Dog Names · Pet Names
Dog Names That Mean Strong, Brave, or Powerful
Across 15 pages
of 15
Ragnar
Norse
"powerful army; wise warrior; counsel from the army"
An fearsome old Norse name with a long history in Scandinavia. It's gotten a boost in the States from popularity of the History Channel drama "Vikings," in which the protagonist is named Ragnar.…
Rainey
Word name or diminutive of Regina, Latin
"queen"
Has an old-time country feeling, perhaps due to Ma Rainey, considered the "Mother of the Blues". This is the most popular spelling of the name, given to about 50 girls last year, with half as many…
Reggie
Diminutive of Reginald
"counsel power"
Old time nickname that's starting to sound fresh again, à la Alfie and Freddie.
Reginald
English
"counsel power"
Now seen as the chap in the smoking jacket in a 1930s drawing-room comedy, Reginald has actually been on the US popularity list every year since 1880. A name that was quite common throughout the…
Reino
Finnish variation of Reynold
"council power"
An attractive Finnish name with the potential to cross borders.
Reynard
German
"powerful advice"
Associated with Reynard the cunning fox in medieval European animal tales. Reynard can make an unusual yet historic choice for a modern boy, a modern day Richard or Robert. Reynard "Reynie" Muldoon…
Reynold
English from German
"powerful counsel"
Serious surname choices, the latter form known via award-winning author Reynolds Price.
Richmond
German
"powerful protector"
Richmond is a place-name — it's the capital of Virginia, US, and a town in London, UK — that makes a fresh way to honor an ancestral Richard.
Riker
German
"rich; powerful"
Riker gets relatively little use as a variation of Ryker, likely because of the connection to Riker's Island, the New York City prison. It was named after NYC magistrate Richard Riker, whose ancestor…
Rita
Spanish, Hindi
"pearl; truth, order"
One of the glamour girl names of the Rita Hayworth 1940s, Rita was once a Top 50 name and stayed on the SSA list until 2002. The name Rita still has enough Latin zip to be a lively, revivable short…
Rock
Word name or diminutive of Rocco
"rock or rest"
Rock definitely has a macho image, if a somewhat caricatured one, ala The Rock. But with the rise of word names and also of tough guy names, Rock feels more plausible than it did a generation ago.
Romaric
German
"famously strong"
Romaric was derived from the German elements hrôm , meaning "fame," and rîcja , "strong." It's the name of an obscure Frankish saint who left his life as a courtier to become a monk.
Romary
French variation of Romaric, German, and Scottish surname
"famously strong"
Romy lovers, here's a new one for you! Romary is a surname with French and Scottish roots and has historically been a masculine given name in France. It would be a great choice on either sex, but…
Romary
French variation of Romaric, German, and Scottish surname
"famously strong"
Romary is most commonly seen as a surname, although it would make a charming first name for a boy or girl. It has French and Scottish origins — the French form is a variation of the given name…
Rostam
Persian
"tall, strongly-built, brave"
Used in Turkey, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, this strong-sounding name belonged to a hero in Persian legend. Its derivation is unclear, but the consensus seems to be that it…
Rustam
Persian
"tall, strongly-built, brave"
This variation of Rostam might be more English-friendly given its resemblance to the familiar Russ or Russell.
Sendoa
Basque
"strong"
Relatively unknown outside of its native region, Sendoa is an intriguing international name with a strong meaning.
Shakti
Sanskrit
"power"
Shakti is the female equivalent of the god Shiva in Hinduism. A sacred name sometimes used in a secular way.
Simba
Swahili or Shona
"lion; strength"
Traditional African name made cartoonish by the Disney character in The Lion King. In Shona it means "strength".
Solveig
Norse
"the strong house; the way of the sun"
Currently popular in Norway where it ranks in the Top 50, Solveig is a sunny but strong choice, also familiar across Sweden, Denmark, Germany, and Finland. It notably appears as the name of the…