Tag: name

If I could Name All the Guide Dog Puppies | A List of Names Beginning with D

Welcome back for more dog names! This week, it’s the letter D.

Check out my list of C names here, or my list of A names if you’d like to start at the beginning.

Daiquiri (Feminine): who doesn’t like a good strawberry daiquiri when you can get one? And with this name, you would always have one on hand.

Dainty (Feminine): a delicate option for a prim pup.

Drifter (Masculine): the exact opposite thing for a male dog that likes to plow into things and take corners too tightly at too high speeds.

Dryad (Feminine): from Greek mythology, a spirit or nymph that inhabited a tree.

Dolan (Masculine): a second name in Ireland meaning dark, associated with an Irish high king from the second century.

Delila (Feminine): a beautiful one, from Hebrew meaning delicate 

Dapper (Masculine): a word you would use to describe your handsome man when he’s all dressed up in a suit, but also a cute name for a handsome doggy.

Dove (Feminine): as in the bird, associated with peace.

Dover (Masculine): a male option with similar sounds, but denoting a ferry port town in England, as well as several American towns.

Dekker (Masculine): I heard this one from a Guiding Eyes puppy raising page, and I liked it.

Dori (Feminine): just a cute one, and fairly popular for dogs already if you’re looking for something particularly wearable.

Dragon (Masculine): I’m not so sure about this one, but it’s easy to say and obviously brings up some powerful images. Do you think it could work?

Domovoy (Masculine): From Russian, meaning house lord. In Russian mythology, a domovoy was a benevolent household spirit that guarded the families with which they lived.

Doliver (Masculine): an English second name. I like it because it has the sound of Oliver, but the uniqueness of the D at the beginning.

Dittany (Feminine): a plant used in herbal medicine, also called the “burning bush”, as it’s blooms have a tendency to spontaneously combust.

Dorian (Neutral): a musical term referring to a scale often used in celtic traditional music.

Dulcimer (Neutral, but maybe masculine?): a box-like wooden instrument with strings stretched across it, played using hand-held hammers 

Dolce (Feminine, pronounced with a soft CH): meaning sweet in Italian 

Duende (Feminine): a word in Spanish that we don’t have an equivalent for in English. Connected to the excitement or emotional arrousal you feel at seeing or hearing something artistically beautiful.

Daphne (Feminine): “a small Eurasian shrub with sweet-scented flowers and, typically, evergreen leaves ” (New Oxford AmericanPrimie2017

 Dictionary). This was also 

Dutchus (Feminine): female equivalent of duke.

I’ve always had a personal affinity for D names, and I think that shows in the length of this list. I’d love to hear your ideas. Do you have a beloved dog in your life with a name starting with D?

If I Could Name All the Guide Dog Puppies | A List of Names Beginning with “C”

If you’re a dog-lover like me, you might consider naming your canine pal to be a pretty weighty task. This is especially true if the pup in question will be a working partner, as well as a best friend. The following is my third post in a series dedicated to listing some of my favorite potential dog names. As a service dog handler myself, I’ve chosen names that I think are particularly suited to give to a working dog, taking the length, ease-of-pronunciation, meaning, and associations all into account. Check out my list of A names or B names for more ideas.

Dog Names Beginning with “C”

Cruise (Masculine): I like this one for a guide dog particularly because “cruising” is such a great way to describe what it feels like to walk freely with your guide. It is also clear, short, and distinct from most English commands that I can think of 

Callum (Masculine): Scottish derivative of “columba”, meaning dove

Clemintine (Feminine): these little citrus fruits are bursting with flavor. Good for a little girl with a lot of personality.

Conan (Masculine): this comes from an Irish word meaning little wolf, which seems appropriate. It is also the name of a U.S. special forces military dog who was awarded a medal of honor at the Whitehouse in 2019. Notably, Conan was named after TV personality Conan O’Brian.

Chloe (Feminine): I think this name is fairly widely-used for dogs already. It is a Greek name that means “green shoot”, and refers to Demeter, goddess of aggriculture and fertility. Appropriate for a dog with a youthful attitude.

Corin (Masculine): containing the Latin route for “heart”, this is the name of a prince from C.S. Lewis’ The Horse and his Boy.

Coco (Neutral): the delicious stuff we put in cakes.

Clodagh (Feminine): a popular name in Ireland associated with a river in County Waterford as well as a saint.

Chico (Masculine): meaning boy in Spanish. I just think it’s cute.

