113 Unusual Female Dog Names To Consider

Rocky Kanaka |

Nov 27, 2021

No, not Bingo.

Definitely not Coco.

And you’re not going anywhere near Bella.

You’ve recently adopted the cutest dog and you want a female dog name that’s as unique as she is. One that makes people go: “Oh, that’s an unusual name. What does it mean?”

You’ll find it fulfilling to tell people the meaning of your dog’s name and why you picked it, as well as how it suits your dog’s personality, origin, or appearance.

I’ve been there. It can be difficult to decide on that spectacular name. To make the process easier for you, I listed 64 unique English and foreign female dog names. I’ve even included the story behind a few!

The icing on the cake? A short, but creative guide to making a choice.

Fun, right?

Foreign and English Names for Brave Female Dogs

Your dog is the feisty type.

Following you around the house, helping with chores. Running into the woods looking for God-knows-what. Even saving you from a fall or other mishap.

She’s a brave one, your little girl. And her name should reflect her courage. Here’s a list of foreign female dog names for brave dogs.

Name	Meaning	Origin
Carla	Warrior	German
Araminta	Protector	English
Yi	Resolute	Chinese
Bree	Power/upbeat	Irish
Etana	Strength	Swahili
Fiadh	Wild	Irish
Ember	Burning coal	English
Anala	Fire	Hindu
Geesi	Bold	Somali
Fiamma	Flame	Italian
Millie	Determined	Latin
Courage	Having a tendency to take risks	English
Edan	Fiery	Irish
Eloisa	Warrior	French/German
Potentia	Power	Latin
Fuego	Fire	Spanish
Athne	Fire	Irish
Kalama	Flaming torch	Hawaii
Meja	Strong	Swedish
Valor	Courage	English
Aria	Lion	Hebrew

Fast Fact: The German Shepherd is one of the bravest dog breeds there is.

Soft Foreign Names for Female Dogs

Puppies in a basket — Source: unsplash.com

Lovey-dovey. Affectionate. Gentle. That’s your dog’s personality.

Here are some foreign names that will reflect her gentle nature:

Name	Meaning	Origin	Pronunciation
Faye	Faith	Old French	Fe
Azure	Sky blue	Spanish	Ah-szure
Esme	Beloved, esteemed	French	Ehz-me
Ilda	Friend	Inuit	Eel-dah
Farrah/Farah	Joy	Arabic	Far-rah
Joli	Attractive	French	Joh-lee
Atasi	Blue flower	Indian	Atta-see
Lynn	Lake	Welsh	Leen
Gwin	Wine	Welsh	Gwihn
Elke	Noble	German	Eelke
Astra	Star	Hindu	Aes-trah
Davina	Beloved	English
Noche	Night	Spanish	No-che
Viatrix	Voyager	Latin	Vee-a-trix
Fera	Beast	Portuguese	Feh-rah
Souzan	Passionate	Persian	Soo-zanne
Perrine	Rock	Greek/French/English	Pehriyn
Cymru	Friends	Welsh	Kum–ree
Masiwa	Islands	Comorian	Mah-see-wah
Vimala	Pure	Hindu	Vee-mah-lah
Grazyna	Beautiful	Polish
Macedonia	Tall ones or Highlander, suitable for giant dogs	Greek	Maa-cee-doh-nia
Araminta	Protector	English	Aa-R-aa-MIHNTaa

Fast Tip: Picking a name that sounds like a command could go wrong. For instance, the name “May” sounds like “Stay.” You don’t want to confuse your dog.

Creative English Female Dog Names

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English is not a boring language. Here are some creative English names for your new pup:

Name	Meaning
Petrichor	The smell of the dry land after it rains
Raindrops	Condensed liquid water
Wild	Risk taker, unrestricted
Dazzle	To shine
Pop	A loud explosive sound
Galaxy	The milky way
Candy	A sweet treat
Puzzles	A logical game
Nasa	Abbreviation for National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Suitable for dogs who like to wander or stare into space
Daffodil	Types of flowers
Daisy	Types of flowers
Rainbow	An arc of seven colors usually seen after it rains
Bliss	A season of utmost happiness
Biscuit	A light snack
Coffee	A brewed drink
Freckles	Light spots on the human body, usually the face
Bloom	Of a flower; to open up attractively. Most suitable for cheerful female dogs

Fast Fact: Different dog breeds have their origin in various nations. It’s easy to guess where the German Shepherd originates, for instance. Here’s a tip: name your dog according to the country its breed originates from. Imagine calling your Havanese pup “Cuba.”

