Human Names For Labradors
It is very popular to give pets so-called human names. All of our family dogs have human names, and always have done.
I don’t just extend this rule to the canine members of the house, every other animal we live with also has a human name. Even down to the guineapigs and fish!
The nice thing about using a human name for a pet is that it is formal, universally understood and can add to the feeling of their inclusion in your family.
The downside of using a human name is it can be harder to get creative, and to be unique.
Popular names can be very numerous when out in the world, and it can be frustrating to be one of several people calling the same name in the park.
How To Name A Labrador
A fun way to choose your Labrador’s name is with a baby names book or website.
When we get a new pet I always flick through the lists, throwing out a few suggestions to the family for their approval or rejection.
You might find that shorter names, with one or two syllables only, work the best for Labradors.
They are less of a mouthful, and longer names are likely to only get shortened anyway.
The top baby names of each year change, with a few steady exceptions that remain ever popular. We have selected some from last year’s top 40, names which we feel work well on Labradors, of any colour or type.
Female Lab Names
The top female baby names of the past year often given a good clue to those names which would make nice girl dog names.
| Emma | Ava |
| Mia | Harper |
| Ella | Riley |
| Lily | Zoe |
| Penny | Nora |
Our favourite male Lab names from last year’s top baby names list include:
| Mason | Noah |
| Ben | Jack |
| Dave | Bob |
| Duke | Owen |
| Connor | John |
But these are just the popular names of the moment. So let’s take a look at the numerous other ways you can find the perfect Labrador name for your new pet.
Using Surnames As Labrador Names
It’s worth remembering when it comes to human names for Labs, that it’s not just forenames that work well. Surnames can be nice too!
Surnames which historically denoted trades tend to have a good ring to them, especially suiting working bred Labs. But any fairly short surname can work well.
Surnames As Labradors’ First Names
| Thatcher | Tanner |
| Breuer | Harper |
| Fletcher | Carter |
| Franklin | Harrison |
| Jackson | Kingsley |
Although these can sound more masculine, there is not reason not to use them for a female Labrador if you would like.
So remember, if there is someone you admire you can name your Labrador after them using their first name or their surname too!
Celebrity Names For Labradors
Giving your Labrador the name of an admired celebrity can be fun. It can also be a nice way to honour someone who has departed.
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You could give a nod in the direction of the wonderful David Bowie by calling your dog ‘Bowie’. Or even call him ‘Hans’, after the late, great Alan Rickman’s legendary Die Hard character.
You could also choose a current or up-and-coming celebrity to name your Labrador after.
Although I would be a little cautious doing this if you aren’t fairly thick skinner, as you never know where their life may lead them in the future…
We have had a look at some currently trending and enduringly popular celebrities, whose names could sound good if used for Labradors.
Celebrity Boy Dog Names For Labs
| Bowie (David) | Brad (Pitt) |
| Vin (Diesel) | Jack (Black) |
| Beckham (David) | Leo (DiCaprio) |
| Charlie (Sheen) | Elvis (Presley) |
Celebrity Girl Dog Names For Labs
| Jess (Jessica Alba) | Gwen (Steffani) |
| Rosie (Huntington-Whiteley) | Harper |
| Pink | Adele |
| Hayden (Panettiere) | Nicki (Minaj) |
If you want to use the name of a current or past celebrity, then googling top 100 celebrities will bring you up a long list to flick down and see if you feel inspired.
Historical Names For Labradors
Another way to celebrate a person through your Lab’s name is to pick someone you admire from history.
They can be someone very well known, or someone less recognised who you have read about or studied yourself.
Female Labrador Names From Historical Figures
| Mary (Seacole) | Amelia (Earhart) |
| Joan (of Arc) | Florence (Nighingale) |
| Rosa (Parks) | Cleo (Cleopatra) |
| Emmeline (Pankhurst) | Helen (Keller) |
Male Labrador Names From Historical Figures
| Churchill (Winston) | Tesla (Nikola) |
| Lincoln (Abraham) | Louis (Pasteur) |
| Galileo (Galilei) | Nelson (Mandela) |
Literary Names For Labradors
You might also like to name your Labrador after a character from fiction. Someone who really enjoyed reading about, engaged with or found exciting or novel.
