How to Name Your Dog? Check out the Best Black Dog Names

Last Updated on April 20, 2023

Thinking of a perfect name for your new black dog can be engaging and fun, but don’t worry if you draw a blank or can’t decide on a name. We’re here to help.

Many dog breeds come in black, so there is a great range of suitable name ideas for your pup. So, let’s check out some of the most creative black dog names.

What is a good name for a black dog? 

There are many great names for black dogs to choose from, especially if you like themed names related to your dog’s coat color. But you can also go a different route, like giving your pooch multiple names or using puns.

Naming your black puppy after characters or things from popular culture is another way to go. Books, movies, TV shows – all of them offer a fountain of ideas.

However, be careful with it since many characters become villains later and you might end up regretting your decision. 

The same goes for human names. Some people may find it odd to share a name with your dog, while others may even be offended.

If you have multiple dogs, don’t give them similar names since that may cause confusion in your household. Also, avoid words that sound similar to commands you plan to use when you train your dog.

A good and creative name can mean a lot to some dogs. For example, black dogs in shelters are often overlooked that a term “Black Dog Syndrome” has been coined.

There’s even a National Black Dog Day, introduced to increase adoption rates and celebrated on October 1st. A great name may draw attention to some of these dogs.

What’s in a name? Famous black dog names

As we already mentioned, one of the main sources of inspiration for many dog lovers are famous names in pop culture.

For example, we have chosen black dog names popularized by characters who wear black and cartoon characters.

You may also find great examples of black dog names, white dog names, and many other dog names on Instagram and other social media networks.

Black dog names inspired by characters who wear black

• Batman
• Blackbeard
• Blade
• Bond
• Cash
• Darth (Vader)
• Gomez
• Jafar
• John Wick
• Jules
• Kylo
• Maleficent
• Morpheus
• Morticia
• Neo
• Poe
• Pugsley
• Selene
• Severus Snape
• Sirius Black
• T’challa
• Tony Montana
• Toto
• Trinity
• Vader
• Vincent Vega
• Voldemort
• Warlock
• Wednesday
• Xena
• Zorro

Black cartoon character names for black dogs

• Franklin
• Freeman
• Frozone
• Gerald
• Huey
• Numbah
• Oscar
• Penny
• Riley
• Susie
• Tiana
• Vince

Names of famous black dogs on Instagram 

• Aloysius van Winkle – @digbyvanwingle
• Beta – @dearbeta
• Dada – @dog_dada
• Momo – @andrewknapp
• Otis Barkington – @otisbarkingon
• Trotter – @trotterpup

Best names for black dogs

It’s impossible to say what is the best name for a black dog. There are so many names to choose from, inspired by books, movies, nature, space, foods, and other things that surround us.

The best we can do is choose a bunch of different names for you and let you pick the one you like the most.

Black dog names from A to Z

• Black dog names A-C

• Achilles
• Ajax
• Alice
• Amor
• Arya
• Aswald
• Baby Bear
• Bamboo
• Barli
• Basil
• Bat Flower
• Beetle
• Beluga
• Black Bart
• Black Beauty
• Black Dahlia
• Blackfoot
• Black Knight
• Black Magic Hollyhock
• Black Market
• Black Pearl
• Black Peony Poppy
• Black Rosa
• Black Sheep
• Black Velvet
• Black Wolf
• Blackbird
• Blackboard
• Blacker
• Blackheart
• Blacklist
• Blacky
• Blake
• Boston
• Bran
• Brena
• Brenna
• Bruno
• Calathea
• Cardew
• Catheryn
• Cethin
• Charcoal
• Charna
• Cheers
• Chico
• Chicory
• Ciardha
• Cinderella
• Cinders
• Coke
• Colby
• Cole
• Cooper
• Cordial
• Cree
• Cricket
• Cronin
• Currant
• Cyan

• Black dog names D-L

• Dakota
• Dark
• Darkness
• Dash
• Dashiell
• Delaney
• Delano
• Dice
• Dunstan
• Eightball
• Emery
• Eve
• Evening
• Eventide
• Fey
• Fia
• Fiat
• Flint
• Gethen
• Gothic
• Grayson
• Hesper
• Indigo
• Indigo Rose
• Isra
• Jet Black
• Johnny Cash
• Julian
• Kasha
• Keira
• Kettle
• Kieran
• Kodiak
• LBD
• Lava
• Layla
• Lead
• Legend
• Leila
• Limo
• Lugosi
• Lyra

