The Best Australian Shepherd Names For Your Aussie Dog

Last Updated on April 20, 2023

Endearingly called Aussies, Australian Shepherds are well-known and beloved by any active dog lover, as well as families and dog trainers, because of their intelligence and outstanding traits.

But being one of the versatile dog breeds, naming them is a tough yet fun challenge.

Blue Merle Australian Shepherd dog portrait

That’s why we made a list of some of the best and creative Australian Shepherd names that would fit your herding dog.

How do you pick the right name for your Australian Shepherd?

The common advice that people give is to choose a name that matches your dog’s personality or maybe her favorite food. But what if you just got a new puppy?

You can also pick a moniker that’s based on your Aussie’s physical qualities, like the color of her coat.

Sure, the Australian Shepherd breed is a beautiful dog, so you can even use that cuteness or alert nature to land a name suited for her.

It’s best that you get to know your fido first before deciding on puppy names. Waiting a few days to see how she behaves is okay because it will be a huge help.

Try to avoid monikers that sound like common commands such as no, yes, sit, and stay because it might confuse your pooch.

After picking a name, try to use it all the time, so the dog associates herself with it.

Call your Aussie by her name to give positive reinforcement and good memories. Otherwise, she might associate it as a signal for being scolded.

Some trends for Australian Shepherd dog names focus on their independent spirit. Others derive from their outdoorsy and adventurous nature and give them names inspired by the environment.

If you’re still struggling to decide, keep in mind that names should have a mixture of something personal to you. Names should be easy to respond to when starting with their dog training. 

Need more tips and advice on how to teach your Australian Shepherd her name? Here’s a helpful video you can watch:

Names of the most famous Australian Shepherds

Like some pawrents, you can also take cue of what celebrities are naming their Aussies. Others can go for the names of popular fidos online, just like these famous Australian Shepherds on Instagram:

  1. Secret (@my_aussie_gal)
  2. Oliver (@oli_the_aussie)
  3. Thori and Valkyrie (@just_thori_things)
  4. Kiba (@kiba.aussie)
  5. Atlas and Aries (@atlas.aries.aussies)

Getting the number one spot is Secret with 421K followers! She’s well-known for her videos where she’s doing tricks with her owner Mary, who’s also a clicker trainer.

Best Australian Shepherd names

Still not sure as to what to name your Australian Shepherd? Here’s a list of the best dog names for Aussie dogs:

  1. Abby
  2. Admiral
  3. Alaska
  4. Banjo
  5. Benji
  6. Bindi
  7. Boomer
  8. Buffy
  9. Chuck
  10. Clancy
  11. Cream
  12. Dani
  13. Diva
  14. Duke
  15. Eclipse
  16. Einstein
  17. Emma
  18. Eros
  19. Fiasco
  20. Freckles
  21. Fog
  22. Gatsby
  23. Grace
  24. Griffin
  25. Hamilton
  26. Houdini
  27. Iggy
  28. Indy
  29. Isla
  30. Jackie
  31. Jolene
  32. Josie
  33. Kermit
  34. Khira or Kira
  35. Kiwi
  36. Kylie
  37. Lake
  38. Lazy
  39. Leonidas or Leo
  40. Log
  41. Lucky
  42. Lyanna
  43. Maverick
  44. Mila
  45. Minka
  46. Molly
  47. Monster
  48. Murphy
  49. Nacho
  50. Noodle
  51. Nova
  52. Oreo
  53. Ozzie
  54. Pippa
  55. Piper 
  56. Queenie
  57. Quincy
  58. Raven
  59. Ripley
  60. Rosalie
  61. Roxy
  62. Samantha
  63. Storm
  64. Sydney
  65. Talia
  66. Teddy
  67. Trooper
  68. Twilight
  69. Ulysses
  70. Ursa
  71. Vegas
  72. Venus
  73. Viper
  74. Wally
  75. Walter
  76. Whiskey
  77. Whitney
  78. Xander
  79. Xena
  80. Yahtzee
  81. Yeti
  82. Yogi
  83. Yoshi
  84. Zelda
  85. Zeus
  86. Zula

Some of these are unisex, and you can give them to male and female dogs. It’s all about finding and getting a feel for the perfect name for your fur baby.

