Whether you prefer the literary classics or super modern, sci-fi reads, you can find endless dog-naming inspiration right on your bookshelf. Not only are some of the world’s most beloved books jam-packed with adorable dog names, but a literary name will make your dog seem like a total intellectual, too. Just don’t be surprised if you catch him or her reading up on quantum physics.
The Most Popular Literary Dog Names
The best part about naming your dog after a literary figure? With so many options, you’re sure to find the perfect moniker, no matter her breed, size, or personality. Here are some of the most popular dog names in the United States—according to a survey by BARK, BarkBox, and Super Chewer—that also appear in the literature.
- Bella, from the amazingly popular young-adult book series Twilight
- Charlie, from the Roald Dahl classic Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
- Luna, from Harry Potter, one of history’s most popular book series
- Finn, from the Mark Twain classic Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
- Marley, from the tear-jerker novel, turned tear-jerker movie Marley and Me
- Oliver, from the Charles Dickens classic Oliver Twist
- Romeo, from one of the most-studied and most-performed plays in history, Romeo and Juliet
- Scout, from the Harper Lee classic To Kill a Mockingbird
- Winnie, from the beloved children’s book series Winnie the Pooh
Tips for Naming Your New Dog
It’s no secret—bringing home a new pet is a lot of work. After weeks of shopping for high-quality kibble, finding the perfect, comfortable dog bed and stocking your new pupper’s toy box with plenty of engaging toys, you have to check-off the toughest pup parent task of them all: Choosing the perfect name for your newest family member.
Our advice? Pick a name that’s meaningful, and one you and your family members will love for years to come. Easier said than done, right? Here’s some more helpful advice for your family’s name game:
- Consider names that are one to two syllables and contain hard consonants. These types of names will be easier for your pooch to hear and understand.
- Avoid names that could sound like a command. Think: “sit” and “Kit.”
- Choose a name that’s easy for humans to pronounce and spell. Remember: Your family members, friends and veterinarian will have to say (and sometimes spell) your dog’s name for years and years.
- Don’t choose a name that could be embarrassing or offensive. If you’d be embarrassed to hear your dog’s name called out at the vet’s office or dog park, don’t do it.
Literary Names for Female Dogs
From Elizabeth Bennett, to Hermione Granger, to Lisbeth Salander, some of literature’s strongest, bravest and most outgoing literary figures have been girls and women. So, why not bestow one of these bad babe monikers on your rough-and-tumble girl?
- Arya (Game of Thrones)
- Charlotte/Charlie (Charlotte’s Web)
- Jane (Jane Eyre)
- Jo (Little Women)
- Katniss (The Hunger Games)
- Lizzie (Pride and Prejudice)
- Lucy (The Chronicles of Narnia)
- Matilda (Matilda)
- Nancy (Nancy Drew)
- Ramona (Ramona Quimby)
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Literary Names for Male Dogs
If your boy would rather dig his nose into a book, rather than a bone, you might want to consider one of these literature-inspired names. And get that dog a library card, stat!
- Atticus (To Kill a Mockingbird)
- Binx (The Moviegoer)
- Frankie (The Man With the Golden Arm)
- Gatsby (The Great Gatsby)
- Holden (Catcher in the Rye)
- Huckleberry (Adventures of Huckleberry Finn)
- Milo (Catch-22)
- Moby (Moby-Dick)
- Robinson (Robinson Crusoe)
- Watson (Sherlock Holmes)
Dog Names Inspired by Classic Authors
Maybe you didn’t love reading these classic authors in middle school and high school, but we bet you’re glad you did now—if only for the great dog name selections.
- Austen (Author Jane Austen, Persuasion)
- Bram (Author Bram Stoker, Dracula)
- Dodie (Author Dodie Smith, I Capture the. Castle)
- Fitzgerald/Fitz (Author F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby)
- Harper (Author Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird)
- Hemingway (Author Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea)
- Huxley (Author Aldous Huxley, Brave New World)
- Jack (Author Jack London, Call of the Wild)
- Shelley (Author Mary Shelley, Frankenstein)
- Virginia (Author Virginia Woolf, A Room of One’s Own)
Dog Names from Children’s Books
Whether you want to honor your favorite book from childhood or your kids’ favorite books, popular children’s books are jam-packed with plenty of cute, whimsical names for your family’s new dog.
- Amelia (Amelia Bedelia)
- Bear (Little Bear)
- Carl (Good Dog, Carl)
- Eloise (Eloise)
- Harold (Harold and the Purple Crayon)
- Madeline (Madeline)
- Max (Where the Wild Things Are)
- Olivia (Olivia)
- Peter/Petey (The Snowy Day)
- Sally (The Cat in the Hat)
Other Dog Name Ideas
Want even more inspiration for dog names? Be sure to check out:
50 Cool Girl Dog Names
70 Dog Names from Cartoons
45 Dog Names from Star Wars
