Badass Boy Dog Names

The "Believe It or Not" jokes will get old fast, but this surname feels fun and on-trend for both girls and boys, reminiscent of Riley, Tripp, Bridger, and Oakley.
 
Deriving from the Old English rippel and leah meaning "grove" and "clearing" respectively, some might recognise it from The Talented Mr Ripley series by Patricia Highsmith, while others may associate it with the Alien movies.
 
Given to nearly 120 boys in 2023 - the highest number who've ever received the name in a single year - perhaps Ripley could see greater use in coming years.

Ripley

The name of the great Homeric hero with the vulnerable heel, Achilles is more popular in its international form, Achille, which is popular in France, Italy, and Belgium. This variation did however appear briefly on the US Top 1000 list in 2015, perhaps owing to its similarity to the likes of Atticus, Adonis, and Apollo. It has declined in use since then, but is nevertheless chosen for around 160 babies each year.
 
In Greek Mythology, Achilles was the name of a warrior, who fought against the Trojans, making it a strong feeling choice. Borne by several early saints, its exact meaning is unknown, though it might derive from the Greek achos, giving it the meaning "he whose people have distress and pain". Other theories suggest that it's a name with a double meaning - combining kleos "glory" with the idea of pain and distress. 
 
Madeline Miller's popular novel, The Song of Achilles, which focuses on the relationship between Achilles and Patroclus, has likely shone the name in a new light and may account for some of its increased popularity.
 
The 'KIL' syllable might put people off, but that hasn't been a problem for Killian in recent years.

Achilles

This name comes from Greek mythology, where the Titans were a band of immortal, powerful giants. 

 Popular movie of 2000 Remember the Titans may be partly responsible for this name's ranking in the Top 1000.

Titan

The name of the Greek winged god of love (usually romantic and sexual love) may seem a lot to live up to, but like other deity names, it's on the rise. In a recent year, it was given to more than 130 boys in the US.
 
The name appears in DC comics as an ally of Wonder Woman, and is the alias of Marvel's Starfox character. Eros is also the name of an asteroid in our solar system. The name is more popular in Italy, where it's been in the Top 200 in recent years.
 
Entourage actor Adrian Grenier and Jordan Roemmele chose Eros as one of their son's middle names in 2025.

Eros

When the King was alive, and for years afterwards, few people (except Declan McManus who became Elvis Costello) dared use his singular name, but now it's very much up for grabs. 
 The name Elvis is connected to the Irish Ailbhe, and the Irish saint of that name is also known as Elvis of Munster. There is also evidence that the name may originate from the old English Helwise, which in turn led to the surname Elwes. 
Elvis was the middle name of the singer's dad, Vernon. Anthony Perkins, a big Elvis fan, gave the name to his now grown son in 1976. Other aficionados, such as Cindy Crawford, have opted for the surname Presley.

Elvis

The supreme Olympian god represents a mighty image for a little fella to live up to, but more and more parents are beginning to consider it seriously.  The Roman equivalent Jupiter has also come down to earth.  And Zeus wasn't just the supreme god, he was also the god of the sky, thunder, lightning, and fate, among other weighty responsibilities.

Zeus

Fox is one animal name backed by a longish tradition, and then popularized via the lead character Fox Mulder on X Files. Fox is simple, sleek, and a little bit wild, and could make an interesting middle name.
 It was reported that the TV character's first name was not a tribute to the Fox network which aired The X-Files, as often assumed; show creator Chris Carter said he had a childhood friend named Fox. Fox was one of the fastest-rising boys' names of 2016, perhaps because of the popularity of the X-Files revival.

