how to pick the perfect pet name
- You came to the right place! PetBabyNames.com allows you to search for that perfect name by initial, category and meaning. Here are some tips to get you off on the right paw…
Getting to Know You
You don’t have to name your new pal the second he or she arrives home. It’s perfectly fine to hang out a couple of days and get to know each other. See if something about his personality, behavior or appearance strikes you. Maybe he’s Frisky or a Digger. Or he reminds you of that dog from Bolt or the cat from Garfield.
You might think your pal is just plain brown at first glance – but are you sure he’s not more of a Cocoa or Copper or Maple?
Easy to Pronounce
First and foremost, your pet’s name is a safety and training tool. You want her to alert to her name as soon as she hears it, immediately stop and follow your command. This prevents her from getting into dangerous situations like darting out into traffic.
So try not to make the name too much of a tongue-twister like Tallulah or Pouncival– one or two syllables is best. It’s also why a name ending in a vowel, like Rugby or Bongo, are great choices. The long “e” and “o” sounds make it easy for your pet to hear and immediately alert to you.
Chewy or Mush?
Go Wild!
It used to be that it didn’t matter how popular the name was – you were really only going to be talking to your pet around your house or yard. But now, with the rise of day care and dog parks, it makes sense to choose a moniker that’s a little more creative and different. You don’t want your special guy or girl mixed up with the twelve other Maxes or Bellas at the groomer. And you want to be able to immediately call and control your dog at the park – so unless you want to be trampled by ten different Buddys, maybe you should choose a slightly different “B” name, like Baxter or Barney.
Also, make sure the name is something you won’t be embarrassed shouting through a park – Booger or Killer might sound cute in theory, but in public? Not so much.
If you’re stuck for creative ideas, there are a lot of fun ways to shake a name loose – in fact, that’s why we created PetBabyNames.com. Search for a favorite movie or comic strip dog, like Beethoven or Mooch. Browse dog and cat names based on music, literary characters, places – or even a favorite food or drink — that mean something to you and your family.
Scotch or Scotty?
Other categories include color/appearance and breed-specific names (like Speedy for a Greyhound or Mate for an Australian Shepherd), Biblical names, Celebrity Pet names and a whole lot more. So go off leash, and have fun exploring the site!
And if you have a pet name you’d like to add, or even better, a story that goes with it, please let us know…