Top 25 female Australian Shepherd names

Bella is the most popular dog name in Australia for girls, but if you want more feminine options for your girl, take a look at these female dog names:

  1. Ruby
  2. Jenna
  3. Daisy
  4. Maya
  5. Lola
  6. Lucy
  7. Luna
  8. Penny
  9. Sadie (can be shortened to Sade)
  10. Stella
  11. Naia
  12. Cassie
  13. Eve
  14. Nala
  15. Maggie
  16. Gracie
  17. Millie
  18. Harper
  19. Belle
  20. Sophie
  21. Mia
  22. Cali or Callie
  23. Dixie
  24. Cleo
  25. Sabi

Top 25 male Australian Shepherd names

Males are a bit more affectionate and buoyant than female Aussies. This could mean the names of your male dog can be on the cheery side:

  1. Bailey
  2. Bear
  3. Blue or Blu
  4. Charlie
  5. Cooper
  6. Abe
  7. Koda
  8. Max
  9. Milo
  10. Tucker
  11. Riley
  12. Kailo
  13. Bohdi
  14. Brody
  15. Ollie
  16. Jack, Jackson, or Jax
  17. Hank
  18. Toby
  19. Louie
  20. Jake
  21. Kodi or Cody
  22. Arlo
  23. Tracker
  24. Lewis
  25. Mate

Best Australian Shepherd names inspired by dog size

Small doesn’t mean less, which is why there’s a saying that good things come in small packages. And if you own a Miniature Australian Shepherd, the same expression probably applies here.

A tri-color Miniature Australian Shepherd laying
Miniature Australian Shepherd in front of white background

Here’s a list of names for small dogs that may suit your mini Australian Shepherd.

  1. Tinkerbell
  2. Bitsy
  3. Lily or Lili (as in “liliputian”)
  4. Ladybug
  5. Pocket
  6. Firefly
  7. Sparkle
  8. Flicker
  9. Patch
  10. Willow
  11. Ducky
  12. Olive
  13. Kibble
  14. Antman
  15. Chip
  16. Firefly
  17. Marbles
  18. Haiku
  19. Micro
  20. Nano
  21. Sushi
  22. Tiny
  23. Twinkie
  24. Sparrow
  25. Clove or Clover

Australian Shepherd names inspired by coat color

Coat or eye color can serve as inspiration for your dog’s name. If it’s on the darker side, why not Darth Vader? But Aussies come in many colors and combinations.

Black Australian Shepherd Names

If you have a black Aussie, channel that shade into a stand-out moniker.

  1. Beetle
  2. Chrome
  3. Coffee
  4. Ebony
  5. Inky
  6. Jet
  7. Mamba
  8. Midnight
  9. Owl
  10. Panther
  11. Asher
  12. Shadow

Red Merle Australian Shepherd Names

A Red Merle Australian Shepherd looking adorable with tongue sticking-out
A Red Merle Australian Shepherd with its tongue sticking-out

The term “Red Merle” relates both to coat color and pattern and has a shade that can range from light cinnamon red to dark russet red.

Another eccentric thing they have is that they mostly have blue eyes with marbled browns. Unique pups should also have a name that stands out:

  1. Cherrie or Cherry
  2. Amber
  3. Apple
  4. Chili
  5. Copper
  6. Dorothy
  7. Ginger
  8. Henna
  9. Peppermint Patty
  10. Rosie
  11. Rusty
  12. Scarlet
  13. Mr. Fox
  14. Autumn
  15. Tawny

You can also go for Uluru, which is a red rock formation in Australia.

Blue Merle Australian Shepherd names

A Blue Merle Australian Shepherd dog in a field
A Blue Merle Australian Shepherd lounging in a field

Much like red merles, blue merle Aussies have a lighter shade that can range from a light cream color to a dark gray. They have patches of light silver or dark charcoal in their fur. Does that spark an idea in naming your dog?

  1. Agate
  2. Blueberry
  3. Indigo
  4. Iris
  5. Lapis
  6. Navy
  7. Ocean
  8. Pearl
  9. Sapphire
  10. Skye
  11. River

Tough Australian Shepherd names

Aussies are independent, charismatic, and confident. Some might even possess a formidable personality.

