Creative Dog Names

Iago, the villain of Shakespeare's Othello, was so treacherously evil that his name has hardly ever been heard offstage. Try the much-more-benign Inigo.

Iago

Super-sweet name that was the title of a Broadway play -- but best known as a type of apple. The Dutch variation is Pepijn is finding some popularity in that country, where short nickname names are stylish.

Pippin

Bryony is an unusually strong plant name --the bryony is a wild climbing vine with green flowers --that caught on in the U.K. before sprouting here. The name of the young character in the Ian McEwan novel Atonement is spelled Briony, which is the variation and Bryony the original.
 Bryony sounds a lot fresher than the now dated Brittany. Pronunciation is like Brian with an ee at the end, though the name bears no relationship to the male Brian or Bryan.

Bryony

From the botanical name for common heather, Calluna vulgaris, which ultimately derives from the Greek kallos "beauty". A unique, nature-inspired route to the fashionable nicknames Callie and Luna.

Calluna

Long before the vogue of using Irish surnames for girls, writer Flannery O'Connor gave this one some visibility. It has a warm (flannelly) feel and the currently popular three-syllable ee-ending sound. 
Mary Flannery O'Connor was an important twentieth century regional writer whose work has been characterized as Southern Gothic, often featuring grotesque characters and concerned with questions of morality.

Flannery

A sweet, nostalgic nosegay kind of name, Posy has been long fashionable in England, a country of gardeners, but this pretty bouquet-of-flowers name is still rarely heard in the US, though it could be seen as a more unusual possible alternative to Rosy or Josie.
 Posy is a little sister name in the Hunger Games series, while before that, Posy Fossil was a character in Noel Streatfeild's Ballet Shoes. In 2026, it appeared on a character in the popular TV series, Bridgerton.
 
For now, Posy is the least popular spelling of the name with Posie first, Posey second, and Posy used for less than ten baby girls in the US in a recent count.
 Posy (or Posey or Posie) could also work as a nickname for a range of other names, from Penelope to Sophia to Primrose, though it started as a pet form of Josephine. Other P-beginning flower names you may want to consider along with Posey: Poppy, Petal, Primrose.

Posy

A less common relic of the Claudette-Paulette-Annette era. Babette's Feast is a 1987 Danish film based on a Karen Blixen (Isak Dinesen) story about a cook who wins the lottery and prepares an elaborate feast.

Babette

The bright yellow weed lends itself to a creative baby name, although we don't recommend the nickname Dandy.

Dandelion

Despite the possibility of gender confusion, the Hero in Greek myth was a woman. Myleene Klass got that when she chose Hero for her daughter, and Sam Taylor-Wood and Aaron Johnson used it as their daughter's middle--and we wouldn't be surprised to see more girls with this heroic name.
 In Greek legend young Leander swam across dangerous waters every night to court his beloved Hero. In Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, Hero is the love interest of Claudio and cousin of Beatrice.

Hero

Aryobarzanes or Aryo Barzan, meaning "exalting the Aryans", is the name of a Persian hero who fought against Alexander the Great in 330 BC.

Aryo

Lolly is a sweet and playful nickname, usually used for Laura or Charlotte, though other full names could be Dolores, Ololade, Lauren, Lorelei, Lorena, Elodie, Ottilie, Louella, Elora, Elowen, Olive and beyond. Also spelled as Lollie (which featured in the US Top 1000 in the late 19th century, Lolly is still occasionally given as a stand-alone name, with more than 50 girls receiving the name since the 2000s. 
 
Associated with lollipops, ice lollies, and candy more generally in Australia, the name may appeal to those who also like Dulcie, Coco, Birdie, and Gigi. A notable bearer is actress Lolly Adefope (born Ololade).

Lolly

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.
 And...inspired by us... a babyberry was actually named Berry!

Berry

Bizzy has a 1930s wisecracking waitress -- think Mitzi, Flossie, Fanny -- feel to it, yet at the same time feels like a fresh, modern nickname for Elizabeth.  Given that any Bizzy better be, this name could be a way to make your Elizabeth stand out.

Bizzy

Dagny is traditionally a feminine name with Norse origins, though listed here as masculine. The name combines 'dagr' meaning 'day' and 'ny' meaning 'new,' essentially translating to 'new day' or 'new dawn.' It carries connotations of hope, renewal, and fresh beginnings. Dagny gained some recognition through Ayn Rand's novel 'Atlas Shrugged,' which featured a strong female character with this name. In Scandinavian countries, particularly Norway and Sweden, Dagny has a long history of usage for girls, though it remains relatively uncommon. The name has a distinctive sound and spelling that makes it stand out while still being pronounceable. Its Norse roots give it an ancient strength, while its meaning provides an optimistic symbolism that many parents find appealing.

Dagny

Jiminy is a masculine name that gained recognition primarily through the character Jiminy Cricket in Disney's 'Pinocchio.' Rather than having ancient roots, this whimsical name evolved from the euphemistic exclamation 'Jiminy Cricket!' (a substitute for 'Jesus Christ'). As a given name, Jiminy remains extremely rare, carrying a playful, storybook quality that evokes childlike wonder and imagination. Parents who choose this name may appreciate its literary connections and cheerful sound. The association with Jiminy Cricket—a conscience personified—gives the name connotations of moral guidance, wisdom, and friendly counsel. Its uniqueness ensures it stands out, though the strong fictional association may be its defining characteristic for most people.

Jiminy

Pippi may be cute but isn't very practical.  In addition to being forever Pippi Longstocking, there is that variant pee-pee spelling to consider.  Try Pippa instead.

Pippi

This name of the ten-year-old boy in the much loved and acclaimed modern classic To Kill a Mockingbird could find favor along with that of the character's sister, Scout.

The rise of the the various Isabel names may give a boost to this variation, which has a sunny, springtime feel. 
 Although this name has been around since the thirteenth century, its origins remain obscure.
 Ismay has appealed to several authors as a character name--Robertson Davies in his Cornish Trilogy, Ruth Rendell in The Water's Lovely, and Ken Follett in his World Without End.
 Caveat: Could be confused with Esme.

Ismay

Hickory

Hesper is a feminine form of Hesperus, the name of the Greek mythological personification of the Evening Star. The Hesperides are daughters of nymphs of the evening. Hesper may be related to the name Vesper as well as Hespera and Hesperia.

Hesper

Creative dog names can come from any number of styles, from hipster and artsy names, vintage "old man" or "old lady" names, cutesy nickname names, and everything in between. Whatever style you are seeking, these dog names will make your pup stand out from the crowd at any dog park.

 may be underused classics such as Cecily, Maude, and Winifred. They may have a more cool, modern feel, like Hero, Vesper, or Blair. Or maybe you are looking for something a bit conventionally cuter, like Bizzy, Dot, or Lolly.

 include cool-guy vintage choices like Boaz, Cosmo, and Ozias, or 

 like Indigo, Blaze, and Arrow. Other unique names include Finnick, Jiminy, or Winslow.

Search our full lineup of creative names for dogs here.

Creative, unique, uncommon, rare, artsy names for female, male, girl, and boy dogs and puppies (Page 13)