Ceili (Feminine, pronounced “Kay-Lee): a social event or step dance traditional in Scotland and Ireland. I attended a Ceili with my friends for my 16th birthday (I know, make fun of me all you want) and had a blast! Great memories associated with this word and I think it makes for a great name.

Cooper (Masculine): an English occupational name associated with those who made buckets and barrels 

Chapel (Masculine): this one could maybe go feminine too. Just draws to mind beautiful places with stained glass and I liked the sound of it.

Cherry (Feminine): as in the fruit. Might be a good one if your dog’s coat has a reddish hugh.

Cheer (Masculine): a similar one for a male, denoting happiness.

Chess (Masculine): as in the game. Good for a clever or somewhat mischievous dog.

Chesapeak (Neutral, Chessie for short): a similar sound, named for the bay on the east coast of the U.S. between Maryland and Virginia. 

Chaucer (Masculine): as in the English author, for a scholarly type.

Coral (Feminine): a lovely shade of orangey-pink, the tiny sea creatures that grow in reefs, and the mother from Finding Nemo.

Calypso (Feminine): from Greek mythology, meaning “concealing the knowledge”. A nymph who kept Odysseus prisoner on her island for 7 years.

Celtic (Masculine): beginning with a hard “C” sound, this refers to a cultural and linguistic group of the British isles. Use with caution if you plan to spend any time in the UK, though, as it is also a football (soccer) team and could get you into some trouble.

Cove (Neutral): a small inlet or bay in a larger body of water. Might be associated with peace and calm as a more sheltered place along a coastline.

Clue (Feminine): only thing with this one is you could never say “I have no clue” without lying 🙂

Castle (Masculine?): I just think this makes for a cool name

Carolina (Feminine): a region, but also a wild dog breed 

Chip (Masculine): reminds me of the little china cup from the Beauty and the Beast 

Camberra (Feminine): the name of my stuffed koala bear growing up, and the capital city of Australia.

Cornflower (Feminine): a European bloom associated with growing in aggricultural fields. Blue, white, or pink in color. Can be used medicinally for various ailments.

Do you have a dog with a name beginning with C? What would you add to this list?

See you next time for “D” names, and don’t forget to check out the “A” and “B” lists if you haven’t already.

If I Could Name All the Guide Dog Puppies | A List of Names Beginning with “B”

This is my second post in a series dedicated to dog names. I have chosen names that I think would be suitable for service dogs, but they could be used for any furry friend in need of a title. Find my picks for “B” names below, or read my list of A names here.

Bryony (Feminine): a wild vine with greenish flowers. 

Brody (masculine): there seems to be some disagreement about this name’s origins, but it may be derived from an Irish or Scottish word meaning “muddy place”, or it may come from a Pictish word denoting kingship. Either way, I like it.

Bridey (feminine): exalted one (Irish), from Bridget. A nice one if you love the Brody sound but are looking for a girl’s name.

Breezy (feminine): makes me think of lovely summer days. Could be nice for a cheerful Labrador type.

Bear (masculine): I’m sure you’ve met a dog called bear in your lifetime… it’s a perfect description for the big, fluffy, huggable sort, or might give your little dog a bit more respectability. It’s worth noting with this one that “bear” might sound like “chair” or “stairs” if you are training a guide dog, so you may have to train other alternatives like find the “seat” or “steps”.

Balto (masculine): this was the name of a famous sled dog that led the way to deliver much-needed medicine to a town in Alaska during the early 20th century. A noble dog that deserves to be honored by other noble dogs carrying on his name. (some sources I read noted that his original name was Togo, so you could go with that one, too).

Bunny: this is a slightly cutesy name, which I generally prefer to avoid, but I make an exception here because I just think it’s so adorable!

Blue (neutral): a nice color and a nice name, and if you remember Blue’s Clues it could be a reference to a bit of childhood nostalgia, too.

bluebell (Feminine): a generally deep blue-violet, bell-shaped wildflower native to western Europe. These blooms are associated with faithfulness, humility, thankfulness, and abiding love. If you pick this name, just be careful not to pick her namesake. Old tails say that plucking a bluebell may induce the fairies to trick you into getting lost, and wander without rest forever. 

Brave (Neutral): if you want to bestow confidence and courage on your canine partner, this is a simple way to do it.

Barista (neutral): just be careful of how you talk to your dog in a cafe, in case the person behind the counter gets confused. I can think of a few cute nicknames for this one, like Barie, Ris, or Rista. 

Badger (Masculine): what can I say. I love naming dogs with other animal names! Makes me think of a dog with a fierce but steadfast character. This may be because of my being an avid Redwall fan as a child.

