Pawfect Big Dog Names for Your Gentle Giant

St. Bernards, Great Danes, Golden Retrievers – there are plenty of dogs out there that tower over their counterparts. For the last five years, the three most popular breeds in the U.S. have all been big dogs, and it’s not hard to understand why; they are gentle giants at heart, loyal companions and extremely cuddlable!
If your new furry companion is a big dog breed, you’ll need a name that matches their huge size (and personality!). Fortunately, we’ve got you covered; today we’ve compiled a list of over 150 big dog names, so you’re sure to find one here that fits your lovable, oversized pup.

Best Overall Big Dog Names

A big dog simply means there’s more dog to love! Here’s a list of our all-time favorite big dog names. If you don’t find what you’re looking for in this list, we still have plenty more potential names for your gentle giant after this.

• Arya: Meaning noble, honorable
• Bear: A name perfect for dogs with a little extra fluff and bear-like charm.
• Beethoven: Who doesn’t remember the classic 1992 furry friend movie, Beethoven? It was all about a giant St. Bernard with a slobbering yet lovable personality!
• Bentley: Meaning a field with bent grass, ideal name for a big working dog.
• Bruiser
• Buddy
• Buster: Meaning tough.
• Butch: Meaning manly.
• Canyon
• Chief
• Chopper
• Colossus
• Cooper
• Denali: Meaning the great one, or high one.
• Dexter
• Duchess
• Duke
• Everest
• Fido: Meaning faithful. Fido was also the name of Abraham Lincoln’s dog.
• Gus: Short for Augustus, meaning great and majestic.
• Hugo: Meaning heart, mind and spirit.
• Hunter
• Kong: Short for King Kong.
• Leila: Meaning night, dusk and beauty.
• Lupo: Italian origin, meaning wolf.
• Marley: Name of the mischievous fun-loving Labrador Retriever in Marley & Me.
• Rex: Short for Tyrannosaurus rex, perfect name for a big dog with a bark that packs a punch.
• Rocky
• Storm
• Talia: Meaning heaven’s gentle dew, ideal for a gentle giant.
• Tank
• Tucker
• Yogi: Name of the large, popular cartoon bear from The Yogi Bear Show, known for his sense of humor and antics.

Courageous Big Dog Names for Males

Is your companion’s courage even bigger than his size? If so, look no further. All these names embody bravery, strength and tenacity.

• Ace
• Achilles: Name of the greatest warrior in Greek mythology.
• Admiral: Meaning high ranking naval officer, commander.
• Alpha
• Anubis: Ancient Egyptian god of the afterlife.
• Arlo: Meaning fortified hill, connoting resilience.
• Atlas: A titan in Greek mythology who carried the weight of the heavens on his shoulders; shows ultimate strength.
• Balto: Name of a Siberian Husky who bravely led a team of sled dogs in the 1925 Great Race of Mercy.
• Boomer
• Boss
• Brutus
• Caesar: From Julius Caesar, one of the most famous Roman figures in the classical era.
• Chips: The name of World War II’s most decorated war dog – you can’t get braver than that!
• Churchill: Surname of Winston Churchill.
• Enzo: Meaning ruler of a home, mighty conqueror.
• Fang
• Gunner: Name of a Kelpie dog that, thanks to his phenomenal hearing, helped save thousands of lives during World War II.
• Hamilton: Surname of American Founding Father, Alexander Hamilton.
• Hayk: Meaning family head, ruler.
• Hercules: Hero in Roman mythology, known for his adventurous nature and impressive feats of strength.
• Jaeger: Meaning hunter.
• Jupiter: The largest planet in the solar system, and also the name of the King of gods in Roman mythology.
• King
• Leo: Lion in Latin.
• Maximus: Latin origin, translates to the greatest.
• Ranger
• Sarge
• Thor: God of lightning and thunder in Norse mythology. Thor is also the strongest Norse god.
• Titan: Means giant, also the largest moon of Saturn.
• Trooper
• Viking
• Zeus: God of sky and ruler in Ancient Greek mythology, also the name of the tallest dog in the world.
• Zorro: Name of a classic fictional character created by Johnston McCulley, known for his brave, righteous and cunning nature.

Courageous Big Dog Names for Females

If your furry pup spends her time bravely battling it out with tug toys or the vacuum cleaner, you’ll need a name that matches her ferocity.

• Athena: Name of the Ancient Greek goddess of war; ruthless, brave and powerful.
• Aurora: Of Latin origin, meaning dawn. Aurora is also the goddess of dawn in Roman mythology.
• Cersei: Associated with Queen Cersei, a powerful, strong-willed character in Game of Thrones.
• Cleo: Short for Cleopatra, one of the most famous pharaohs of the Kingdom of Egypt.
• Huntress
• Ivy: A climbing evergreen plant, symbolizes beauty and resilience.
• Joan: From Joan of Arc, famous heroine of France who led the French army to victory.
• Juno: Meaning queen of the heavens.
• Katniss: Main protagonist in The Hunger Games; a determined leader.
• Korra: Courageous and strong-willed protagonist in The Legend of Korra.
• Lassie: Name of a popular fictional rough collie dog, known for her loyalty and bravery (she even has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame!).
• Lexi: Short for Alexander, meaning man’s defender.
• Liberty
• Luna: Meaning moon.
• Maiti: Courageous battle-maiden.
• Maudi: Meaning brave and mighty warrior.
• Nala: The bold and fierce lioness in Disney’s The Lion King.
• Phoenix
• Queenie
• Riley: A name of Irish origin, meaning valiant, courageous.
• Roxy: Meaning dawn.
• Ruby: A gemstone which symbolizes passion, power and vitality.
• Sierra
• Siren: In Greek mythology, sirens were powerful creatures that lured sailors with their beautiful songs.
• Tiger
• Una: An Irish name connoting beauty, wisdom and harmony.
• Viper
• Vixen: Meaning fierce and strong.
• Wolfy

