Looking for a dog name that stands out and tells a story? Famous dog names are packed with personality, nostalgia, and recognition. Whether you’re naming your pup after a movie star, cartoon legend, or heroic real-life canine, this list has something unforgettable. From Lassie to Scooby-Doo to internet-famous pups, these names are sure to turn heads at the dog park.
Movie Dog Names
- Lassie
- Beethoven
- Marley
- Hooch
- Toto
- Max (The Grinch)
- Chance (Homeward Bound)
- Shadow (Homeward Bound)
- Copper (The Fox and the Hound)
- Buddy (Air Bud)
- Samantha (I Am Legend)
- Frank (Men in Black)
- Brutus (The Ugly Dachshund)
- Snowy (The Adventures of Tintin)
- Dug (Up)
- Einstein (Back to the Future)
- Baxter (Anchorman)
- Lou (Cats & Dogs)
- Fly (Babe)
- Rowlf (The Muppets)
TV & Cartoon Dog Names
- Scooby-Doo
- Blue (Blue’s Clues)
- Clifford
- Pluto
- Goofy
- Odie (Garfield)
- Brian (Family Guy)
- Santa’s Little Helper (The Simpsons)
- Spike (Rugrats)
- Courage (Courage the Cowardly Dog)
- Poochie (The Simpsons)
- Porkchop (Doug)
- Ren (Ren & Stimpy)
- Bandit (Jonny Quest)
- Jake (Adventure Time)
- Krypto (Superman’s dog)
- Snoopy (Peanuts)
- Gromit (Wallace & Gromit)
- Huckleberry Hound
- Astro (The Jetsons)
Famous Internet Dogs
- Boo (The World’s Cutest Dog)
- Doug the Pug
- Jiffpom
- Tuna (Tuna Melts My Heart)
- Maya Polar Bear
- Crusoe the Dachshund
- Tika the Iggy
- Nala the Pom
- Loki the Wolfdog
- Manny the Frenchie
US Presidential & Historical Dogs
- Fala (FDR’s dog)
- Bo (Obama’s dog)
- Sunny (Obama’s second dog)
- Buddy (Clinton’s Lab)
- Millie (Bush Sr.’s dog)
- Barney (George W. Bush’s Scottish Terrier)
- Checkers (Nixon’s dog)
- Pushinka (gift from Khrushchev to JFK)
- Him & Her (LBJ’s beagles)
- Grits (Jimmy Carter’s dog)
Real-Life Hero Dogs
- Balto (sled dog hero)
- Hachiko (loyal Akita from Japan)
- Chips (decorated WWII dog)
- Stubby (WWI hero)
- Cairo (Navy SEAL dog from Bin Laden raid)
- Lucca (US Marine dog)
- Bretagne (9/11 search & rescue)
- Apollo (9/11 search & rescue)
- Diesel (French police dog killed in raid)
- Lex (first military dog adopted by handler’s family)
Dogs from Books
- Old Yeller
- White Fang
- Buck (Call of the Wild)
- Nana (Peter Pan)
- Winn-Dixie (Because of Winn-Dixie)
- Shiloh
- Ribsy (Beverly Cleary books)
- Fang (Harry Potter)
- Tock (The Phantom Tollbooth)
- Timmy (The Famous Five series)
Dogs from Sports, Brands & Ads
- Spuds MacKenzie (Bud Light mascot)
- Bullseye (Target mascot)
- Bingo (Puppy from commercials)
- Air Bud (Basketball dog)
- The Taco Bell Dog
- Smokey (University of Tennessee mascot)
- Reveille (Texas A&M mascot)
- Uga (University of Georgia bulldog)
- Handsome Dan (Yale mascot)
- Blue II (Butler University bulldog)
Mythical & Fiction-Inspired Dog Names
- Cerberus (Three-headed hound of Hades)
- Fang (mythical + Harry Potter)
- Fenrir (Norse mythology)
- Ghost (Jon Snow’s direwolf)
- Nymeria (Arya’s direwolf)
- Lady (Sansa’s direwolf)
- Summer (Bran’s direwolf)
- Shaggydog (Rickon’s direwolf)
- Grey Wind (Robb’s direwolf)
- Gnasher (Dennis the Menace’s dog)
Famous dog names carry history, heart, and humor—perfect for pups with big personalities. Whether you’re drawn to Hollywood hounds or heroic history-makers, these iconic names offer timeless inspiration. Be sure to explore our other naming guides like Cute Dog Names or Unique Dog Names to keep the ideas flowing!