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Big Dog Names

Pamela Redmond
By Pamela Redmond
Updated Wed Feb 14 2024

Big dogs need big dog names: names that mean large or great, names too dramatic or wild to use on a baby. Naming your large dog can be a chance to use one of those guilty pleasure names, a name that was just a bit too imposing to use on a baby, or a name that gives your pooch dignity and gravitas.

Popular names for big dogs include Bear, Rocky, Zeus, Moose, Athena, and Tank. Unique names for big dogs include Gulliver, Alpha, and Odin. Big dog names can also spin things in the opposite direction with names that mean small, such as Bambalina, Newt, or Ninetta.

Names for big female dogs include Maxie, Stella, and Xena. Names for big male dogs include Cosmo, Jupiter, and Ringo.

Here, big dog names for your giant pooch, ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.

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  1. Cosmo

    • Origin:

      Italian, English, Greek

    • Meaning:

      "order, beauty, universe"

    • Description:

      With a touch of celestial power, a hint of clunky charm, and the totally cool -o ending, Cosmo may well be finally shaking itself free of both the Seinfeld association (which made it a punchline of a joke) and the cartoon fairy association from The Fairly OddParents. In fact, it is in the Top 1000 in the UK and a favorite on Nameberry.
  2. Stella

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "star"

    • Description:

      Stella is a name with star quality and sparkle, that manages to sound both ethereal and earthy. Celestial but not otherworldly, it lands somewhere between the popular Ella and bold Seraphina.
  3. Willa

    • Origin:

      Feminine variation of William

    • Meaning:

      "resolute protection"

    • Description:

      Willa has become increasingly fashionable, with its combination of Willa (born Wilella) Cather-like pioneer strength and the graceful beauty of the willow tree.
  4. Max

    • Origin:

      English and German diminutive of Maximilian or Maxwell

    • Meaning:

      "greatest"

    • Description:

      Max was derived from Maximilian, a Latin name that originated from the Roman family name Maximus. The character name Max in the children's classic Where the Wild Things Are had an impact on baby namers. Max is a widely used name internationally.
  5. Beau

    • Origin:

      French

    • Meaning:

      "handsome"

    • Description:

      Beau suggests someone devilishly handsome, with a large measure of southern charm—a nice image to bestow on your boy. Often solely a nickname in the past, it's now standing firmly on its own. Beau has been on the Social Security list non-stop since 1969.
  6. Juno

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "queen of the heavens; young"

    • Description:

      Juno is an ancient name that feels as fresh as if it had been minted, well, not yesterday, but in 2007. Since the release of the popular indie film Juno, this lively but strong Roman goddess name has held new potential as a baby name. Currently in the UK Top 500 and used in The Netherlands too, Juno is on the rise in the US - and is 15 times more popular than it was before the release of the film.
  7. Magnus

    • Origin:

      Scandinavian from Latin

    • Meaning:

      "greatest"

    • Description:

      Magnus is a Latin name, literally meaning "greatest," that has a Scandinavian feel. It dates back to Charlemagne being called Carolus Magnus, or Charles the Great. Norwegian king Magnus I, named after Charlemagne, introduced it to his culture, and thus Magnus was the name of six early kings of Norway and four of Sweden. It is still a highly popular name in Denmark and Norway.
  8. Winston

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "friend's town"

    • Description:

      Long associated with the Churchill family and common in the West Indies, the distinguished Winston has tended to be neglected here. The exception was during the World War II period, when Winston Churchill was a towering figure and his name reached Number 234. It's now enjoying something of a renaissance.
  9. Wilder

    • Origin:

      Surname or word name

    • Meaning:

      "wild, untamed, uncontrolled"

    • Description:

      Rugged, outdoorsy, and full of energy, Wilder entered the US Top 1000 back in 2015. Part bad boy, part Western, part preppy, and part nature-loving, Wilder is given to nearly 800 babies each year.
  10. Wilbur

    • Origin:

      German

    • Meaning:

      "resolute, brilliant"

    • Description:

      Wilbur is a stylish name in the UK whose merits are just starting to be discovered in the US. Wilbur, the loveable pig who Charlotte of the Web called Some Pig, is an inspirational hero. And Wilbur and Orville Wright were early aviationists.
  11. Ziggy

    • Origin:

      German, diminutive of Siegfried and Sigmund

    • Meaning:

      "victorious peace; victorious protection; victory"

    • Description:

      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.
  12. Chester

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "fortress, walled town,"

    • Description:

      Chester is a comfortable, little-used teddy-bear of a name that suddenly sounds both quirky and cuddly.
  13. Titus

    • Origin:

      Latin, meaning unknown, possibly "title of honour"

    • Meaning:

      "title of honour"

    • Description:

      Titus, once seen as a slightly forbidding Roman, New Testament, and Shakespearean name, was brought back to contemporary life in the USA by the TV series Titus 2000, increasing in popularity along with other revived ancient names like Linus and Silas.
  14. Odin

    • Origin:

      Variation of Óðinn, Old Norse

    • Meaning:

      "god of frenzy; poetic fury"

    • Description:

      Odin is the name of the supreme Norse god of art, culture, wisdom, and law — who was handsome, charming, and eloquent into the bargain. The name projects a good measure of strength and power and has excellent assimilation potential.
  15. Bear

    • Origin:

      Animal name

    • Meaning:

      "bear"

    • Description:

      Bear has suddenly lumbered onto the baby name landscape. Perhaps inspired by British adventurer Bear Grylls (born Edward Michael), first celebrity chef Jamie Oliver used it as the middle name for his boy Buddy, and Alicia Silverstone called her son Bear Blu, followed by Kate Winslet's Bear Blaize.
  16. Apollo

    • Origin:

      Greek mythology name

    • Meaning:

      "destroyer; strength; father's light"

    • Description:

      With mythological names rising, the handsome son of Zeus and god of medicine, music, and poetry among many other things might offer an interesting, and melodic option. Similar in style to Atlas and Atticus and similar in sound to Arlo, Paolo, Paul, and Ollie, Apollo entered the US Top 1000 back in 2012, and was propelled upwards after it was chosen by Gwen Stefani and Gavin Rossdale in 2014.
  17. Maddox

    • Origin:

      Welsh

    • Meaning:

      "son of Madoc"

    • Description:

      Maddox, a previously obscure Welsh family name with a powerfully masculine image, suddenly came into the spotlight when Angelina Jolie chose it for her son in 2003. By the following year it was in the middle of the Top 1000, and it has risen since.
  18. Rufus

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "red-head"

    • Description:

      Rufus is a rumpled, redheaded (it was the nickname for red-haired King William) ancient Roman name popular with saints and singers (e.g. Rufus Wainwright); now, Rufus is on the cutting edge of cool.
  19. Bella

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Isabella, Italian

    • Meaning:

      "beautiful"

    • Description:

      Everything ella, from Ella to Bella to Arabella, is red hot right now. Bella is one of the most, well, beautiful girl names starting with B. It carried a hint of a nice Old World grandmotherly veneer, until it became attached to Twilight's Bella Swan.
  20. Dexter

    • Origin:

      Latin

    • Meaning:

      "dyer, right-handed"

    • Description:

      The jazzy, ultra-cool Dexter, like most names with an "x," has a lot of energy and dynamism.