My husband and I could not agree on a name for our new puppy. As he looked like a small Pharaoh Hound<\/a>, I wanted to name him something Egyptian, likes Ramses. My husband completely disagreed and wanted to name him after a favorite thing \u2014 namely his favorite NFL football team. We flipped a coin, and unfortunately my husband won. Our dog is named Tampa Bay, and we call him Tampa for short. Unfortunately, everyone who meets him thinks he is a girl dog and that we named him that because we were from Tampa Bay, Florida.<\/p>\n Justice came to us from the shelter as “Jeremy.” We kept the J sound but changed his name to something we liked. \u00a9 Melissa L. Kauffman<\/p>\n<\/div>\n When it came time to name our next dog, he already had a name that the shelter had given him \u2014 Jeremy. He\u2019d been in the shelter a long time, so we didn\u2019t want to just abruptly change his name to something completely different. So we stuck with two-syllable \u201cJ\u201d names so that the transition would be easier. I picked Jedi, because \u2026 Star Wars. Scott picked Justice after his favorite TV show at the time, Justified<\/em><\/a>. Another coin toss. My husband won again. We changed Jeremy to Justice, and he transitioned to the new name quickly.<\/p>\n Deciding on a name for your new-to-you dog should take a little more thought than just choosing a name you like best. Take a look at these naming points:<\/p>\n What are you trying to convey with that dog name? <\/strong><\/p>\n Researchers have conducted many studies throughout the years on the effects of names. Names tell people a little about your dog \u2014 it\u2019s called name signaling \u2014 whether you intended it to or not. And this can then influence how people treat your dog or make associations and judgments about your dog. For example, because Tampa ends in an \u201ca\u201d like many female names (Tanya, Sandra, etc.), people just assume Tampa is a girl dog.<\/p>\n Don’t give your dog a name with negative connotations like Killer or people will expect him to be vicious and treat him accordingly. Courtesy Rover.com<\/p>\n<\/div>\n This is why you don\u2019t want to name your dog something with a negative connotation. If you think it\u2019s hilarious or cool to name your dog Killer \u2014 I\u2019m telling you it\u2019s not. Even if your dog is a 5-pound Chihuahua<\/a>. Your trainer will be against the name, your vet will be against the name, your Home Owner\u2019s insurance may not even cover your dog. And absolutely never give a big dog an aggressive name. They already have a strike against them for being large, don\u2019t add to their fear factor by naming them Killer, Thunder, Lucifer, Dracula or Godzilla.<\/p>\n Certified Professional Dog Trainer from Rover.com<\/a> Nicole Ellis advises, \u201cYou want to get that warm, fuzzy feeling every time you say your dog\u2019s name, just like you want your dog to respond to her name with joy \u2013 if it makes you happy to say it, you\u2019ve found the right choice.\u201d<\/p>\n Nicole says that you should have your dog\u2019s name represent their personality. \u201cAn aggressive name might feel intimidating for others,\u201d she says. \u201cYou can bet if you name your dog Cujo people are might be scared or worried to meet your goofy loving pup and that\u2019s not really what you want to be dealing with your dog\u2019s whole life, he deserves all the belly rubs possible!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCreativity and personal expression are important when it comes to giving your fur friend an identity,” says Nicole, “but training should also be top of mind when thinking of a name.\u201d<\/p>\n Nicole prefers two syllable pet names for her own dogs as she finds them easy to accentuate when needed. \u201cI pick names that often end in a vowel and change tone while being called \u2014 dogs can distinguish frequency ranges that we cannot and hence these names catch their attention quickly like Rossi and Oakley. Often names with way more syllables are so long it becomes difficult to use the name quickly when needed and it becomes a nickname shortly after.\u00a0So, it might be better to use \u201cHuck\u201d versus \u201cHuckleberry Finn\u201d as that could be a mouthful to get out quick.<\/p>\n Nicole wants her dog\u2019s name to mean \u201clook at me for what I ask you to do\u201d and not a recall behavior. \u201cTo put this into perspective,\u201d she says, \u201clet\u2019s say we are in a park and there\u2019s something dangerous near me, I want to go to my dog and put his leash on him and ask him not to move I can say say ‘Rossi’, he looks at me, then ‘stay’. And he listens. To me this gives me more control and helps get my dogs attention when needed, no matter how quickly I need him to pay attention it always works. But that always means I often say more than one word, so I don’t want a super long name.