Silly Big Dog Names for Males

If your big pup is utterly goofy and can’t resist chasing his tail, you’ll need a name that shows off his playfulness. These giggle-inducing names are sure to be a hit with kids too!

• Bacon
• Bigfoot
• Boba Fetch: Pun on Boba Fett.
• Bowser: An iconic tough villain in the Mario franchise.
• Bruce: Name of the shark from the iconic horror movie Jaws.
• Chewie: The giant furry Wookiee featured in Star Wars.
• Chomp
• Chubbs
• Clifford: From Clifford the Big Red Dog.
• Courage: Perfect for a cowardly big dog.
• Crash: A name well suited to an extra-clumsy pup!
• Cujo: From the classic horror movie, Cujo – the stark contrast between the name and your gentle giant will elicit plenty of laughs.
• Darth or Vader: Antagonist from Star Wars, perfect if you’re named Luke, or have a kid named Luke.
• Dogzilla: Pun on Godzilla.
• Gandalf: Mighty wizard from The Lord of the Rings.
• Gaston: Name of the hilarious, brazen antagonist in Beauty and The Beast.
• Goku: The powerful protagonist in the anime series Dragon Ball.
• Hagrid: Friendly half-giant from the Harry Potter franchise.
• Hannibal: From Silence of the Lambs.
• Hooch: Name of the affable, slobbery Dogue De Bordeaux in Turner & Hooch.
• Hulk: Superhero in the Marvel universe, known for his humongous size and destructive nature.
• Macho
• Mammoth
• Marmaduke: From Marmaduke, a movie about a lovable, mischievous Great Dane.
• Meatball
• Moose
• Porkchop
• Scooby: Scooby Dooby Doo, where are you?
• Shrek: Your big dog may not look quite like an ogre, but they’re certainly an all-star!
• Thanos: Name of the large, “snappy” supervillain in Avengers: Infinity War.
• Whopper

Silly Big Dog Names for Females

Recovered from your last giggling fit? Great! But sadly, the laughing isn’t over yet – we’ll now be covering some hilarious female names for dogs, many of which are inspired from popular culture.

• Brute
• Buffy: From Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
• Cruella: Popular antagonist from 101 Dalmatians.
• Jumbo
• Leia: From Princess Leia, protagonist in the Star Wars franchise.
• Mary Puppins: Pun on Mary Poppins.
• Maxiwoof: Pun on Wanda Maximoff (The Scarlet Witch).
• Miss Havisham: From Charles Dickens’s novel, Great Expectations.
• Munchkin
• Nessie: Nickname for the mythical, gigantic lake creature, the Loch Ness Monster.
• Pumpkin
• Rebel
• Sassy
• She-Ra: The fictional heroine in She-Ra and the Princesses of Power.
• Shredder
• Toto: Dorothy’s tiny dog sidekick in The Wizard of Oz – a fun way to shock people when they finally meet your certainly not Toto-like pooch.
• Twinkie
• Ursula: Giant evil sea witch in The Little Mermaid.

Breed-Inspired Big Dog Names

If you want a name that honors your dog’s breed history, as well as their size, you can try translating “big” into the language of their breed’s origin. You may be pleasantly surprised and find something that resonates. Here’s a few to get you started.

• Groot: “Big” in Dutch.
• Magnum: “Big” in Latin.
• Malaki: “Big” in Filipino.
• Ookii: “Big” in Japanese.
• Stor: “Big” in Swedish.
• Suuri: “Large” in Finnish.
• Velik: “Big” in Slovenian.

Tips for Picking the Best Big Dog Name

When picking a name for your gentle giant, it’s best to wait on the decision until you’ve spent an ample amount of time with them. This will let you get to know your furbaby better, and gain insight into their personality; if they love exploring and meeting new people, a bold, courageous name like Achilles would fit them best.

You’ll also need to consider how easy their name is to pronounce, particularly if you have children. If your kids can’t pronounce it, your pooch will just get confused as to why you call them one thing and your kids call them something completely different (albeit their best attempts!).

Other factors that can inspire you or help narrow down your options, include your dog’s physical appearance, history and lifestyle.

Of course, in the scheme of things, what truly matters is that it’s a name you and your family love and won’t get tired of, as well as a name that you’ll all be proud to call out in public.

Still Haven’t Found the Pawfect Name?

Picking a name for your big pooch can be pretty challenging, but this list of big dog names should have a few (or dozen) that take your fancy, and feel right for your furbaby.

That said, if you feel that after browsing our list you still haven’t found the pawfect name, it’s worth checking out our other dog name lists for inspiration – from Disney dog names to German dog names, you’re spoilt for choice.