• Black dog names M-R

• Magick
• Marble
• Maroulis
• Maura
• Maurice
• Mauricio
• Maury
• Melaina
• Melanie
• Menace
• Metallica
• Mickey
• Misfit
• Mixer
• Mondo
• Moonbeam
• Moonstruck
• Moritz
• Murky
• Nacht
• Natt
• Nerissa
• Nevermore
• Nhi
• Night
• Night Owl
• Nighthawk
• Nightingale
• Nightshade
• Nisha
• Noche
• Nocturna
• Nori
• Notte
• Oil Engineer
• Omen
• Ophelia
• Orpheus
• Oso
• Padfoot
• Persephone
• Pete
• Puddle
• Puffin
• Puffins
• Royal

• Black dog names S-Z

• Sabbath
• Sammie
• Scout
• Selkie
• Semira
• Shawn
• Slate
• Sloe
• Smoky
• Smudge
• Soot
• Sooty
• Spice
• Spot
• Spots
• Starling
• Steel
• Steely
• Sunspot
• Superstition
• Swarthy
• Swartz
• Talon
• Tansy
• Tar
• Tasmania
• Teddy
• Teddy Bear
• Treacle
• Tux
• Twiglet
• Tynan
• Umbra
• Undertaker
• Ursa
• Vesper
• Vlad
• Wander
• Wasabe
• Widow
• Yang
• Yappers
• Yin
• Yukon

Black dog names linked with the color black

Every color has certain symbolic meanings, including the color black, often associated with dark and negative things.

However, black also represents elegance, power, protection, calm, and many other things. Here are some choices of dog names linked with the color black:

• Batsho
• Blackster
• Coalface
• Diablo
• Dusky
• Ebony
• Graphite
• Knight
• Limousine
• Miner
• Monk
• Moor
• Night Rider
• Pitchy
• Villain
• Zulu

And if your dog has a touch of white, you may want to consider these names:

• Bishop
• Cookie
• Domino
• Friar
• Panda
• Raven
• Spotty

Black dog names inspired by other languages

The word black sounds quite different in other languages. Here are our favorites:

• Kuro – Japanese
• Nero – Italian
• Negro – Spanish
• Noir – French
• Pango – Maori
• Preto – Portuguese
• Schwarz – German
• Zwart – Dutch

Top 10 black dog names

Before we dig deeper into the list of names for black dogs, these are our top 10 choices:

• Ash
• Cosmos
• Goth
• Kuro
• Mamba
• Panther
• Shadow
• Storm
• Voodoo
• Zorro

Female dog names for black dogs

If you are unsure what to name your black girl puppy, we have selected some of the best girl names for black dogs.

Of course, it is important to choose the name that has a meaning, so we did our best to find meaningful names for female black dogs.

• Abby
• Abigail
• Acadia
• Agagate
• Alexa
• Amaris
• Amaya
• Amazon
• Amber
• Amy
• Angel
• Anka
• Ariana
• Babe
• Banshee
• Baroness
• Batty
• Beauty
• Belle
• Bertha
• Betsy
• Bitsie
• Black Widow
• Bobby
• Bridget Jones
• Brooklyn
• Brünhilde
• Cairo
• Candy
• Cersei
• Chai
• Cherry
• Clove
• Crown
• Cups
• Daisy Duke
• Dana Scully
• Darcy
• Deadshot
• Diabolique
• Dot
• Duchess
• Echo
• Electra
• Elle
• Erin Brockovich
• Eureka
• Fergi
• Fern
• Frida
• Fudgie
• Gaia
• Galactica
• Galadriel
• Gem
• Gemini
• Ghost Rider
• Gigi
• Gorgeous
• Hermoine
• Hope
• Huntress
• Jewel
• Joy
• Juno
• Kay
• Kedavra
• Laces
• Lady Bug
• Lakota
• Leia
• Lil’ Kim
• Lipstick
• Liv
• Lolita
• Majesty
• Malibu
• Manhattan
• Marge Gunderson
• Mary-Kate
• May
• Medusa
• Mia
• Minnie
• Minuit
• Missy
• Ms. Ink
• Muffin
• Mystica
• Nakita
• Natasha
• Nayla
• Nimbus
• Octavia
• Odile
• Page
• Pandora
• Paris
• Phoebe
• Pitch
• Plum
• Princess
• Queen
• Queen Shadow
• Queen of Spades
• Queenie
• Rayne
• Reese
• Ripley
• Roo
• Rosie
• Sable
• Sadie
• Sahara
• Scrappy
• Sequoia
• Shimmer
• Shiva
• Silhouette
• Slay
• Smize
• Star
• Sugar
• Sweetpea
• Swift
• Syrup
• Taka
• Talladega
• Tess
• Tiffany
• Tinkerbelle
• Trixie
• Valkyrie
• Velvet
• Venus
• Vixen
• Von Rothbart
• Zoey
• Zuul

Male names for black dogs

There are many great names for male black dogs that have a meaningful background and also sound commanding. Let’s check them out.

