Labrador Retriever Names

  1. Liev
    • Origin:

      Yiddish variation of Lev
    • Meaning:

      "heart"
    • Description:

      Liev Schreiber's birth name is Isaac Liev, Liev after his mother's favorite Russia author, Leo Tolstoy. Though Liev is increasing in popularity in the secular world thanks to the actor, it originated as a Yiddish diminutive.
  2. Sandy
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Sandra or Alexandra, Greek
    • Meaning:

      "defending men"
    • Description:

      Nickname name in the era of Grease. Sandy fits well in the era of boyish nicknames for girls - a la Scottie and Stevie - or as an alternative to the rapidly rising Goldie. While it peaked in 1960, Sandy is still given to about 60 baby girls each year.
  3. Aziza
    • Origin:

      Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "powerful and beloved"
    • Description:

      Aziza is a zippy palindromic choice that is the female variation of Aziz and is found in several Middle Eastern and African languages and cultures. All in all, an attractive and interesting option; a Turkish variation is Azize. In African mythology, the Azizi are a supernatural race of forest dwellers who give practical and spiritual advice.
  4. Darwin
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "dear friend"
    • Description:

      Enough parents have found naturalist Charles Darwin, the father of the theory of evolution, a worthy hero to keep Darwin relatively consistently in the Top 1000 (it dropped off in 2021 but is back in 2022)—though some might just like its trendy two-syllable sound. It has a lovely meaning too—"dear friend."
  5. Amity
    • Origin:

      Latin
    • Meaning:

      "friendship"
    • Description:

      Amity--what nicer gift to give your little girl than a name that signifies friendship and harmony? This virtue name is also more rhythmic and feminine than the single-syllable Hope, Faith, and Grace.
  6. Obi
    • Origin:

      Short form of Obadiah or African, Igbo
    • Meaning:

      "heart"
    • Description:

      Strongly linked in the US to the complex "Star Wars" character, Obi Wan Kenobi, but also popular in Nigeria as a short form of names containing the element Obi "heart".
  7. Ruthie
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Ruth, Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "compassionate friend"
    • Description:

      With vintage names on the rise and recent data suggesting that the US is following the UK trend of nicknames-as-given-names, Ruthie joined Goldie, Daisy, and Nellie on the US Top 1000 list in 2023.
  8. Zelia
    • Origin:

      Hebrew
    • Meaning:

      "zealous, ardent"
    • Description:

      An appealing name almost unknown in our culture but with roots in several others; worldlier than cousins Celia and Delia.
  9. Edwina
    • Origin:

      Feminine variation of Edwin, English
    • Meaning:

      "wealthy friend"
    • Description:

      Edwina may still be taking tea in the parlor, but we can see her joining friends like Matilda and Josephine for a comeback, especially if pronounced like Edwin rather than Edween.
  10. Myrna
    • Origin:

      Irish
    • Meaning:

      "festive; affection, endearment"
    • Description:

      An anglicized spelling of Muirne, the name of the mother of Finn mac Cool in Irish legend, Myrna has a unique sound and two possible meanings, both of which are positive. Actress Myrna Loy was a notable bearer and her fame caused a spike in popularity of the name, when it reached the US Top 150 in the 1930s.
  11. Aiko
    • Origin:

      Japanese
    • Meaning:

      "beloved child"
    • Description:

      Aiko is a very common Japanese name with a lovely meaning that is rarely heard outside the Asian community.
  12. Irvin
    • Origin:

      Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "handsome, fair of face"
    • Description:

      Irvin is an Old Man name that has an uncertain future. Losing the final g in Irving makes the name slightly less dated -- but just slightly. There's something about the 'erv' sound that makes Irvin and brothers feel unappealing.
  13. Avila
    • Origin:

      German
    • Meaning:

      "desired; or island, water"
    • Description:

      An unusual and appealing name that is the origin of Evelyn, via the Norman French name Aveline. It derives from an obscure Germanic root, the meaning of which is not clear. Theories include "desired, wished for" and "water, island".
  14. Zuleika
    • Origin:

      Arabic
    • Meaning:

      "fair, brilliant beauty"
    • Description:

      Zuleika is a high-wire act of a name that might appeal to the intrepid baby namer, Like most 'Z'-starting girls' names, it projects a cool, strong aura, as exemplified by the character in Max Beerbohm's satirical 1910 novel, Zuleika Dobson, a heroine so gorgeous that the entire student body of Oxford University committed collective suicide at the sight of her.
  15. Elvin
    • Origin:

      English
    • Meaning:

      "noble friend"
    • Description:

      Elvin had his peak in the 1920s — which was when jazz musician Elvin Jones was born — but parents are still using it for over 100 boys a year. That's less than Kelvin, but more than Delvin.
  16. Vashti
    • Origin:

      Persian
    • Meaning:

      "lovely"
    • Description:

      This Persian name with an Old Testament pedigree has a warm Sasha-like feel. The Biblical Vashti was a queen who refused her husband's orders to appear naked in front of his party guests and so was deposed in favor of Esther. For her independent spirit, Vashti has become something of a feminist icon.
  17. Milos
    • Origin:

      Slavic
    • Meaning:

      "gracious, dear, beloved"
    • Description:

      Milos, typically spelled Miloš, derives from various names including the Slavic element, milŭ , such as Miloslav, Bogomil, or Milrad. Popular in the Czech Republic, the name is also used in Serbia, Croatia, and Slovakia
  18. Siran
    • Origin:

      Armenian
    • Meaning:

      "lovely"
    • Description:

      A shimmery name with a wonderful meaning; another intriguing variation is Siroun.
  19. Mabli
    • Origin:

      Welsh
    • Meaning:

      "lovable"
    • Description:

      Mabli is the sweet Welsh form of Mabel; like its English cousin, it’s starting to make a modest comeback in Wales as part of the trend for vintage baby names from a century ago.
  20. Desi
    • Origin:

      Diminutive of Desiderio, Spanish
    • Meaning:

      "desired one"
    • Description:

      Forever Lucy's.