<\/p>\n Avoid names like Ray or Jay as they sounds like the cues Stay or Lay. Photography \u00a9shorrocks | Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Avoid names that sounds too much like cues\/commands. \u201cRay might sound like stay,\u201d Nicole says. \u201cKit could be confused with sit and Juno might sound like the negative word no.\u201d<\/p>\n Naming your dog after a famous person may not work out so well in the long run. You don\u2019t know this person, and the next big scandal could be theirs. Also, if you think naming your dog after your favorite alcohol is the thing to do in your 20s, believe me you won\u2019t like the name so much in your 30s. Or if you are a huge lover of a certain food and then find yourself with a food sensitivity down the road, shunning that food item like its poison. People change, trends change, but your dog\u2019s name needs to last more than a decade.<\/p>\n Your dog doesn\u2019t care if he is name Spot, Spotte or Sphot. He just hears Spot. You can’t impress your dog with a unique spelling. Everyone else, like your veterinarian, groomer, family, friends, etc. doesn\u2019t need to struggle with spelling your dog\u2019s name. So do everyone a favor and keep the spelling simple.<\/p>\n Keeping to a one or two-syllable name is best. Pick one you hear clearly from across the dog park. You\u2019ll be calling out this name your whole dog\u2019s life. Making it something like Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious is just not going to cut it. Also, your dog\u2019s name has to fit on his I.D. tag.<\/p>\n Rover.com’s top names for 2019 include Bella, Luna, Max and Charlie. Photography \u00a9Radoslav Radev | Alamy Stock Photo<\/p>\n<\/div>\n According to Rover.com<\/a>\u2019s (which is the network of pet sitters and dog walkers that my own dog sitter works for) annual pet name survey, this year\u2019s trends \u201care a true reflection of what we care most about, from the food we eat to the celebrities we love.\u201d After surveying 1500 pet owners, here\u2019s the list of most popular names. For female dogs, it is Bella, Luna, Lucy and Daisy. For males, it is Max, Charlie, Cooper and Buddy.<\/p>\n With all the news about CBD and Cannabis, Rover.com<\/a> found that marijuana-inspired names were on the rise: Budder, Dank, Doobie, Blaze and Kush. Royalty and celebrity baby names found their way on the trend list: Meghan, Crew, Stormi and Saint. Food and drink item names like Ros\u00e9, Cake, Croissant, Mocha, Kona, Latte, Chia, Boba and Cupcake also increased.<\/p>\n Nicole says to try standing at your back door of the house and shout out your potential name choices. \u201cWhich one rolls off your tongue more easily?\u201d she asks. \u201cWhich one feels most natural? Is one least likely to embarrass you at the dog park? Is there one that makes you go, yup that\u2019s him.<\/p>\n She says another fun thing to do is say the names and see your dog\u2019s reaction. \u201cYou might be surprises that she or he may be a fan of one name quite a bit!\u201d<\/p>\n Thumbnail image: Rover.com’s dog trainer Nicole Ellis and her dog Maggie give us tips on naming your dog. Courtesy Rover.com<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n The post Top Dog Names: What to Name Your New Dog<\/a> by Melissa L. Kauffman<\/a> appeared first on Dogster<\/a>. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n The post Top Dog Names: What to Name Your New Dog<\/a> by Melissa L. Kauffman<\/a> appeared first on Dogster<\/a>. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.<\/p>\n My husband and I could not agree on a name for our new puppy. As he looked like a small Pharaoh Hound<\/a>, I wanted to name him something Egyptian, likes Ramses. My husband completely disagreed and wanted to name him after a favorite thing \u2014 namely his favorite NFL football team. We flipped a coin, and unfortunately my husband won. Our dog is named Tampa Bay, and we call him Tampa for short. Unfortunately, everyone who meets him thinks he is a girl dog and that we named him that because we were from Tampa Bay, Florida.<\/p>\n Justice came to us from the shelter as “Jeremy.” We kept the J sound but changed his name to something we liked. \u00a9 Melissa L. Kauffman<\/p>\n<\/div>\n When it came time to name our next dog, he already had a name that the shelter had given him \u2014 Jeremy. He\u2019d been in the shelter a long time, so we didn\u2019t want to just abruptly change his name to something completely different. So we stuck with two-syllable \u201cJ\u201d names so that the transition would be easier. I picked Jedi, because \u2026 Star Wars. Scott picked Justice after his favorite TV show at the time, Justified<\/em><\/a>. Another coin toss. My husband won again. We changed Jeremy to Justice, and he transitioned to the new name quickly.