You can take a name from the classics or something more modern.
Labrador Names Female Literary Characters
| Jo (Little Women) | Arya (Game of Thrones) |
| Fern (Charlotte’s Web) | Elinor (Sense and Sensibility) |
| Ariadne (The Borrowers) | Luna (Harry Potter) |
| Alice (in Wonderland) | Scarlett (Gone with the Wind) |
| Pippi (Longstocking) | Laura (Little House on the Prarie) |
Labrador Names Male Literary Characters
| Sherlock (Holmes) | Darcy (Pride & Prejudice) |
| Gulliver (Gulliver’s Travels) | Oliver (Twist) |
| Thorin (The Hobbit) | Morse (Inspector) |
| Heathcliff (Wuthering Heights) | Edmund (The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe) |
I have tried to give a selection from across a few genres in these examples, but of course you can choose whatever you are a fan of and enjoy reading.
Artists, Musicians & Authors Names For Labradors
You can also use the names of writers, artists or musicians for your Labrador.
To make the slightly antiquated names sound more modern, you can simple abbreviate them. Or use them in their full glory if you prefer!
| Beethoven | Oscar (Wilde) |
| Blake (William) | Austen (Jane) |
| Mozart | Tolstoy |
Super Hero Labrador Names
Staying in the realms of fiction, a great way to give a vaguelly human sounding name to your Labrador but keep it fun is to go with a super hero name!
The worlds of Marvel and DC have been opened up by the arrival of blockbuster movies staring a lot of our favourite comic book characters. So why not throw your lot in with the trend.
Super hero / villain names which we think would make great Labrador names include:
| Thor | Falcon |
| Angel | Gambit |
| Bane | Flash |
| Rogue | Storm |
| Bishop | Elektra |
This section was in danger of being as long as the rest of the article due to my personal love of the genre, but I have managed to contain it to the brief list above.
However, if the super hero theme sounds like your thing, then you can find a huge list of them on this website.
There are some excellent names in the comic book world, so if you are looking for fun inspiration then I would definitely check them out.
Labrador Names From Children’s Characters
If you have young kids and want to get them included in naming your Labrador, you might like to look to characters from TV or kids books that they love too.
This can really help when you bring a new puppy into the home to get even very little ones on board and excited.
Male Labrador Names From Children’s Characters
| Thomas (The Tank Engine) | Peter (Rabbit) |
| Bob (Spongebob Squarepants) | Sam (Fireman Sam) |
| Bing (Bunny) | Ezra (Starwards Rebels) |
| George (Curious George) | Donny (Ninja Turtles) |
Female Labrador Names From Children’s Characters
| Lola (Charlie & Lola) | Dora (The Explorer) |
| Tig (Woolly & Tig) | Po (Teletubbies) |
| Minnie (Mouse) | Sophia (The First) |
| Peppa (Pig) | Teal (Abney & Teal) |
Older children will obviously read and watch slightly more mature things than the examples above. Why not ask them what their favourite programmes are and go through the characters to see whether you feel inspired?
Unique Labrador Names
So there is a lot of inspiration in the media that you can bring to the table when choosing your Labradors name.
But what if you want something a little more different to the every day?
If you are looking for unique Labrador names, or some that would name an unusual Lab name, then there are a few ways to go about searching.
A great place to start is further back in time.
Looking at names which were popular more than 40 years ago, but which are now quite low down the ranks in terms of popularity.
Past Labrador Names
Some of our favourite male Lab names are now quite antiquated in a way, but can add an unusual and unique twist to your Labrador’s name.
Past Male Labrador Names
| Arthur | Frank |
| Walter | Ronald |
| Albert | Clarence |
| Ernest | Roger |
Past Female Labrador Names
| Betty | Martha |
| Bessie | Clara |
| Edith | Nellie |
| Nora | Mandy |
Sentimental Names For Labradors
Another great way to make your Labrador’s name unique is to choose something sentimental to you to name them after. Whether it’s an obscure village you once went to, or a day of the week something special happened.
Making your choice based on personal experience will give you a window into a different sort of name.
Place Names for Labradors
Naming your Labrador after a location can work charmingly, depending upon the place you choose.
