Female Dog Names with Meanings

Find a name that means something special

Choosing her name is one of the fun parts of bringing a new puppy home. Whether you want something unusual, beautiful or a name that means strength, joy or friendship, you’ll find plenty of meaningful ideas here.

By Sharon Dianora

Unique Female Dog Names and Meanings

If Bella and Luna aren’t quite doing it for you, start here. These less-common female dog names have meanings and associations that make them a little more special.

Name	Meaning or Significance	Origin
Aamira	Prosperous; full of life	Arabic
Achava	Friendship	Modern Hebrew
Beatrisa	Form of Beatrice; associated with blessing or happiness	Georgian/Russian form of Latin-rooted Beatrice
Branka	Defender or protector	Slavic
Dagna	Related to Dagny, from elements meaning “day” and “new”	Scandinavian / Old Norse
Desta	Joy or happiness	Amharic
Electra	Amber; also associated with brightness or shining	Ancient Greek
Emiko	Can mean “blessed/favoured, beautiful child,” depending on the kanji used	Japanese
Feng	Can mean “wind” when written 風; other Chinese characters pronounced Feng have different meanings	Chinese
Frodo	Wise; wise through experience	Old English / literary
Garima	Dignity, weight or importance; associated with grace and respect	Sanskrit
Hakima	Wise woman; wise or judicious	Arabic
Hesper	Associated with Hesperus, the Evening Star	Greek
Iara	Lady or mistress of the water	Tupi
Ira	Watchful	Hebrew
Jada	Associated with jade, the precious green stone	English, related to Jade
Kiran	Ray or ray of light	Sanskrit
Lina	Soft or tender	Arabic
Lexi	Short form of Alexandra/Alexis; ultimately associated with defending or protecting	Greek-rooted / English diminutive
Malu	Shade, shelter, protection or peace	Hawaiian

Popular Female Dog Names With Meanings

Not every great name has to be unusual. If you prefer something familiar, these well-known female dog names have meanings and associations that may make one of them feel just right.

Name	Meaning or Significance	Origin
Bella	Associated with the Italian word bella, meaning “beautiful”	Italian / English
Poppy	Named after the red poppy flower, strongly associated with remembrance	English
Lola	Short form of Dolores, meaning “sorrows”	Spanish
Luna	Moon; also the name of the Roman goddess of the moon	Latin / Roman mythology
Bailey	From an occupational surname meaning “bailiff” or administrator	English / Anglo-Norman
Ruby	The precious red gemstone; its name ultimately comes from a Latin word meaning “red”	English / Latin-rooted
Daisy	The flower name comes from Old English words meaning “day's eye”	Old English
Molly	A traditional diminutive of Mary; now widely used as a name in its own right	English
Coco	A diminutive of names beginning with “Co,” also influenced by the word cocoa	Various
Rosie	Diminutive of Rose, giving it a natural association with the flower	English
Lucy	English form of Lucia, ultimately associated with the Latin word for “light”	English / Latin-rooted
Stella	Star	Latin
Sophie	French form of Sophia, meaning “wisdom”	French / Greek-rooted
Chloe	Green shoot or new plant growth	Ancient Greek
Zoe	Life	Ancient Greek
Lily	Named after the lily flower, traditionally associated with purity	English / Latin-rooted
Willow	A nature name taken directly from the willow tree	English
Sadie	Diminutive of Sarah, a Hebrew name meaning “lady,” “princess” or “noblewoman”	English / Hebrew-rooted

Female Dog Names With Powerful Meanings

Looking for a name with a bit of muscle behind it? Strength doesn’t have to mean being the biggest or boldest dog in the room. Courage, wisdom, victory, protection and even light can all give a little girl’s name a powerful meaning.

Here are some strong choices — and what the names actually mean or represent.

Name	Meaning or Significance	Represents	Origin
Astraea	Greek goddess associated with justice and innocence	Justice	Greek mythology
Atalanta	A famously swift and determined heroine of Greek mythology	Determination	Greek mythology
Athena	Greek goddess of wisdom and warfare; the name's literal meaning is uncertain	Wisdom & strength	Greek mythology
Brunhild	From Germanic elements associated with armour or protection and battle	Protection & strength	Germanic
Brynhildr	Old Norse name formed from elements meaning armour and battle	Warrior strength	Old Norse
Jaya	Associated with victory and being victorious	Victory	Sanskrit
Justice	An English word name representing fairness and what is right	Justice & integrity	English word name
Metis	Means “wisdom, skill, cunning”; Metis was a Titan in Greek mythology	Wisdom	Greek mythology
Minerva	Roman goddess of wisdom and war	Wisdom & strength	Roman mythology
Nike	Name of the Greek goddess who personified victory	Victory	Greek mythology
Noor	Means “light”	Light & hope	Arabic
Selene	Means “moon”; Selene was the Greek goddess of the moon	Light & celestial strength	Greek mythology
Sophia	Means “wisdom”	Wisdom	Greek
Valor	An English word name meaning great courage, especially in the face of danger	Courage	English word name
Victoria	Means “victory”; also the name of the Roman goddess of victory	Victory	Latin / Roman mythology
Xena	Best known through the fictional warrior princess, giving the name a modern association with bravery and strength	Courage & strength	Fictional association

