Black Dog Name Generator
Cool names for black dogs, big and small
Names for black dogs built around the coat: night names like Midnight and Eclipse, stones like Onyx and Obsidian, folklore hounds like Shuck and Barghest, retriever names like Drake and Decoy, and ironic picks like Snowball.
About black dog names
A black coat gives you more naming material than any other color. The obvious sources are the night sky (Midnight, Eclipse, Orion, Dog Star), dark stones and materials (Onyx, Obsidian, Graphite, Cast Iron) and dark food and drink (Espresso, Licorice, Guinness, Long Black). This list has all three, but it is built for dogs first, so most of it comes from places a cat or horse list would not go.
Britain and Ireland have a long tradition of ghostly black dogs, and their names make striking call names: Shuck from East Anglia, Barghest and Gytrash from the north of England, Padfoot, the Church Grim, and the Moddey Dhoo of the Isle of Man. Myth adds Cerberus, Garm and Anubis. For working breeds there are retriever and gundog names (Drake, Decoy, Mallard, Teal), traditional sheepdog names (Meg, Nell, Sweep) and harbor names for Newfoundlands and water dogs (Bosun, Trawler, Jetty).
Size matters too. Big black dogs get Tank, Moose, Dreadnought and Freight Train; small ones get Bean, Inkspot, Scarab and Short Black. There are words for black, night and shadow from other languages, such as Noir, Kuro, Dubh and Schatten, names that lean female or male (Dahlia, Bess, Duke, Brutus), and an ironic section for anyone who wants a black dog called Snowball, Ghost or Flat White.
How to choose black dog names
- Think about size before you pick. Tank and Dreadnought are wasted on a Schipperke, while Bean, Nib and Inkspot are funnier on a Newfoundland than you might expect.
- Call it across a field. One or two clear syllables carry best, which is why working names like Drake, Nell and Jet have lasted.
- Check the rest of the household. A name that sounds like a command or like another pet's name slows down training, so say it next to 'sit', 'stay' and 'no' before you settle on it.
- If you like a folklore name, read the story first. Shuck and Barghest come from ghost stories, which some owners love and others would rather not explain at the dog park.
- Long names need a short form. Moddey Dhoo becomes Moddey, Mezzanotte becomes Mezza, and Dreadnought becomes Dread.
Frequently asked questions
What are cool names for a black dog?
For a strong, simple name try Onyx, Jet, Orion, Eclipse or Obsidian. For something less common, look at the folklore hounds Shuck, Barghest and Garm, or at words from other languages such as Kuro, Noir and Dubh.
What are good names for a big black dog?
Big dogs suit heavy, solid names: Tank, Moose, Dreadnought, Juggernaut, Cast Iron and Freight Train. Bear is the classic for a Newfoundland or a large Labrador, and Garm and Cerberus work for a guardian breed.
What about a small black dog or a female black dog?
Small dogs suit small dark things such as Bean, Inkspot, Scarab, Nib and Short Black. For a female, the list includes Dahlia, Nova, Sable, Bess, Selene and Black-Eyed Susan.
Are there funny names for a black dog?
Yes. The ironic picks name the dog after things that are white or bright, such as Snowball, Ghost, Flat White and Flashlight. Others joke about how a black dog vanishes in a dark room: Trip Hazard, Dark Mode, Hallway Ambush and Where's the Dog.
