chocolates or the naked long-haired lady on the horse, Godiva is a name with baggage no child should have to carry.
- Butler
Origin:
English occupational nameMeaning:
"chief manservant"Description:
An English occupational name and surname that brings to mind old, stately homes, black suits, and white gloves, Butler peaked back in 1919 when 30 boys were given the name. It hasn't appeared in the stats since the 90s and, despite the popularity of occupational names, that first syllable likely puts parents off using this one.
- Dougal
Origin:
ScottishMeaning:
"dark stranger"Description:
Heard in the Scottish highlands, and much more in tune with the present times than the dated Douglas — for which it could make a perfect tribute name. Dougal was the Scottish nickname for invading dark-haired Danish Vikings, just as Fingal was given to the blonder Norwegians.
- Crow
Origin:
Bird nameDescription:
From Haruki Murakami's Kafka on the Shore, the story of a boy named Kafka -- crow in Czech.
- Equinox
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"equal night"Description:
A dramatic nature-inspired possibility for either sex.
- Moritz
Origin:
German form of MauriceMeaning:
"dark-skinned"Description:
The unusual-to-the-English-ear Moritz is a Top 25 name in Austria and a form of Maurice or Morris, which are modern variations of the ancient Roman Maurus. There were several early saints named Maurus and a famous 3rd century Saint Maurice, who was a Roman infantryman who was martyred when he refused to worship Roman gods. The Moritz form also references the posh Swiss ski resort St. Moritz and Justine Moritz is a character from Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein.
- Doyle
Origin:
IrishMeaning:
"black stranger"Description:
An Irish surname possibility for those who like Daley, Royal, Dougal, and Dolan, though it may sound too much like doily to catch on for modern boys. Nevertheless, it was fairly well used in the 20th century, popular in the 30s, 40s, and 50s when it reached the Top 200 at one point.
- Midnight
Origin:
English word nameMeaning:
"twelve o'clock at night"Description:
A dark, mystical choice, most often used for black cats, Midnight is a relatively new addition to the baby pool. It was used as a middle name by Nicole Richie and Joel Madden for their son in 2009, and then by social media star, Jasmine Chiswell in 2022 for her son's first name.
- Melita
Origin:
GreekMeaning:
"honey"Description:
A coffee filter.
- Boo
Origin:
Word name or nicknameDescription:
Boo as a first name first achieved notoriety as the name of the child-man in Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird. Arthur "Boo" Radley was meant to be frightening, but only in a simple, non-threatening way. More recently, Boo has been used as the middle name of one of chef Jamie Oliver's children and the nickname in the middle of television's Honey Boo Boo. Boo is also the name of the world's cutest dog and of the adorable little girl in Monsters Inc. In a more basic way, Boo is a term of endearment.
- Shelley
Origin:
EnglishMeaning:
"clearing on a bank"Description:
The Shirley of the 1950s. Shelley Winters was born a Shirley.
- Night
Origin:
Word nameDescription:
An ubercool and mysterious name, brought to you by director M. Night Shyamalan.
- Berry
Origin:
Nature nameDescription:
With the recent arrival of fruit names like Apple and Plum, this more traditional example, symbolic of fertility, might rise in popularity. Photographer Berry Berenson was born Berinthia.
- Theda
Origin:
Short form of Theodora or Theodosia, GreekMeaning:
"gift of God"Description:
Theda is most famous as the name of silent film vamp Theda Bara. Today most fashionable little Theodoras and Theodosias are called Thea, but Theda makes an intriguing change.
- Hari
Origin:
HinduMeaning:
"dark, tawny"Description:
Familiar via Harry, but much more worldly.
- Slate
Origin:
Word nameDescription:
One of the more unusual of the current crop of strong, single-syllable boys' names, evoking the images of both old-fashioned blackboards and modern stepping-stones and countertops.
- Shady
Description:
Shady is a unisex name though more commonly used for males, with Arabic origins where it's pronounced 'Sha-dee' (شادي). In Arabic, the name means 'singer' or 'one who sings,' conveying artistic and joyful qualities. The name also appears in Egyptian naming traditions with connections to happiness and melodiousness. In Western contexts, the name has been adopted with varied pronunciation and carries different connotations due to the English word 'shady' suggesting something questionable or dubious, which differs entirely from its original meaning. Despite these dual interpretations, the name maintains steady usage in Middle Eastern communities worldwide. Its cross-cultural nature gives it a distinctive quality, though parents outside Arabic-speaking regions might consider the potential for misinterpretation in English-speaking environments.
- Mocha
Origin:
English, color and coffee nameDescription:
Save this for your next run to Starbucks.
- Veruca
Origin:
LatinMeaning:
"wart"Description:
Veruca is a name Roald Dahl made up for the horrid little girl Veruca Salt in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. A modern rock band adopted the name, though few parents familiar with the original namesake and meaning would choose to pass it on to an innocent child. Verruca is another spelling, but don't use that one either.
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