It may not be as intense as German Shepherds, but these names can either show how resilient your pooch is or even give him or her a boost of confidence.

  1. Bullet
  2. Dragon
  3. Eagle
  4. Fang
  5. Growler
  6. Knight
  7. Legend
  8. Rambo
  9. Tank
  10. Voldemort
  11. Bandit
  12. Harley
  13. Rocky

Cute Australian Shepherd names

Some paw parents got their dog because they think that that Aussie is the cutest. Who doesn’t like a cute dog, right?

  1. Baby
  2. Coco
  3. Flower
  4. Munchkin
  5. Nacho
  6. Pebbles
  7. Pipsqueak
  8. Pony
  9. Tater Tot
  10. Zoey or Zoe
  11. Remi or Remy
  12. Ellie
  13. Pepper
  14. Beau or Bo
  15. Chloe
  16. Marley
  17. Archie
  18. Winnie
  19. Annie
  20. Ozzy
  21. Layla
  22. Phoebe
  23. Izzie
  24. Princess
  25. Adalee

Cool Australian Shepherd names

In pop culture and mainstream entertainment, we often watch and love shows or movies. Afterward, we think about how cool those characters are.

Because dog lovers identify with these famous personalities and think that they’re so cool, some think, “I want to give my dog that name”. And to that, we say, why not?

  1. Arya
  2. Axle
  3. Apollo
  4. Captain
  5. Finn (can be short for Finley)
  6. Galaxy
  7. Gunner
  8. King
  9. Kingston
  10. Monet
  11. Unity
  12. Dallas
  13. Freyja
  14. Bentley
  15. Jasper
  16. Gus
  17. Ranger
  18. Levi
  19. Cash

Badass dog names for Australian Shepherd 

Tri-color Australian Shepherd dog sitting under the sun
Source: @silviaboniforti / IG

An Australian shepherd is a pretty badass dog that doesn’t take any nonsense from anyone.

They’re resourceful, loyal, and happy-go-lucky. So your kickass dog deserves a badass name, too.

  1. Casper
  2. Chase
  3. Chief
  4. Genesis
  5. Geraldine
  6. Hazel
  7. Honey
  8. Ingrid
  9. Sawyer
  10. Scout
  11. Harley
  12. Loki
  13. Winston

Funny Australian Shepherd names

Adding humor to your dog’s name can simultaneously boost the dog’s cuteness and impress other dog owners. Here are some names that are aww-dorable and not rude to say or call out in public:

  1. Andy War-Howl
  2. Barkley
  3. Dumbledog
  4. Lolly Pup
  5. Mary Puppins
  6. Muttilda (you can nickname her Tilda or Tilly)
  7. Pup Tart
  8. Sir Waggington
  9. Snoop Dog
  10. 50 Cent
  11. Kobe
  12. Moose
  13. Dexter
  14. Goose

Unique Australian Shepherd names

If you’re a unique person who wants to give a fascinating name to its doggo, we have the list for you. 

  1. Armadillo
  2. Allora
  3. Brownie
  4. Dart
  5. Fiona
  6. Flyer
  7. Kofi
  8. Priya
  9. Speedy
  10. Toto
  11. Oakley
  12. Aspen
  13. Paisley
  14. Dakota
  15. Bruno
  16. Coral
  17. Jarrah

What should I name my Australian Shepherd puppy?

Whether you want to name your dog after a character that you love or because it sounds funny, or your favorite place in the United States, one thing you should be sure of is that it fits your dog‘s personality.

After buying or adopting your dog, it’s your job to befriend them and see what they are like.

A happy Australian Shepherd puppy sitting on the grass
Source: @aspen__theaussie / IG

If they show signs of lovability, you could give them a funny, unique, or cute name. However, if they’re more rugged, proud, and determined, you might want to give them a tough or badass name.

You can even base it on your pup’s looks. Whether they are Blue Merle, Red Merle, or a Black Australian Shepherd, there is a name that will fit your Aussie perfectly.

We want to hear about your Aussie’s unique name. Feel free to share your experiences and suggestions with us in the comments.

Further reading: Other dog breed names

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