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All 500 black dog names
A: 17 names
- Aberdeen
- Acheron
- Adhara
- Admiral
- After Hours
- Afterdark
- Agent K
- Alfred
- Altair
- Amarok
- Amsel
- Anchor
- Anubis
- Argos
- Asphalt
- Asterion
- Asterisk
B: 55 names
- Baa Baa
- Balsamic
- Banks
- Barge
- Barghest
- Baskerville
- Battleship
- Bayou
- Beacon
- Beamish
- Bean
- Bear
- Beauceron
- Beetle
- Bellows
- Beluga
- Beowulf
- Bering
- Bert
- Bess
- Big Ben
- Bison
- Black Belt
- Black Box
- Black Dog
- Black Friday
- Black Ops
- Black Sheep
- Black Tie
- Black Trumpet
- Black Watch
- Black-Eyed Susan
- Blackcap
- Blackjack
- Blackstar
- Blacktop
- Blot
- Boatswain
- Boggart
- Bonbon
- Bonfire Toffee
- Bosun
- Boysenberry
- Bracken
- Brant
- Breaker
- Bright Eyes
- Bruin
- Brutus
- Bucky
- Bug
- Bumper
- Bungay
- Buoy
- Burdock
C: 54 names
- Caboose
- Cabot
- Cadejo
- Calla
- Camera Shy
- Cane Nero
- Canicula
- Canis Major
- Canvasback
- Cap
- Caper
- Carbon Fiber
- Carbone
- Cassis
- Cassowary
- Cast Iron
- Catfish
- Cavall
- Cayuga
- Cemani
- Cerberus
- Chalk
- Chalkboard
- Chara
- Charcoal
- Charon
- Chia
- Chien Noir
- Church Grim
- Ci Du
- Cinder
- Coal
- Coal Tender
- Colonel
- Comma
- Condor
- Contessa
- Coot
- Corbie
- Corso
- Corvo
- Cosmos
- Cotton
- Crow
- Crucible
- Crude
- Cu Dubh
- Culann
- Curly
- Currant
- Currawong
- Cygnus
- Cysgod
- Czarny Pies
D: 35 names
- Dahlia
- Damson
- Dane
- Dark Mode
- Dark Moon
- Dark Sky
- Darkroom
- Darth
- Daylight
- Deckhand
- Decoy
- Deep Space
- Deputy
- Detective
- Dickens
- Diehard
- Diesel
- Dimpsy
- Dinky
- Dobie
- Dock
- Dog Star
- Doppio
- Dorcha
- Dougal
- Drafter
- Drake
- Dreadnought
- Drongo
- Drudwyn
- Du
- Dubh
- Duchess
- Duke
- Dusk
E: 8 names
- Ebony
- Eclipse
- Eider
- Elderberry
- Encre
- Equinox
- Espresso
- Espresso Shot
F: 14 names
- Far Side
- Feasgar
- Figgy
- First Mate
- Fisher
- Flashlight
- Flat White
- Flatcoat
- Floss
- Fogbank
- Foghorn
- Footnote
- Freight Train
- Full Stop
G: 20 names
- Gabi
- Galloway
- Gander
- Garm
- Gelert
- General
- Ghost
- Giza
- Graphene
- Graphite
- Grendel
- Grim
- Groenendael
- Guinness
- Gumshoe
- Gunmetal
- Gunner
- Gurt Dog
- Gwyllgi
- Gytrash
H: 20 names
- Hackney
- Hairy Jack
- Half Pint
- Hallway Ambush
- Harbinger
- Harbor Master
- Hati
- Hauler
- Heath
- Hector
- Hel
- Hellhound
- Helm
- High Beam
- Highlighter
- Hole in the Floor
- Hrafn
- Hubble
- Huginn
- Humbug
I: 10 names
- Iggy
- Igloo
- Imperial Stout
- Indigo
- Ink
- Ink Drop
- Inkspot
- Inugami
- Ironclad
- Italian Roast
J: 8 names
- Java
- Jess
- Jet
- Jetta
- Jetty
- Judge
- Juggernaut
- Jujube
K: 5 names
- Kaiser
- Kerry
- Klondike
- Kuro
- Kuroinu
