Top Australian Dog Names and Their Meanings

After conducting much research, I’ve compiled a list of the top Australian dog names and their meanings. However, before I list them, there are a few tips that you can use to help find the perfect name for your new dog.

One of the most important things you will do, as a new dog owner, is pick a name for your dog. Remember, you will use that name several times a day, sometimes in public, so choose a name that you like, and are proud to call your dog.

Begin by taking a few days to get to know your new pet, then think of a name by considering your dog’s most obvious personality traits. A nervous, jumpy dog would benefit by a name that sounds soft and soothing. A dog that has a tendency to be aggressive would be easier to control with a short, strong-sounding name.

Dogs can easily learn to recognise names with one or two syllables. Avoid picking a name that sounds like the following commonly used commands: come, sit, stay, heel, down or fetch. For example, if name your dog, “Noel,” because it will be confused with the command, “no.”

According to thousands of dog tag purchases, Bow Wow Meow offers a frequently updated list of the top 20 Australian dog names. However, I did some additional research to narrow it down to the following ten most common names: 

• Max – means “large spring.”
• Jessie – means “rich one.”
• Molly – Irish name for Mary, meaning, “sea of bitterness,” “rebelliousness” or “wished for child.”
• Sam – derived from the name, Samuel, meaning, “heard by God.”
• Jack – derived from the name John, meaning “God’s gracious gift.”
• Chloe – means “fresh young blossom.”
• Bonnie – derived from Bonita, meaning, “sweet and good.”
• Lucy – means, “light,” or “one who brings the lamp of learning to the ignorant.”
• Jake – derived from Jacob, meaning, “to fill the place of another.”
• Toby – derived from Tobias, meaning, “God is good.”

Once you’ve chosen the best name for your dog, use it often. Call your dog’s name and when it comes to you, offer it lots of praise and a treat. You want your dog to like its name, so avoid yelling your dog’s name when you are mad. If your dog resents the sound of its name, it won’t come when called. Because you will use your dog’s name for a very long time, it’s important that you both love it.