Uncommon Names for Female Dogs

Want to make sure your dog will never have to share their name? Choose one of these uncommon names for female dogs inspired by old-fashioned names, random objects, and ironic jokes.

Name	Meaning	Origin
Cat	A delightful little feline friend	English
Babushka	Grandmother, old woman, or a headscarf tied under the chin	Russian & Polish
Denim Jeans (Denny for short)	Denim is the fabric used for manufacturing jeans	French
Squirrel	An energetic little woodland creature	English
Ramona	Wise protector	Spanish
Daphne	Laurel tree	Greek
Calliope	Beautiful voice	Greek
Acadia	Idylic place	Greek
Chavelle	Pledged to God	Hebrew
Darcy	Dark one	French & Irish
Imogen	Maiden	Celtic
Meadow	A grassy field	English

These names are suitable for pups with unique markings and goofy personalities, or for dog owners who like to stand out!

Female Dog Names With Interesting Stories

Stories give life to a name. The history, the origin, the culture behind it.

Maybe you don’t want to look lost when somebody probes about your dog’s name. Here are a few names with their accompanying stories:

Maeve: From the Story of Queen Maeve of Connacht

Origin: Irish

Meaning: Intoxicating

Queen Meadhbh is a character in Irish Mythology. She was a prominent warrior in first Century Ireland who had a gracious height, light skin, and was all around attractive.

She is famous for the Tain Bo Cuailnge, where she led a troop of warriors into Ulster to steal a bull.

Her name is derived from “mead,” a type of honey wine made in ancient times. It was originally spelt Meadhbh but today, Americans spell it as Maeve. The Irish, on the other hand, go for Meabh.

Suitable For: This name will reflect strong-willed dogs. Queen Maeve was determined and always went for what she wanted. She initiated the Tain Bo Cuailnge to prove a point to her husband. Queen Maeve was also the jealous type. If your dog is protective, this is a suitable name.

Alma: The Story of the Alma River

Origin: Latin

Meaning: Nurturer

In 1854, there was a battle between the Ottoman, British, French, and the Russian Empire.

They fought the battle near the Alma River in the Crimean Peninsula. Since then, people have begun using the name Alma to celebrate the British and French victory.

The name is derived from the Latin word “almus” which means to nourish. We also seen Alma in the Bible in various forms:

To connote a maiden
The name of a prophet
One of the lost books of the Bible

Suitable For: Because of its meaning, this name will fit dogs that enjoy looking out for people.

Winn-Dixie: Based on the Movie, Because of Winn-Dixie

Origin: A Supermarket in Florida, a book and movie adaptation.

Meaning: A combination of “Winnie” and “Dixie.” While Winnie is Welsh for “fair one,” Dixie is a slang for the southern U.S.

Because of Winn-Dixie is a story about a special Berger Picard and his owner, Opal. Although Winn-Dixie is male, the name isn’t really gendered and can be used for female pups too.

Because of the dog, Opal assumes more responsibility and opens her heart to love. In three instances, she fights for Winn-Dixie:

When she first finds the dog, Winn-Dixie iss homeless, so Opal adopts him against all odds;
When the landlord wants to send Winn-Dixie to the dog pound;
When Winn-Dixie runs away during a thunderstorm

Suitable For: Winn-Dixie is a friendly dog that gets along with everyone. As Winn-Dixie learns to love, he opens up his owner’s heart to do so, too. This name is suitable for dogs that enjoy making new friends.

Azer: From The Land of Fire

Origin: Persian

Meaning: Place of fire

The Republic of Azerbaijan is Persian for “home of sacred fire.” It was formerly known as Aturpatakan.

Why was the country given this name?

According to Greek mythology, Prometheus, now the god of fire, stole fire from the gods. As a result, Zeus chained him to the Caucasus Mountains. To date, fire seeps from the mountains, although it is largely tamed by Soviet exploitation.

Suitable For: This name is best for dogs that are feisty, strong and insisting. You can give her the full name, Azerbaijan, and then make nicknames out of it. Azer, Bail, A.Z or Az would be both unique and cute.

Dog Names That Mean Gift From God

Dogs make our lives so much better, and for many of us, dogs are a true gift from God. To honor how special your pooch is, choose a name that means “gift from God.” We’ve chosen twelve names from different languages that are perfect for a heaven-sent pup.

