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Badass Dog Names

Pamela Redmond
By Pamela Redmond
Updated Wed Feb 14 2024
Badass Dog Names

Badass dog names pick up on the trend for baby names with attitude.

Along with old-school badass dog names like Buster and Butch, badass male dog names such as Axel, Hendrix, and Maverick are popular for puppies today.

Badass female dog names like Mabel and Scarlett are also top picks for dogs. Rarer options among badass girl dog names include Jinx and Lilith.

If you've got a badass puppy with lots of swagger and sass, one of these doggie attitude names might be the perfect choice. There are badass dog names here to fit female dogs and male dogs, large dogs and small, any color or breed — as long as it's got lots of attitude!

Find our full collection of badass names for dogs below, ordered by their current popularity on Nameberry.

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  1. Mabel

    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Amabel, Latin

    • Meaning:

      "lovable"

    • Description:

      Mabel is cuddly Victorian favorite rising in popularity in the US, after a 50-year nap If you love offbeat old-fashioned names like Violet or Josephine, only sassier and bubblier, Mabel is one for you to consider. It is currently in the US Top 200 and the UK Top 50.
  2. Otto

    • Origin:

      German

    • Meaning:

      "wealthy"

    • Description:

      Otto is cool again. Long a quintessential Old Man Name, Otto has been promoted to trending darling of adventurous baby namers.
  3. Cleo

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "glory"

    • Description:

      Cleo, one of the few girls' names to boast the cool-yet-lively o ending, is of course short for Cleopatra, the name of one of the most powerful women in history.
  4. Delilah

    • Origin:

      Hebrew or Arabic

    • Meaning:

      "delicate"

    • Description:

      Melodic and lively, Delilah has cut itself (mostly) free from its treacherous past to become a contemporary favorite.
  5. Scarlett

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "scarlet, red"

    • Description:

      Scarlett Johansson is doing more for this sparky southern name than Scarlett O'Hara ever did. Since the turn of the 21st century, Scarlett has gone from an obscure literary name to one of the most popular girls' names starting with S, right after longtime favorites Sophia and Sofia.
  6. Lilith

    • Origin:

      Assyrian, Sumerian

    • Meaning:

      "ghost, night monster"

    • Description:

      Lilith is derived from the Akkadian word lilitu meaning "of the night." In Jewish folklore she is portrayed as Adam's rejected first wife, who was turned into a night demon for refusing to obey him. Lilith is unrelated to most other Lil- names, with the exception of Lilita, which is the Latvian variation.
  7. Danger

    • Origin:

      English word name

    • Meaning:

      "exposure to injury, pain, harm, or loss"

    • Description:

      Prime example of the aggressive word names that are an off-the-grid branch of the new macho names. Makes Cannon, Maverick, and Ranger feel almost soft and sensitive by comparison.
  8. Maverick

    • Origin:

      American

    • Meaning:

      "independent, nonconformist"

    • Description:

      It's ironic that the name Maverick is not such a maverick anymore. Heard first in a 1950s James Garner western TV series, and then as the Tom Cruise character in Top Gun, Maverick symbolizes an unfettered, free spirit.
  9. Axel

    • Origin:

      Scandinavian variation of Absalom

    • Meaning:

      "father of peace"

    • Description:

      A classic in its native Scandinavia, Axel has a cool rock 'n' roll flavor in the US, thanks to Guns N' Roses' Axl Rose (born William). With its distinctive letter 'x', it has an effortlessly cool vibe about it, and is currently growing in popularity.
  10. 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.
  11. Jett

    • Origin:

      Mineral or word name

    • Description:

      Short, sharp, and cool, Jett is a contemporary choice that connotes both gemstones and jet engines. Rarely used before the 90s, John Travolta, and then George Lucas, helped to put the name on the map by choosing it for their sons.
  12. Harlow

    • Origin:

      English surname

    • Meaning:

      "rock hill or army hill"

    • Description:

      Jean Harlow (born Harlean Carpenter), the original platinum blonde bombshell, was a symbol of 1930s glamour, a factor that first Patricia Arquette and then Nicole Richie and Joel Madden probably had in mind when they gave their daughters the distinctive surname name Harlow.
  13. Ryker

    • Origin:

      German

    • Meaning:

      "rich"

    • Description:

      As a stylish name, Ryker has three big things going for it: its Ry beginning (as in Riley, Ryder, and Rylan), its two-syllable rhythm, and its er ending. A nice surprise for many is it's "rich" meaning. While this may not be a factor beyond New York City, there is an infamous prison there called Riker's Island. Ryker is one of the trendiest German names for boys in the US.
  14. Salome

    • Origin:

      Hebrew

    • Meaning:

      "peace"

    • Description:

      A soft and interesting Hebrew name long popular in France, where it has ranked in the Top 400 since 1986 (as Salomé). Ex-ER star Alex Kingston named her daughter Salome Violetta.
  15. Pandora

    • Origin:

      Greek

    • Meaning:

      "all gifted"

    • Description:

      Pandora has occasionally been used by the British gentry (for girls with brothers who might be called Peregrine) and is now starting to be heard in the US too: It was given to 34 baby girls last year.
  16. 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.
  17. Coco

    • Origin:

      Spanish and French pet name

    • Description:

      Coco came to prominence as the nickname of the legendary French designer Chanel (born Gabrielle) and has lately become a starbaby favorite, initially chosen by Courteney Cox for her daughter Coco Riley in 2004. At first it was the kind of name that the press loves to ridicule, but we predict Coco's heading for more broad acceptance and even popularity.
  18. Jagger

    • Origin:

      English occupational name

    • Meaning:

      "carter"

    • Description:

      Jagger is a swaggering Rolling Stone of a name that's been picked up by a number of fellow celebs, including Lindsay Davenport and Brett Scallions--while Soleil Moon Frye pulled a gender switch when she bestowed it on her daughter. It's edgy with a touch of danger.
  19. Monroe

    • Origin:

      Scottish

    • Meaning:

      "mouth of the Roe river"

    • Description:

      Monroe is a presidential name which, thanks to the immortal beauty of Marilyn Monroe, is catching on fast for baby girls. Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon chose it for their twin daughter, honoring Marilyn Monroe. Their use of Monroe as a girls’ name did much to revive this Old Man name, a la Sydney, as a newly fashionable choice for girls.
  20. Wednesday

    • Origin:

      English

    • Meaning:

      "Woden's day"

    • Description:

      Made famous by the iconic and macabre character Wednesday Addams, this name has the spooky and Halloween-inspired feel that some parents might be looking for. The character has appeared in various adaptations of The Addams Family over the years, but the 2022 television series starring Jenna Ortega has given the name an unexpected boost in popularity.