If you have a new black pooch, a name that plays on the color could be perfect. Black dog names can just reference their black coat or other characteristics or attributes. They can be named for natural phenomena, other animals, or fictional characters – or just given a name that fits their personality.
If you have a black dog, you can name him “Blackie” and be thrilled with your generic name choice that matches his dark, shiny coat.
Black dogs represent all breeds, so where you have a black Labrador retriever, dachshund, Portuguese water dog, pit bull, Great Dane, Yorkie, or schnauzer, you can pick a name that reflects not only his black coat but his personality, look, or size.
You can name your black puppy with a “people name” like “Fred” or “Maggie” or make an imaginative choice based on a fictional character, food, other animals, or more.
English Variations on “Black”
If you were drawn to your black pup by its gorgeous black tone, you might want to emphasize his coloration with another word that means “black” or a shade close to it.
- Blackish
- Carbon
- Charcoal
- Coal
- Darkie
- Dusty
- Ebony
- Inky
- Jet
- Obsidian
- Onyx
- Pitch
- Raven
- Sable
- Soot
Foreign Versions of Your Obvious Choice
If you want your black dog’s name to reflect his color with an international flair, foreign translations of “black” make a unique choice. Many languages have multiple variations on color names, each with slightly different connotations. In French, “black” is “noir” or “noire,” but it can also be “sale” (“black, nasty, unclean”), ”mauvais” or “méchant” (“black, wicker, evil”), or “furieux” (“black, angry, raging”) so you should do a quick check on the connotation before saddling your pup with a name that means “homicidal maniac!”
When choosing a foreign name, it is best to ignore words that might be controversial, racist, or inappropriate in English. “Negro” is black in Spanish, for example, but it is considered a racial term in the US. Similarly, you should avoid the English word “darkie” as a name.
A few of the many interesting choices include:
- Beltza (Basque)
- Bestreiken (Geman)
- Dubh (Irish)
- Du (Welsh)
- Duister (Dutch)
- Donker (Dutch)
- Dorcha (Irish)
- Dunkel (German)
- Finster (German)
- Furiex (French)
- Kuro (Japanese)
- Mauvais (French)
- Méchant (French)
- Musta (Finnish)
- Noir/Noire (French)
- Nyeusi (Swahili)
- Obscu (French)
- Pango (Maoria)
- Preta/Preto (Portuguese)
- Schwarz (German)
- Somber (French)
- Svart (Norwegian)
- Synkkä (Finnish)
Most Popular Black Dog Names
If you want to give your dog a great name that is among the most popular monikers for black dogs, you might try these suggestions. As many names do not reference the color, you can use some of them for any pup.
- Arya
- Bean
- Bear
- Dakota
- Darcy
- Guinness
- Hershey
- Midnight
- Nova
- Olive
- Opal
- Pepper
- Poppy
- Scout
- Skye
- Stella
Male Black Dog Names
Both female and male dog names work well across dog breeds. If you are looking for a name that matches the personality of your new black puppy, these popular names might be a good fit for your new black lab, poodle, or Jack Russell terrier.
- AJ
- Benji
- Boots
- Brady
- Bullet
- Buzz
- Calvin
- Cooper
- Dash
- Donnie
- Duke
- Echo
- Flynn
- Hunter
- Ivan
- Jax
- Jordan
- Lee
- Levi
- Louie
- Milo
- Murphy
- Noah
- Ollie
- Oslo
- Zeus
Female Black Dog Names
Whether you want to name your new pup after a character in a favorite show or just pick a pretty name, plenty of great choices are available. Some include:
- Amaya
- Amy Pond
- Bailey
- Bonnie
- Darcy
- Eva
- Harlow
- Izzy
- Jinx
- Joan
- Josie
- Joy
- Kiki
- Leia
- Lexi
- Lola
- Luna
- Mack
- Mae
- Martha Jones
- Mandy
- Maude
- Mora
- Piper
- Pixie
- Quinn
- Rowena
- Roxy
- Sadie
- Salem
- Sarah Jane
Black Dog Names Inspired by Dark Foods
Inspiration for cute names that are also meaningful comes from many sources, including your refrigerator, pantry, or candy dish. Using chocolate and espresso as inspiration, your list might include dark-toned foods that could become wonderful black puppy names for your pooch.
- Anise
- Berry
- Blackberry
- Blueberry
- Bosco
- Bourbon
- Burnt
- Butler
- Captain Morgan
- Caviar
- Chocolate
- Coca
- Cocoa
- Cocoa Puff
- Coke
- Cola
- Dr. Pepper
- Espresso
- Forge
- Fudge
- Godiva
- Grit
- Guinness
- Hershey
- Jim Beam
- Johnny Walker Black
- Kettle
- Licorice
- Mr. Pibb
- Oreo
- Pepper
- Pepsi
- Roast
- Rocher
- Rum
- Smelt
- Smoke
- Whiskey
Black Dog Names Inspired by Organic Materials
Many materials common to homes, offices, and factories are black and suggest perfect names for a favorite canine.