Name	Meaning	Origin
Gia	God is gracious/God’s gracious gift	Italian
Hanah	In God’s favor/grace	Hebrew
Alya	From Heaven	Hebrew
Dolly	Gift of God	English
Godiva	God’s gift	English
Jani	God is graceous	Hebrew
Dilsey	Gift of God	Sanskrit
Dorothy	God’s gift	Greek
Kriva	Gift from God	Hindi
Sian (pronounced Shawn)	God’s gracious gift	Welsh
Yoana	God’s gift	Spanish
Jayne	God is gracious	Hebrew

Even if you’re not religious, it’s nice to honor your four-legged-friend with a special name. If you are religious, one of these names can take on a deeper meaning.

Dog Names That Mean Curious Girl

Does your dog get her nose into anything and everything? Give her a name that captures her curious spirit! These dog names mean “curious” in different languages or are inspired by classic tropes and characters and are perfect for a pooch who likes to explore.

Name	Meaning	Origin
Jigna	Intellectual curiosity	Hindi
Syretia	Serious, independent, and curious	English
Nancy	Like girl-detective Nancy Drew!	Hebrew
Agatha	Like bestselling mystery writer Agatha Christie	Greek
Amelia	Like Amelia Earhart, the explorer	German
Daphne	One of the members of the Scooby-Doo crew	Greek
Hermione	Like Hermione Granger, smartest Witch in her year!	Greek
Jessica	Like Jessica Jones, superhero, detective, and total badass	Hebrew
Marie	Like Marie Curie, the physicist who pioneered radioactivity research	French
Georgia	Like Curious George!	Greek
Valentina	Valentine Tereshkova was the first woman in space	Latin
Angela	Like Angela Lansbury, known for her role as a detective in Murder She Wrote	Greek

Suitable for dogs who are somehow always making a mess or getting into trouble, we also love these names for dogs who like to be in charge. Dogs can be curious investigators, and we love seeing what mischief they’ll get into.

Female Dog Names That Mean Loyal Friend

These names are perfect for a dog you love more than you love people! Some of these names are the word for “friend” in other languages, while others are traditional names with cultural meaning. Here are just a few of the many options you have of dog names that mean loyal friend.

Name	Meaning	Origin
Sadaqa	“Friendship” in Arabic	Arabic
Almina	Elf-friend, friendly	English
Amiga	“Female friend”	Spanish, Catalan, Portuguese
Amie	“Female friend”	French
Damica	Open-spirited, friendly	French
Faunia	To befriend	Latin
Tomodachi	“Friend”	Japanese
Podruga	“Female friend”	Russian
Nita	Friendly	Hindi
Raya	Friend	Hebrew
Ruthie	Friend	Hebrew
Winfrey	Peaceful friend	Old English

Suitable for dogs who always want to be by your side or have great intuition.

Girl Dog Names That Mean Peace

If you’ve got a dog who loves everyone she meets, is gentle with little kids and animals, and would rather spend the day napping in the sun than barking out the window, give her a name that means “peace.” Some of these names are the word for “peace” in other languages, while others have cultural significance and ties to peace and serenity.

Name	Meaning	Origin
Paloma	Dove, a symbol of peace	Spanish
Amani	Peace, peaceful wishes	Arabic, Hindi, African-diaspora languages
Frede	“Peace” in German	German
Pax	“Peace” in Latin	Latin
Eirene	Peace	Greek
Fritzi	Peaceful ruler	Old German
Udo	“Peace” in Igbo	Igbo
Olive	The olive tree is a traditional symbol of peace	English
Shanta	Peace	Hindi
Zuelia	Peace	Arabic
Tullia	Peaceful	Irish
Jemima	Dove, a symbol of peace	Hebrew

Let Your Dog Pick Her Name

We know that this is a long list of names.

Maybe you’ve been able to shortlist your top 10. Or even a top 5.

But what happens when you’re staring at two names you adore, and don’t know which to settle on?

Let your dog pick her name. Yes, we said that. Dogs know what they want and are more intelligent than we can imagine. Research has proven that dogs have some cognitive and even metacognitive skills.

We let two homeless puppies select their own names; Max or Riley? Look how that turned out:

If you don’t have treats to use as we did, you could label food bowls with your shortlisted names and see which one she’ll go for.

Dogs may be unable to read, but if they say that’s their name, then so be it.

Fast Fact: The poodle isn’t all hairs and adorable. According to the American Kennel Club, poodles are one of the smartest dog breeds.

She Shall be Called…

Picking a creative name is not all there is to raising dogs. You’ll still need to attend to your new puppy’s training, grooming and health. It’ll be like raising a baby! And Rocky Kanaka is willing to keep you enlightened through the process.

And when you consider adopting another pet to keep your dog company, we’ll know where you can find one.

You might even fall in love with one of the pets on our YouTube Channel.

We’re on a mission to take American dogs off the streets. And we’d love it if you join us on this journey.