Bastard: A term used to refer to any dog with no real family or friends. Usually it means a puppy who was abandoned at birth.

Blackie: A colloquialism meaning “black” in reference to dogs. The origin of the word comes from the fact that black coloration is associated with evil spirits in some cultures, so a dog which looks like one would be considered bad luck.

Blonde: A colloquialism meaning “white” in reference to dogs. The origin of the word comes from the fact that blonde hair is associated with beauty in some cultures, so a dog which looks white would be considered beautiful.

Boar: A colloquialism meaning “wolf” in reference to dogs. The origin of the word comes from the fact that boars are known to have wolf characteristics, so a dog which resembles a wild animal would be called a wolfdog.

Brownie: A colloquialism meaning “brown” in reference to dogs. The origin of the word comes from the fact that brown coloring is associated with good fortune in some cultures, so a dog which looks like it’s been blessed with good luck would be called lucky.

Bub: A colloquialism meaning “female” in reference to dogs. The origin of the word comes from the fact that babytalk for a woman is sometimes called “bubb” in some cultures, so a dog which is female would be called a girl.

Cerberus: In greek mythology, this three-headed beast was said to guard the gates to the underworld. Though it didn’t actually have three heads, painters usually depicted it that way. It’s generally depicted as a big, black dog with sharp teeth.

Coco: A familiar form of “Cyrano”, a distinguished french swordsman from the 17th century. It is not related to the candy or the movie of the same name.

Coffee: Just like the drink, this dog has been roasted and is ready to go.

Cream: A type of dog which is white in color, with no other markings or spots.

Daisy: A flowery name for a pooch. Great for the girl who wants to take her dog with her on long romantic walks in the park.

Dakota : Native American word meaning “Friend”. It is also a state of USA.

Ebony: A type of wood which is so dark it reflects no light, just like a black dog.

Fatty: A polite way of saying that your pet is a little on the heavy side.

Fido: The name of nearly every pet ever owned by a character in a Disney movie. A silly, overused name for a dog.

Goliath: In the bible, this is the name of a giant Philistine warrior who was defeated by the young David. It can also be interpreted to mean “tremendous”, “great”, or “awesome”

Hank: Hank is a common name for a male dog. It can also be interpreted to mean “warrior” or “fighter”

Harriet: A female dog with grace and charm. It is a female variant of Harold, which means ” Army Commander”.

Hercules: In greek mythology, this is the name of a demi-god famous for his strength. Great for a strong and powerful dog.

Herschel: A yiddish word meaning “treasure”.

Hershey: Another yiddish word, this one means “sweet”.

Houdini: A very clever dog who always finds a way to escape from his cage. Invented by the famous magician of the same name.

Iggy: A silly name which is short for Ignatius, a variation of the name “Ignatas” which means “kindled flame”

Jack: A name commonly given to males, it can be interpreted to mean “God has favored me” or “has raised me up”

Jock: A name commonly given to athletic dogs. It can be interpreted to mean “a person who is admired or favored by many people”.

Joker: A funny, quirky dog who makes everyone laugh. Just like the clown from the movie of the same name.

Lucky: A very appropriate name for your pet, since it means that good fortune always comes his way.

Maverick: A name commonly used for rebels and other rule-breakers. It is also the name of a famous fighter pilot from US history.

Nemo: The Latin word for “nobody”, as in “Nobody knows where this dog has gone”. Great for a disappeared pooch.

Nixon: A silly name commonly given to dogs. It can be interpreted to mean “Son of Noble, Child of the King”

Oscar: A name commonly given to male dogs. It can be interpreted to mean “Grey Wolf”, “God’s Spear”, or “God’s Spear Shield”.

Peanut: A common name for small dogs, it can also be interpreted to mean “Little Guy”

Perdita: The female version of Perdy, which itself means “lost one”

Petunia: A flowery name for a female dog. It can be interpreted to mean “flower” or “I am flower”.

Pickles: A funny name for a dog, it is also the name of a popular brand of salty, sour cucumbers.

Pride: A name commonly given to dogs who take great pleasure in their appearance. It can be interpreted to mean “Excellence”, “God’s Love” or “to be full of emotion”

Ranger: A name commonly given to dogs who spend most of their time in the woods. It can be interpreted to mean “a guardian of forests”.

Rochester: A name commonly used for large dogs. It originates from a city in New York, and means “Hidden Strength”

Samson: In the bible, this is the name of a man with supernatural strength. A great name for a powerful dog.

Sources & references used in this article:

Miller’s anatomy of the dog-E-Book by WR Patterson – 1986 – AIR FORCE INST OF TECH …

Pride and pedigree: The evolution of the Victorian dog fancy by HE Evans, A De Lahunta – 2013 – books.google.com

Evolutionary genomics of dog domestication by H Ritvo – Victorian Studies, 1986 – JSTOR

Both ends of the leash—the human links to good dogs with bad genes by RK Wayne – Mammalian Genome, 2012 – Springer

Dog breeds and their behavior by EA Ostrander – New England Journal of Medicine, 2012 – Mass Medical Soc

The Dog Owner’s Manual: Operating Instructions, Troubleshooting Tips and Advice on Lifetime Maintenance by JA Serpell, DL Duffy – Domestic dog cognition and behavior, 2014 – Springer