- Agate
- Ash
- Asphalt
- Carbon
- Castiron
- Char
- Charcoal
- Cinder
- Coal
- Cosmos
- Diamond
- Diesel
- Dirt
- Dust
- Ebony
- Ember
- Flint
- Graphite
- Heavy Metal
- Hole
- Indigo
- Ink
- Inky
- Iron
- Jet
- Lava
- Lead
- Magma
- Marble
- Metal
- Metallica
- Mica
- Mildew
- Mold
- Mud
- Muddy
- Mudpie
- Obsidian
- Oil
- Onyx
- Ore
- Orion
- Pearl
- Pit
- Pitch
- Quartz
- Satin
- Skye
- Slag
- Slate
- Smudge
- Soil
- Soot
- Sooty
- Steam
- Stone
- Tar
- Teflon
- Velvet
- Witch
Black Dog Names Inspired by Games
Games from dominos to Monopoly to role-playing classics offer inspiration for names for the dogs by your side on game night.
- Ace
- Allies
- Axis
- Blackjack
- Blokus
- Boggle
- Checker
- Chess
- Corn Pocket
- Dice
- Domino
- Dragon
- Dungeon
- Eight Ball
- Jenga
- King
- Knight
- Mancala
- Minecraft
- Pawn
- Queen
- Scrabble
- Shogi
- Spade
- Spades
- Spot
- Stratego
- Wordle
Black Dog Names Inspired by Animals
Whether your dog is sleek like a panther or as imposing as a whale, generic names of animals with dark fur or feathers can also work for your dog.
- Angus
- Bat
- Batman
- Bear
- Black Beauty
- Black Bird
- Beetle
- Buffalo
- Bull
- Crow
- Fawn
- Jaguar
- Mamba
- Orka
- Panda
- Panther
- Raven
- Seal
- Shamu
- Snake
- Spider
- Stallion
- Starling
- Swan
- Whale
- Widow
- Wolf
Black Dog Names Inspired by TV, Movies, Fiction, Cartoons, & Anime
Fictional characters that populate books, movies, TV shows, cartoons, and anime offer a rich field of potential dog names. Some names honor canine characters, while others are names of heroes, villains, and ordinary people who made an impression on screen or on paper.
- Adams
- Advol
- Agil
- Aokiji
- Atsuko
- Bailey
- Bandit
- Bandy
- Black Beauty
- Cash
- Chase
- Dark Knight
- Darth Vader
- Darui
- Digger
- Drover
- Dylan
- Edward
- Elvis
- Franklin
- Freeman
- Frozone
- Gerald
- Goofy
- Gracie
- Grover
- Huey
- Hunter
- Iris
- Ironside
- Jackson
- Kaname
- Katar
- Kilik
- Kuzan
- Landis
- Larson
- Loki
- Moritita
- Numbah
- Omoi
- Oscar
- Penny
- Riley
- Samurai
- Scream
- Star Wars
- Susie
- Tardis
- Texas
- Tiana
- Tilly
- Tosen
- Underdog
Black Dog Names Inspired by Weather, Climate, or Time
Characteristics of time, weather, and climate may have a darkness about them that can translate to a great name for a dark dog
- Bluster
- Bolt
- Cloud
- Dark
- Darkside
- Dusk
- Eclipse
- Fog/Foggy
- Funnel
- Luna
- Midnight
- Mist/Misty
- Moon
- Mountain
- Night
- Nightfall
- Nightshade
- Nocturne
- Shade
- Shadow
- Shady
- Storm/Stormy
- Thunder
- Tsunami
- Tornado
- Twilight
Black Dog Names Inspired by Mystery and Dark Associations
Black is not only a color but a description of a mood or attitude as well. While you don’t want to jinx your dog with an ill-fated name, many names influenced by mysteries and dark associations provide catchy names for pooches.
- Angst
- Arrow
- Bad
- Badboy
- Black Beauty (nickname Beauty)
- Black Magic (nickname Magic)
- Crowley
- Darth Vader
- Dean
- Doom
- Enigma
- Ghost
- Gloom
- Gloss
- Goth
- Grim
- Groucho
- Homicide
- Hunter
- Ink Spot (nickname Spot)
- Mascara
- Morticia
- Murder
- Murk
- Mystery
- Ninja
- Phantom
- Poe (for Edgar Allen Poe)
- Rebel
- Sabbath (after Black Sabbath)
- Shine
- Spot
- Stain
- Styx
- Suspicious
- Winchester
- Voodoo
Best Black Dog Names For Big Breeds
If your preference in dog breeds goes toward the large on like Great Danes, Burmese mountain dogs, St. Bernards, mastiffs, Irish wolfhounds, or German Shepards, you want a great name that fits your oversized best friend.
- Al
- Amazon
- Athena
- Ava
- Bear
- Ben
- Big Ben
- Bosco
- Brandon
- Caleb
- Cosmos
- Cujo
- Diego
- Fallon
- Fin
- Fjodor
- Flare
- Giant
- Helen
- Hugo
- Hummer
- Hulk
- Jabu
- King
- Magic Mike
- Mercedes
- Nero
- Odin
- Ragnar
- Rocky
- Roth
- Shrek
- Tank
- Thor
- Trent
- Truman
- Tyson
- Victor
- Zena
- Zeus
Finding a memorable dog name that suits your new black puppy is easy, especially as there are so many great choices that capitalize on its color and personality.
For more dog name inspiration, review our other lists of names;