<\/p>\n Deciding on a name for your new-to-you dog should take a little more thought than just choosing a name you like best. Take a look at these naming points:<\/p>\n What are you trying to convey with that dog name? <\/strong><\/p>\n Researchers have conducted many studies throughout the years on the effects of names. Names tell people a little about your dog \u2014 it\u2019s called name signaling \u2014 whether you intended it to or not. And this can then influence how people treat your dog or make associations and judgments about your dog. For example, because Tampa ends in an \u201ca\u201d like many female names (Tanya, Sandra, etc.), people just assume Tampa is a girl dog.<\/p>\n Don’t give your dog a name with negative connotations like Killer or people will expect him to be vicious and treat him accordingly. Courtesy Rover.com<\/p>\n<\/div>\n This is why you don\u2019t want to name your dog something with a negative connotation. If you think it\u2019s hilarious or cool to name your dog Killer \u2014 I\u2019m telling you it\u2019s not. Even if your dog is a 5-pound Chihuahua<\/a>. Your trainer will be against the name, your vet will be against the name, your Home Owner\u2019s insurance may not even cover your dog. And absolutely never give a big dog an aggressive name. They already have a strike against them for being large, don\u2019t add to their fear factor by naming them Killer, Thunder, Lucifer, Dracula or Godzilla.<\/p>\n Certified Professional Dog Trainer from Rover.com<\/a> Nicole Ellis advises, \u201cYou want to get that warm, fuzzy feeling every time you say your dog\u2019s name, just like you want your dog to respond to her name with joy \u2013 if it makes you happy to say it, you\u2019ve found the right choice.\u201d<\/p>\n Nicole says that you should have your dog\u2019s name represent their personality. \u201cAn aggressive name might feel intimidating for others,\u201d she says. \u201cYou can bet if you name your dog Cujo people are might be scared or worried to meet your goofy loving pup and that\u2019s not really what you want to be dealing with your dog\u2019s whole life, he deserves all the belly rubs possible!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCreativity and personal expression are important when it comes to giving your fur friend an identity,” says Nicole, “but training should also be top of mind when thinking of a name.\u201d<\/p>\n Nicole prefers two syllable pet names for her own dogs as she finds them easy to accentuate when needed. \u201cI pick names that often end in a vowel and change tone while being called \u2014 dogs can distinguish frequency ranges that we cannot and hence these names catch their attention quickly like Rossi and Oakley. Often names with way more syllables are so long it becomes difficult to use the name quickly when needed and it becomes a nickname shortly after.\u00a0So, it might be better to use \u201cHuck\u201d versus \u201cHuckleberry Finn\u201d as that could be a mouthful to get out quick.<\/p>\n Nicole wants her dog\u2019s name to mean \u201clook at me for what I ask you to do\u201d and not a recall behavior. \u201cTo put this into perspective,\u201d she says, \u201clet\u2019s say we are in a park and there\u2019s something dangerous near me, I want to go to my dog and put his leash on him and ask him not to move I can say say ‘Rossi’, he looks at me, then ‘stay’. And he listens. To me this gives me more control and helps get my dogs attention when needed, no matter how quickly I need him to pay attention it always works. But that always means I often say more than one word, so I don’t want a super long name.<\/p>\n Avoid names like Ray or Jay as they sounds like the cues Stay or Lay. Photography \u00a9shorrocks | Getty Images<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Avoid names that sounds too much like cues\/commands. \u201cRay might sound like stay,\u201d Nicole says. \u201cKit could be confused with sit and Juno might sound like the negative word no.\u201d<\/p>\n Naming your dog after a famous person may not work out so well in the long run. You don\u2019t know this person, and the next big scandal could be theirs. Also, if you think naming your dog after your favorite alcohol is the thing to do in your 20s, believe me you won\u2019t like the name so much in your 30s. Or if you are a huge lover of a certain food and then find yourself with a food sensitivity down the road, shunning that food item like its poison. People change, trends change, but your dog\u2019s name needs to last more than a decade.