• Admiral
• Adonis
• Adrian
• Angus
• Anthony
• Ash
• Asher
• Balto
• Bartholomew
• Baskerville
• Beau
• Beck
• Beowulf
• Bernie
• Biggie Smalls
• Binx
• Blimp
• Bluto
• Bono
• Boomer
• Bronson
• Bruce Lee
• Buba
• Buck
• Buckshot
• Bucky
• Bug
• Button
• Captain
• Cassius
• Cecil
• Chase
• Clifford
• Colossus
• Corbin
• Crumbs
• Cub
• Czar
• Danny Devito
• Django
• Dodge
• Donnie
• Donnie Darko
• Duff
• Duncan
• Durango
• Dusty
• Everest
• Falafel
• Felix
• Foo
• Frankenstein
• Frodo
• Gabe
• Gadget
• Gandalf
• Gary Coleman
• General
• Genghis
• Grease
• Hagrid
• Hakeem
• Hannibal
• Hawk
• Haze
• Hercules
• Hooch
• Hoss
• Hunter
• Ink
• Jamesy
• Jericho
• Jesper
• Jessie
• Jethro
• Jett
• Judas
• Kitt
• Kane
• Kellen
• Kev
• King of Spades
• Kingston
• Kong
• Kuno
• Lazarus
• Lego
• Leilo
• Leo
• Louis
• Mac
• Major
• Manny
• Marmaduke
• Mars
• Maverick
• Max
• Meatball
• Moby
• Mookie
• Moose
• Mud
• Mufasa
• Nana
• Nova
• Oden
• Odie
• Opie
• Othello
• Oz
• Ozlo
• Pengu
• Peter
• Pharaoh
• Pip
• Pluto
• Polo
• Puck
• Pudge
• Reece
• Reeses
• Rich
• Rocket
• Rolo
• Rosco
• Rusty
• Salem
• Scar
• Scooby
• Shade
• Shades
• Shadow
• Sharpie
• Silas
• Slim
• Smoke
• Smokey
• Soldier
• Spade
• Spud
• Stitch
• Sullivan
• Sylvester
• Taz
• Ted
• Thrash
• Toby
• Toots
• Tootsie
• Uno
• Vadar
• Winston
• Woody
• Zander

Black dog names based on size

Every dog deserves a great name – whether it is a small dog breed like Chihuahuas or Pugs, or a big dog breed like Great Danes or Labrador Retrievers. So, here are the best names for black dogs based on size.

Small black dog names

• Bebe
• Bella
• Betty Boop
• Bonnie Boo
• Checkers
• Chess
• Chi Chi
• Ciara
• Ciggy
• Coco
• Cocopuff
• Coley
• Diamond Duff
• Dora
• Fascianne
• Fefe
• Gucci
• Lamya
• Lena
• Mi Mi
• Mila
• Mily
• Mini
• Minor
• Mittens
• Monkey
• Muffles
• Nessie
• Nila
• Peewee
• Petie
• Pimp-Squeak
• Pipa
• Pippin
• Pipsy
• Pita
• Popcorn
• Popsicle
• Rosaleen
• Sas
• Sileni
• Thimble
• Tiddles
• Tika
• Tilly
• Tina
• Tiny
• Truffles
• Violet
• Yoda
• Za Za
• Zara

Big black dog names

• Adham
• Al
• Albert
• Alexelia
• Andre the Giant
• Annabel Lee
• Apollo
• Ares
• Atticus
• Ava
• Avnilla
• Avril
• Axle
• Barthy
• Ben
• Big Bee
• Biggie
• Blackjack
• Bootblack
• Brandon
• Breana
• Brutus
• Burlinda
• Butler
• Caleb
• Char
• Cherny
• Chester
• Chief
• Cujo
• Daysi
• Diego
• Draven
• Duke
• Fallon
• Fifty
• Fin
• Fjodor
• Flare
• Godzilla
• Goliath
• Hefty
• Helen
• Hex
• Hugo
• Hulk
• Jabu
• Juggernaut
• Kanye
• King
• King Kong
• Mack
• Mercedes
• Nemesis
• Pongo
• Ragnar
• Rex
• Rick
• Rocky
• Roth
• Sarge
• Shrek
• Slater
• Titan
• Trooper
• Truman
• Tupac
• Victor
• West
• Whale
• Yeezy
• York
• Yorkie
• Zeek
• Zena