Blossom (Feminine): a gentle, sweet-sounding name for a gentle, sweet doggie.

Bliss (Feminine): much the same as the above, though a one-syllable option.

Beacon (Neutral): my guide dogs have been a light in the darkness more than once in my life.

Beowolf (Masculine): evoking the hero of the ancient Irish tail by this name. Definitely a strong one for a large, powerful dog. When he’s off duty and you need a cuddlier nickname, he could be called Wolfie.

Bishop (Masculine): the title of a clergyman in some Christian traditions who was responsible for overseeing multiple churches in one region. Carries the same sort of connotations for me as Abbott, from our previous list.

Blaze (Masculine): a good one for a dog with a fiery personality. Could also refer to coloring. A white stripe down the middle of a horse’s face is commonly referred to as a “blaze”.

Can you think of any B names to add to this list? Have you ever met a dog with one of these names? Let us know! See you next time for the “c” litter!

If I Could Name All the Guide Dog Puppies | A List of Names Beginning with “A”

I don’t know about you, but I find names incredibly interesting. The way humans assign sounds to things, and meanings to those sounds fascinates me. One particular area of interest for me is in naming guide and service dogs. Naming a service dog is quite important. It is the word you will use to refer to the animal that helps you on a daily basis. It should therefore be something not only that you like, but that is functional. That is to say, it needs to be a name that you can spit out quickly when your dog does something bold. At the same time, it needs to be respectable, as this dog will have to be honored as a professional in public places where dogs are not usually permitted. For that reason I tend to steer clear of names that are a bit too cutesy, like “Precious” or “Fluffy” or “Bubbles”.

Most of the time, service dog users don’t get to pick their dog’s names, so I haven’t gotten to do anything with my many name ideas. I thought I’d post them here as a resource for anyone who needs some inspiration.

Guide dog schools frequently name their puppies using one letter per litter, so I will follow that pattern here by posting lists alphabetically. Here’s twenty options for A names that I love for a litter of new service pups.

Aaida (feminine): the one who is helpful (French). A fitting name for a dog that will be helping you on a daily basis.

Artemis (feminine): the Greek hunter goddess. I think it’s a nice sounding name, and it can be shortened to Artie as a sweet nickname.

Ace (masculine): excellent, expert. 

Acorn (neutral): you’ll find in these lists that I have a soft spot for nature names. The drawback with this one is that the only nickname I can think of is “Corny”, which might not appeal to you.

Alaska (neutral): as in the state. Connotations may include mountains, sled dogs, polar bears, rifles, etc.

Arrow (masculine): as in, fly arrow, straight and true. Just sounds cool to me.

Archer (masculine): there is the arrow, and then there is the one who aims and shoots the arrow. 

Arwin (masculine, though neutral really I would think): friend of the people. If your dog is a lab, the only more accurate name would be friend of the food.

Aquila (neutral): Latin origins meaning eagle. Also Biblical, husband of Pricilla as recorded in the book of Acts.

Apphia (feminine): darling (Phrygian). Our service dogs always become our darlings.

Arbor (masculine): a shady garden alcove. Time with our dogs can be a haven of peace, and I think this name communicates that well.

Abbot (Masculine): the head of a monastery. A sweet A name for a young dog with an old soul.

Avonlea (feminine): the home of Anne, from Anne of Green Gables, set in Prince Edward Island. I have a friend with a dog by this name, and I always thought it was a bit of a mouthful for a working dog, but if you think you could handle it, it strikes me as a beautiful one.

Aladdin (Masculine): as in the character from the Disney movie. Originally middle-eastern meaning noble of faith. I don’t particularly like the character Aladdin but I do think the name is cute for a dog and has a bit of gravitas given the meaning.

Arielle (female): continuing with the Disney theme.

Aerwyna (Feminine): meaning friend of the sea. Perfect for a dog who loves water. Could go with Wynnie for short.

Aslan (Masculine): the lion from C.S. Lewis’ Narnia series. Quite a strong name.

Annabell (Feminine): favored grace. Guide dogs in particular help their people move gracefully throughout the world, and every service dog is a gracious gift from God. A lovely name and a fitting meaning.

Azure (neutral): a bright shade of blue. Almost sounds like “Asher” when spoken quickly, but is a slightly more unique choice.

Apollo (Masculine): the Greek god associated with music, poetry, archery, and medicine. Brother of Artemis. Are you sensing a theme or two here?

What do you think? Could you see yourself using any of these names? What would your A list be?

See you next time for the B litter!