Names by theme
Out of the biscuit tin: Biscuit, Custard, Crumpet, Muffin, Bramble, Toffee, Fudge, Pickle, Bisto, Hobnob, Bourbon, Scone.
Countryside: Heather, Fern, Hazel, Rowan, Moss, Bracken, Clover, Thistle, Willow, Ash, Birch, Robin.
Places: Brodie, Skye, Islay, Kent, Devon, Hastings, Rye, Bute, Harris, Derby, Corrie, Windsor.
Sport: Kane, Saka, Wilko, Murray, Becks, Lineker, Raducanu, Ennis, Kelly, Farah.
Tiny dogs, big names: Duchess, Sergeant, Lord Byron, Winston, Churchill, Admiral, Margot, Queenie.
Short and punchy: Jet, Fly, Rex, Bo, Kit, Mac, Pip, Dot, Roo, Zak, Ted, Bea.
Need more? Browse our full lists of girl dog names and boy dog names.
How to choose a name your dog will actually learn
In training, short names win: one or two syllables, with a clear consonant at the start. Bella, Max, Rocco and Pip carry across a field. Wilhelmina will become Mina within a week anyway.
Avoid names that sound like a command. Kit sounds like sit, Bo like no, Neil like heel. A confused dog is a slow learner.
Say it out loud in a hurry. If you would be embarrassed shouting it across a park at 7am, keep looking.
Check the household. A dog called Millie in a house with a Molly, or a Leo with a child called Theo, is going to spend its life guessing.
Rescue dogs can change name. Pair the new name with something good (a treat, a game) every time and most dogs switch in a couple of weeks.
The law: what goes on the tag
Under the Control of Dogs Order 1992, a dog in a public place must wear a collar with the owner’s name and address on it or on a tag. The dog’s own name is not required, and plenty of owners leave it off. Councils can fine owners who ignore the rule.
On top of that, dogs in England, Scotland and Wales must be microchipped by eight weeks old, and your details on the chip database must be kept up to date.
Registered names (Royal Kennel Club)
If your puppy is registered with the Royal Kennel Club, it has a formal registered name chosen by the breeder, often starting with the breeder’s kennel name. It has nothing to do with the name you use at home.
A registered name can normally be changed only once, and only by adding the new owner’s own kennel name.