Tough Black Dog names

Some dogs look tough and rough, so it seems appropriate to give them a tough name. We would suggest these:

• Ali
• Axel
• Bandit
• Beast
• Bronx
• Bruiser
• Bullet
• Butch
• Buzz
• Dozer
• Dre
• Fang
• Floyd
• Frazier
• Gunner
• Harley
• Hendrix
• Jedi
• Jinx
• Raider
• Rebel
• Riddick
• Spike
• Sonny
• Tyson
• Vinnie

Black Dog names inspired by deities

Gods have been inspiring people for centuries in many different ways. Names of the old, polytheistic gods are particularly popular today:

• Anubis
• Artemis
• Athena
• Aurora
• Deva
• Erebus
• Hecate
• Hera
• Kali
• Lucifer
• Nyx
• Odin
• Poseidon
• Thor
• Zeus

While giving your dog a name after deity is cool, you should make sure that you are pronouncing the name properly.

Check out this video to learn how to pronounce names of Gods from Norse mythology:

People names for black dogs

For those of us who like to name dogs after people, there is a comprehensive list of people’s names to choose from. We’ve selected some of our favorites here:

• Bart
• Boris
• Brad
• Britney
• Christine
• Cindy
• Cobb
• Darlene
• Ernie
• Georgina
• Jake
• Jasper
• Jeb
• Jerry
• Johnny
• Kate
• Katherine
• Kent
• Liz
• Nancy
• Nate
• Paul
• Raymond
• Sam
• Sarah
• Sherry
• Sonya
• Susan
• Tony
• Trent
• Trudy
• Vilma
• Yasmin
• Yolanda

Black dog names inspired by magic, spook, and more

Many people find inspiration for names in magic and spooky things, especially when it comes to names for a black dog.

• Dracula
• Elvira
• Goth
• Magic
• Merlin
• Midnight
• Mystery
• Mystique
• Necromancer
• Phantom
• Rorschach
• Voodoo

Black dog names inspired by the outer space

Staring into the black void we call outer space is bound to inspire even those with little imagination. Here’s what we came up with:

• Astra
• Celeste
• Cosmo
• Cosmos
• Galaxy
• Eclipse
• Moon
• Nebula
• Orion
• Selena
• Space
• Stella
• Vortex

Black dog names inspired by black animals

Naming your black dog after another animal, especially another black animal, is quite popular. Here are our suggestions:

• Bat
• Bear
• Crow
• Falcon
• Grizzly
• Jackal
• Jaguar
• Leopard
• Mamba
• Panda Bear
• Panther
• Penguin
• Puma
• Raccoon
• Seal
• Spider
• Stallion
• Squid
• Turtle
• Swan
• Wolf

Black dog names inspired by nature, elements, and flowers

Inspiration can be found all around us in nature. Naming your black dog after things from nature and various elements is creative, especially if you name your dog after a unique flower.

• Anise
• Black Velvet Petunia
• Calla
• Canna
• Cantor Black
• Carbon
• Coal
• Dahlia
• Daisy
• Denali
• Dianthus
• Duna
• Dusk
• Ember
• Hellebore
• Lily
• Luna
• Obsidian
• Onyx
• Opal
• Pearl
• Petunia
• Phantom Petunia
• Poppy
• Prunella
• Queen of the Night
• Rain
• Rainy
• Rose
• Shady
• Sirius
• Skye
• Storm
• Stormy
• Tarmac
• Thunder
• Twilight
• Vega
• Zwartkop

Black dog names inspired by food and drinks

If you are a foodie, you will certainly find inspiring ideas in the names of different foods and drinks. These are our favorites:

• Bailey
• Bean
• Black Bean
• Blackberry
• Bock
• Brandy
• Brownie
• Caviar
• Chip
• Coconut
• Cocoa
• Coffee
• Cola
• Cupcake
• Crisp
• Espresso
• Fudge
• Godiva
• Guinness
• Hershey
• Jameson
• Java
• Kahlua
• Kona
• Latte
• Licorice
• Mocha
• Olive
• Oreo
• Pepper
• Pepsi
• Porter
• Pudding
• Pumpkin
• Raisin
• Salami
• Snickers
• Stout