Alcohol-Inspired Names for Female Dogs

If your idea of the perfect dog name comes with a twist of lime, there are some surprisingly good choices hiding behind the bar. Wine, cocktails and spirits can inspire fun female dog names — particularly if you’re looking for something a little different.

Name	What It Is	Why It Works as a Dog Name
Brandy	A spirit distilled from wine or fermented fruit	Warm and friendly, with a slightly vintage feel. A lovely choice for a brown, red or caramel-colored girl.
Cava	A sparkling wine from Spain	Short, distinctive and easy to call. A good fit for a bubbly little personality.
Champagne	Sparkling wine from the Champagne region of France	A glamorous choice for a girl who knows she's something special. Champ or Champy could work as everyday nicknames.
Chardonnay	A white wine grape variety and the wine made from it	Elegant and unusual, with plenty of nickname possibilities — Char, Chardy or even Donna.
Margarita	A cocktail traditionally made with tequila, lime and orange liqueur	Cheerful and feminine, with Maggie, Margie or Rita available when you want something shorter.
Martini	A classic cocktail traditionally made with gin and vermouth	Quirky without being difficult to say, and Tini makes a particularly cute nickname for a small dog.
Merlot	A red wine grape variety and the wine produced from it	Soft-sounding and sophisticated. It could be especially fitting for a deep red, chocolate or dark-coated girl.
Mojito	A Cuban cocktail traditionally made with rum, lime, mint, sugar and soda water	Bright, playful and a little mischievous — just right for a puppy who keeps everyone entertained.
Prosecco	An Italian sparkling wine	A bubbly name for a bubbly personality. Pro, Prossy or Coco could all work as shorter call names.
Rosé	A pink wine made using red wine grapes	Short, pretty and feminine, and especially fun for a rosy, cream or reddish-coated girl.
Sake	A Japanese alcoholic drink made from fermented rice	Short and distinctive, although it's worth getting the Japanese pronunciation right before choosing it.
Sambuca	An Italian anise-flavored liqueur	Unusual and full of personality, with Buca as a fun, punchy nickname.
Sherry	A fortified wine traditionally produced in southern Spain	Already sounds perfectly natural as a girl's name, with a warm, slightly old-fashioned charm.
Tequila	A Mexican spirit distilled from blue agave	A bold choice for a lively girl with plenty of attitude. Tiki or Kila can make easier everyday call names.

How to Choose the Right Name for Your Female Dog

Found a few favorites? Before you make the final decision, try each name out loud for a day or two. The one that looks perfect written down isn’t always the one that feels right when you’re calling a puppy in from the garden!

A good dog name should be easy for you to say and easy for her to distinguish from the other words she hears regularly. Short names often work particularly well, but a longer name can be just as practical if it has a natural nickname.

Most importantly, choose something you enjoy saying. You’ll be using her name thousands of times over the years, from happy greetings and training sessions to those inevitable moments when she’s disappearing down the garden with something she definitely shouldn’t have.

Before you decide…

Say the name out loud several times.
Try calling it from another room or across the garden.
Check that it doesn’t sound too similar to a cue you use regularly.
Think about the nickname you’ll probably end up using.
Make sure you’ll still be happy shouting it in public!

Looking for more help with your new puppy? Visit our Puppy Information section for advice on caring for, training and living with your new arrival.

Sources & References:

Name meanings and origins can vary between languages, spellings and traditions. Where possible, the meanings and origins on this page have been checked against established etymological and language references, including:

Behind the Name — reference database for the etymology, history and usage of given names.
Perseus Digital Library, Tufts University — Greek language and classical references used for some names of Ancient Greek origin.
Wehewehe Wikiwiki, University of Hawaiʻi — Hawaiian language dictionaries and resources used to check Hawaiian words and meanings.

Meanings based on mythology or cultural associations are identified as such rather than presented as literal translations.