<\/p>\n Your dog doesn\u2019t care if he is name Spot, Spotte or Sphot. He just hears Spot. You can’t impress your dog with a unique spelling. Everyone else, like your veterinarian, groomer, family, friends, etc. doesn\u2019t need to struggle with spelling your dog\u2019s name. So do everyone a favor and keep the spelling simple.<\/p>\n Keeping to a one or two-syllable name is best. Pick one you hear clearly from across the dog park. You\u2019ll be calling out this name your whole dog\u2019s life. Making it something like Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious is just not going to cut it. Also, your dog\u2019s name has to fit on his I.D. tag.<\/p>\n Rover.com’s top names for 2019 include Bella, Luna, Max and Charlie. Photography \u00a9Radoslav Radev | Alamy Stock Photo<\/p>\n<\/div>\n According to Rover.com<\/a>\u2019s (which is the network of pet sitters and dog walkers that my own dog sitter works for) annual pet name survey, this year\u2019s trends \u201care a true reflection of what we care most about, from the food we eat to the celebrities we love.\u201d After surveying 1500 pet owners, here\u2019s the list of most popular names. For female dogs, it is Bella, Luna, Lucy and Daisy. For males, it is Max, Charlie, Cooper and Buddy.<\/p>\n With all the news about CBD and Cannabis, Rover.com<\/a> found that marijuana-inspired names were on the rise: Budder, Dank, Doobie, Blaze and Kush. Royalty and celebrity baby names found their way on the trend list: Meghan, Crew, Stormi and Saint. Food and drink item names like Ros\u00e9, Cake, Croissant, Mocha, Kona, Latte, Chia, Boba and Cupcake also increased.<\/p>\n Nicole says to try standing at your back door of the house and shout out your potential name choices. \u201cWhich one rolls off your tongue more easily?\u201d she asks. \u201cWhich one feels most natural? Is one least likely to embarrass you at the dog park? Is there one that makes you go, yup that\u2019s him.<\/p>\n She says another fun thing to do is say the names and see your dog\u2019s reaction. \u201cYou might be surprises that she or he may be a fan of one name quite a bit!\u201d<\/p>\n Thumbnail image: Rover.com’s dog trainer Nicole Ellis and her dog Maggie give us tips on naming your dog. Courtesy Rover.com<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n The post Top Dog Names: What to Name Your New Dog<\/a> by Melissa L. Kauffman<\/a> appeared first on Dogster<\/a>. Copying over entire articles infringes on copyright laws. You may not be aware of it, but all of these articles were assigned, contracted and paid for, so they aren’t considered public domain. However, we appreciate that you like the article and would love it if you continued sharing just the first paragraph of an article, then linking out to the rest of the piece on Dogster.com.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2350","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.dogster.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/Justice-600x450.jpg\")
<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.dogster.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/rover-600x327.png\")
<\/p>\nChoose a positive dog name<\/h3>\n
Name your dog with training in mind<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Don’t use dog names that are too long or sound like commands<\/h3>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.dogster.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/online-shopping-2-600x452.png\")
<\/p>\nChoose a name with staying power<\/h3>\n
Don\u2019t get fancy on the spelling<\/h3>\n
The dog name should be simple and easy for your dog to understand<\/h3>\n
Dog names on trend for 2019 with Rover.com<\/a><\/h3>\n
![\"Black](\"http:\/\/www.dogster.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/black-dog-600x396.png\")
<\/p>\nStill not sure what to name your dog?<\/h3>\n
Read Next: What Do Raised Hackles \u2014 or a Dog’s Hair Standing Up \u2014 Mean?<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n
<\/p>\n<\/p>\nChoose a positive dog name<\/h3>\n
Name your dog with training in mind<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Don’t use dog names that are too long or sound like commands<\/h3>\n
<\/p>\nChoose a name with staying power<\/h3>\n
Don\u2019t get fancy on the spelling<\/h3>\n
The dog name should be simple and easy for your dog to understand<\/h3>\n
Dog names on trend for 2019 with Rover.com<\/a><\/h3>\n
<\/p>\nStill not sure what to name your dog?<\/h3>\n
Read Next: What Do Raised Hackles \u2014 or a Dog’s Hair Standing Up \u2014 Mean?<\/a><\/h4>\n<\/div>\n