The name of the greatest Roman poet and an early Irish saint who believed the earth was round, Virgil is heard most notably today as the name of designer Virgil Abloh of Off-White. 
 The first century poet known as Virgil, author of the influential epic Aeneid, was christened Publius Vergilius Maro. Centuries later, Virgil Tibbs was the noble police detective portrayed by Sidney Poitier in two films: In the Heat of the Night and They Call Me Mr. Tibbs. Currently, Virgil Minelli is a character on The Mentalist.
 Virgil was the name of one of Wyatt Earp's brothers, a Tombstone, Arizona marshall. Virgil Thomson was a noted composer and musicologist, cartoonist Virgil Franklin Partch signed his work VIP, and astronaut Gus Grissom was born Virgil.
 Virgil's greatest popularity took place in the early decades of the twentieth century: It was a Top 100 name for five nonconsecutive years.

Virgil

The girls have Violet and Scarlet and Ruby and Rose, but for the boys there's a much more limited palette of color names. Gray (or Grey), is one exception, which could make for a soft and evocative--if slightly somber-- choice, especially in the middle. Kaitlin Olson and Rob McElhenney recently named their son Leo Grey.
 A common surname, Gray/Grey is still an unusual first name choice--it hasn't made it into the Top 1000 in this century--while longer forms Grayson and Greyson are climbing rapidly, with Grayson at Number 97, and his twin at 200.
 The best known bearer of the name, former Governor Gray Davis of California, was born Joseph Graham Davis, Jr, and others with Gray names include Graydon Carter (born Edward Graydon), editor of "Vanity Fair," and Grayer, the child in "The Nanny Diaries."

Gray

Leander was once an almost unknown name, however, with the popularity of Leo and the rise of Leandro, it now feels like a perfectly accessible alternative to Leon or Alexander. In Greek legend, Leander was the powerful figure who swam across the Hellespont every night to visit his beloved Hero, a priestess of Venus.
 Combining the Latin words Leo and Andros, this name has a cool, animal-related meaning, that lends it strength and bravery. A once familiar name in the US, it fell out of favor back in the 40s, though in the last decade, it has nearly doubled in use with almost 120 babies receiving the name in 2023.
 
While Leander is in the Norwegian Top 100 and the Nameberry Top 200, elsewhere, the Spanish variant Leandro or the French Leandre tend to be favored.

Leander

The surname name Jetson may have originated as a variation on Judson, a patronymic related to Jordan, but it is more familiar to most Americans as the last name of the futuristic cartoon family.  Jetson may appeal to parents as a proper form leading to the cool boy nickname Jet.

Jetson

Even if it is the Number one surname in the U.S.--with more than 2.5 million bearers--we still think that Smith would make a cool first or middle name, whether or not it has family history.
 Though Smith was in fairly regular use until the 1920s--reaching as high as Number 326 in 1885--it would make a totally distinctive, sophisticated choice today.

Smith

Perhaps the ultimate nicknamey name, Ziggy manages to sound cool, cutesy, spiky, and energetic all at once. It brings to mind the glam-rock of Bowie's Ziggy Stardust and the cool vibes of reggae musician Ziggy Marley, along with the contemporary-but-vintage appeal of Teddy, Mack, and Albie.
 
Currently in the UK Top 400, Ziggy has also been moving up the US charts. Given to around 30 babies a decade ago, in 2022, it was given to nearly 170 baby boys and 40 baby girls. Deriving as a nickname for Siegfried, Sigmund, or similar, as a stand alone, it could mean "victory" from the Old Saxon element sigi. 
 
While Ziggy works as a contemporary and zippy choice, if you love it but find it just a little too informal, it could work as a nickname for Zachary, Ezekiel, Zelig, Santiago, David (Ziggy Marley's official name) - or perhaps for any name containing a Z.

Ziggy

In a baby name landscape where word names and names that start with Z are infinitely cool, there are few options for parents who want to combine trends. Zeppelin is one of the best names at the intersection of these two styles, and it's rising alongside the likes of Zen, Zephyr, and Zenith.
 
A zeppelin is an airship named after Ferdinand von Zeppelin, the inventor. The name is ultimately derived from the Slavic word cepelinas, which refers to the agricultural tool the flail.