Cool names for black dogs

While it may be hard to determine what is cool and what’s not, we believe that our list of cool black dog names is cool. Check it out:

• Adriel
• Ariel
• Barker
• Barkley
• Bowser
• Brantley
• Chance
• Chandler
• Chopper
• Chrome
• Cinder
• Colton
• Dagan
• Dandy
• Diesel
• Eddie
• Eli
• Elmo
• Fleur
• Hank
• J.J.
• Jordan
• Josh
• Knut
• Leroy
• Mason
• Muttly
• Nigel
• Nooner
• Ronnie
• Sierra
• Sir
• Speck
• Stick
• Tanner
• Tom

Cute names for black dogs

There is cute, and there is black dog cute. For this reason, we have chosen a few of the cutest names for black dogs:

• Ace
• Acer
• Anisette
• Anna Lee
• Blackie
• Bubbles
• Chippy
• Cutie
• Darling
• Fiona
• Flea
• Fluffy
• Frannie
• Grace
• Huey Lewis
• Jannette
• Kaluha
• Kory
• Lawna
• Lori
• Madison
• Monday
• Morris
• Petal
• Prancer
• Shandy

Funny black dog names

Adding a bit of humor to the entire process of name selection is always a good idea. Naming your dog Whitey even though he is a Black Lab may not be funny to him, but it’s bound to draw some smiles in the dog park.

So, here are some funny black dog names for you:

• Arf
• Baa-Baa
• Banjo
• Barcode
• Berry
• Bevis
• Blondie
• Boots
• Bosco
• Boss
• Bouncer
• Bumper
• Bunny
• Cadbury
• Chancellor
• Chew-bark-a
• Chicken
• Chow
• Demon
• Devil
• Doodle
• Ego
• Elvis
• Fancy
• Fluffles
• Foggy
• Ford
• Foxy
• Gizmo
• Gnasher
• Goob
• Groucho
• Happy-Go-Lucky
• Inkblot
• Inky
• Jaws
• Jersey
• Juicy
• K9
• Ken
• Kitten
• Knobby
• Kobe
• Lager
• Miguel
• Mike
• Milo
• Mosley
• Muddy
• Nestle
• Nike
• Ninja
• Nipper
• Paws
• Peanut
• Pinkie
• Pooh Bear
• Porkchop
• Prince
• Queen Bee
• Reaper
• Reeces
• Rover
• Schnauz
• Sealy
• Shaunee
• Shredder
• Skipper
• Skippy
• Smelly
• Smiggle
• Snoop
• Squiggle
• Sting
• Suede
• Sweetie
• T-Bone
• Tank
• Tater
• Tegan
• Terminator
• Thumbelina
• Thumbles
• Tint
• Tippy
• Tipsy
• Toodles
• Topper
• Trouble
• Twizzler
• Usher
• Waffle
• Weezy
• Welly
• Whitey
• Witchy
• Woof
• Wooly
• Yeti
• Yip
• Zebra
• Zippie
• Zippy

Unique Black Dog names

Some black dog names are more popular than others, but choosing a unique name will make your dog feel special. Here are a few examples:

• Agate
• Agent
• Aiden
• Badger
• Bandy
• Bash
• Bootleg
• Champ
• Chaplin
• Cherokee
• Chomp
• Crowe
• Digger
• Drover
• Dylan
• Fuzzy
• Gracie
• Grover
• Hal
• Harlequin
• Hoth
• Inkspot
• Iris
• Jackson
• Jet
• Landis
• Larson
• Loki
• Margarita
• Mullet
• Poppy Seed
• Raskolnikov
• Restorical
• Ricky Rocket
• Rosalee
• Tara
• Texas
• Thirteen
• Washington
• Widow-Maker
• Wilder

What should I name my black dog?

With such a huge selection of unique, tough, funny, and cool names for black dogs, it may be difficult to select just one.

If you are still wondering how to name your black dog, we suggest going with your gut. Any name will certainly suit your sweet best friend.

Let us know in the comment section if you have other awesome black dog names to suggest.

Further reading: Other color-inspired dog names

• Black and White Dog Names
• White Dog Names
• Brown Dog Names
• Gray Dog Names

Reference

• https://nationaltoday.com/national-black-dog-day/