L: 28 names
- Lab Assistant
- Lab Coat
- Lab Notes
- Lab Partner
- Lab Report
- Labby
- Lady
- Laelaps
- Laika
- Lakrids
- Landseer
- Last Call
- Lava Rock
- Laylah
- Lead Dog
- Lens Cap
- Licorice
- Lightbulb
- Lint
- Lint Roller
- Little Captain
- Loch
- Locomotive
- Long Black
- Loon
- Luath
- Lunar
- Lunar Rover
M: 40 names
- Madra Dubh
- Makkuro
- Malbec
- Mallard
- Mammoth
- Mangu
- Manta
- Marlowe
- Marsh
- Marten
- Mastino
- Mauthe Doog
- Meg
- Meteor
- Meteorite
- Mezzanotte
- Mezzotint
- Midnight
- Minuit
- Mirlo
- Missing Pixel
- Mitternacht
- Mocha
- Moddey Dhoo
- Model T
- Moka
- Mole
- Moon Bear
- Moon Rover
- Moonbeam
- Moonless
- Moose
- Morpheus
- Morsel
- Moth
- Motor Oil
- Muninn
- Musher
- Musta
- Musta Koira
N: 18 names
- Nell
- Neo
- Neon
- Newfie
- Nib
- Nibs
- Night Mode
- Night Shift
- Night Train
- Nightcap
- Nightingale
- Nightlight
- Nightlight Not Included
- Nisha
- Noir
- Nos
- Nova
- Nyx
O: 14 names
- Obsidian
- Octane
- Oh Dark Thirty
- Oil Slick
- Okuri
- Old Shuck
- Ombra
- Onyx
- Ophelia
- Orbit
- Orion
- Orthrus
- Ouzel
- Ox
P: 28 names
- Padfoot
- Pandora
- Panther
- Parkin
- Peat
- Pencil Lead
- Pepper
- Pepper Flake
- Peppercorn Pete
- Persephone
- Petite Sirah
- Petrel
- Pilot
- Pintail
- Piston
- Pitmirk
- Plum Pudding
- Pluto
- Pocket Shadow
- Polaris
- Pollywog
- Ponoc
- Pontefract
- Porter
- Portie
- Power Outage
- Procyon
Q: 1 name
- Queen of Night
R: 15 names
- Raisin
- Ranger
- Ratri
- Raven
- Recon
- Red Eye
- Reed
- Rhino
- Rigel
- Robusta
- Rochester
- Rookie
- Root Beer
- Rottie
- Rottweil
S: 52 names
- Sable
- Salmiak
- Sarsaparilla
- Scarab
- Sceolan
- Schatten
- Schip
- Schnauz
- Scoter
- Scottie
- Scout
- Scuttle
- Seal
- Selene
- Selkie
- Semicolon
- Sentry
- Sergeant
- Setanta
- Setter
- Shadow
- Shadow Puppet
- Shadow With Legs
- Shaggydog
- Shep
- Short Black
- Short Stack
- Shuck
- Shutter
- Sirius
- Skoll
- Skriker
- Skugga
- Smudge
- Snowball
- Snuffles
- Soot
- Spirit Bear
- Splotch
- St. John
- Star Anise
- Stargazer
- Starless
- Stealth Mode
- Stormy
- Stout
- Sumatra
- Sumo
- Sunshine
- Svart
- Sweep
- Syrah
T: 25 names
- Tadpole
- Tank
- Tarn
- Teal
- Tempest
- Tenebre
- Tess
- Thimble
- Three A.M.
- Tiangou
- Tinta
- Toothless
- Tor
- Tracker
- Trapper
- Trawler
- Trinity
- Trip Hazard
- Trooper
- Truffle
- Tugboat
- Tui
- Tumma
- Tuxedo
- Twilight
U: 4 names
- Underexposed
- Urchin
- Ursa
- Usiku
V: 8 names
- Vader
- Vanilla
- Vanilla Bean
- Vantablack
- Venom
- Void
- Vole
- Voyager
W: 11 names
- Wader
- Wagyu
- Warden
- Warg
- Wenge
- Wheel Dog
- Where's the Dog
- Whitby
- Whiteout
- Widgeon
- Widget
X: 3 names
- Xena
- Xiao Hei
- Xolo
Y: 3 names
- Yatagarasu
- Yeth
- Yozora