Zeppelin

A name with plenty of grandeur, but a playful nickname, Wolfgang blends sophistication, wildness, and gothic imagery. While it may feel surprising in this century, it does have an allure for those who want a name associated with dark academia, Halloween, history, intellect, wolves, and art.
 
Derived from Old German elements meaning "wolf" and "way", it is associated with roaming wolves, though Chef Wolfgang Puck has helped soften the name in recent years. For music lovers, it may appeal thanks to its association with Mozart, while literature lovers may think of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
 
And with Wolf on the rise in recent years, parents looking for something bolder and historical have turned to Wolfgang, with 115 boys given the name in a recent year. Over on social media, it has been selected by several creators including tattoo artist Noelin Wheeler, which could inspire other parents to use it in years to come. 
 
Nicknames Wolf and Wolfie might help make the name more approachable.

Wolfgang

Relaxed western place-name that still has some masculine punch, but be warned: this whole posse of similarly trendy names, like Sierra and Dakota, will soon ride toward the sunset. 

Montana

Indigo is one of the most appealing and evocative of the new generation of color names. Color names have joined flower and jewel names -- in a big way -- and Indigo, a deep blue-purple dye from plants native to India, is particularly striking for both girls and boys. Although most people don't think of it like this, Indigo might also be considered among the most stylish <a href="https://nameberry.com/baby-names/167/greek-names">Greek baby names</a> in use today.

Some cultural references: The Indigo Girls are a folk duo, 'Mood Indigo' is a classic Duke Ellington jazz composition, and there is a 1970's New Age theory that Indigo children possess special, sometimes supernatural abilities. Indigo is the name of a character in the Ntozake Shange novel Sassafrass, Cypress & Indigo, and was used for his daughter by Lou Diamond Phillips.

Indigo

Monty, a name with a World War II feel, is rarely used on its own in the US.  But we're hearing rumblings of a comeback and think that Monty, whatever it's short for, is an adorable vintage nickname name of the future. It's already a hit in the UK. 

Monty

Ruger is a German surname most famous as a gun name, which explains its popularity as a baby name in the US. If Cannon, Gunner, and Pistol are your type of name, you might like Ruger -- but we're not inviting him for a playdate.

More than 100 baby boys were named Ruger in the US last year.

Ruger

This once unique and multi-layered word name was used by R&B singer Nivea for her daughter back in 2005, and later, by country musician Jason Aldean. No longer an exclusively celebrity choice Navy is now in the US Top 500 for girls and is on the rise in the UK too. As a boys name, however, it remains an unexpected possibility.
 
Ultimately deriving from the Latin word navigia meaning "boats", Navy can refer to a fleet of ships, to the armed forces of the sea, or to the dark shade of blue, named for the traditional color of naval uniforms. As a name, it could fit in with the likes of Indigo, Scarlett, Jett, and Onyx, or it could serve as an unexpected choice to honor someone in the navy.
 
While the name may be given to around 10 times as many girls than boys in the US, it is nevertheless on the rise as a unisex possibility. Given to around 100 boys in 2024, it is twice as popular as it was in 2019. Across the pond in the UK meanwhile, Navy made the Top 1000 for boys in 2023 where it is used about half as often for boys as it is girls.

Navy

Badass boy dog names are for the coolest dogs around. These names will give your pup an extra badass boost at the dog park, no matter how much of a teddy bear they may be at heart.

 today include these kind of badass names such as Rocky and Bear along with popular baby boy names like Charlie and Milo. Other trending boy dog names that might fit the badass image include Moose, Bruno, and Loki.

These dog names range from the suave Romeo and Thiago to tough-guy names like Viper and Rogue. Badass boy dog names may also take inspiration from real-life figures like Crockett or Hendrix, or mythological figures like Ajax or Thor.

 for boy dogs include Grizzly, Trigger, and Ghost. 

 include Roman gladiator names like Atticus and Magnus along with cool names like Nico and Kai.

Badass male dog names, with trending boy dog names for tough cool badass male dogs and puppies, with meanings, origins, and popularity. (Page 9)