Some names for countries and continents, like India and Asia, are quite popularly used as names for both pets and babies.
But if you narrow your margins or think a little outside the box you can find something unique.
Look at a map of your local area and note down any village names, names of rivers or even houses which sound appealing.
Other unusual Labrador names can be found by taking titles and making them into names.
Military or honorific titles can make quite fun names for Labradors.
Labelling words in common use which could make nice Labrador names include:
| Captain | Boss |
| Corporal | Major |
| Chief | Pilot |
| Boson | Prince / Princess |
| Duke / Duchess | Lord / Lady |
Labrador Names From Nature
Another way to find a unique Labrador name is to look to nature.
Natural Labrador names can include some very popular choices, but there are also some quite unusual ones which are just as pretty.
Female Lab Names From Nature
| Rose | Daisy |
| Iris | Willow |
| Heather | Blossom |
| Dahlia | Ivy |
| Peony | Zinnia |
Male Lab Names From Nature
| Larch | Hawthorne |
| Thistle | Aster |
| Cane | Pine |
| Heath | Oak |
| Reed | Moss |
The worlds of botany and arboriculture have seemingly endless terms and descriptions which you could use.
If this theme appeals then searching for those could help you to find your perfect unusual name.
Descriptive Labrador Names
Labrador names can be human style names, but they can also be descriptive. Either regarding their appearance, their personality or your hopes and dreams for their characteristics.
Chocolate Labrador Names
We have taken a look at some fun words to describe the brown shade of our chocolate Labradors.
I have divided the chocolate Lab names into male and female categories, but of course there are no hard and fast rules for this, it’s simply a matter of taste.
Female Chocolate Lab Names
| Bailey | Cocoa |
| Hazel | Cookie |
| Caramel | Cadbury |
| Tawny | Sienna |
| Candy | Tammie |
| Wispa | Galaxy |
| Nestle | Milka |
Male Chocolate Lab Names
| Aero | Rocky |
| Bear | Mars |
| Guiness | Coffee |
| Choco | Bruno |
| Cinnamon | Hershey |
| Clay | Whiskey |
| Bounty | Yorkie |
Black Labrador Names
Black Labradors are the most common colour of Labrador Retriever, but fortunately there are loads of great names which work really well for them.
Just like with chocolate Lab names lots of these can make great girls or boys names, but we have separated them for you to make it easier to flick through.
Female Black Lab Names
| Raven | Dusty |
| Ember | Noon |
| Midnight | Ebony |
| Pepper | Shadow |
| Pepsi | Olive |
| Eclipse | Stella |
| Twilight | Nightshade |
Male Black Lab Names
| Ash | Jett |
| Cinder | Omen |
| Indigo | Noir |
| Vader | Obsidian |
| Sooty | Onyx |
| Liquorice | Phantom |
| Magic | Puma |
| Thunder | Zorro |
As with any name, most of these can be easily applied to male or female Labradors. I have simply separated them according to my personal preference to make these lists easier to flick through.
Yellow Labrador Names
Yellow Labs come in a range of shades, from palest cream that is almost white to a rich dark red.
So we will look at the fox red names separately, as they can describe quite a different colour, even if it does officially come under the same category.
Female Yellow Lab Names
| Amber | Saffron |
| Buttercup | Honey |
| Snowflake | Primrose |
| Star | Blondie |
| Sunshine | Maizy |
| Snowdrop | Goldie |
Yellow Lab Dog Names
| Nacho | Aslan |
| Casper | Barley |
| Custard | Buckwheat |
| Sunny | Nugget |
Remember, the exact shade of your puppy may change as she ages, which is something to bear in mind when picking a colour based name.
Fox Red Labrador Names
Although fox red Labradors are technically yellow Labradors with a darker shade, this shading can be very distinctive.
You may well want to make use of your tiny puppy’s unusual colour in their name, by using a descriptive word.
| Ginger | Ruby |
| Autumn | Peaches |
| Amber | Rose |
| Flame | Tiger |
| Rusty | Rufus |
| Cherry | Scarlett |
| Merlot | Sunset |
As well as using names to describe your Labradors colour, you can pick names which described their personality or attributes.
Strong Dog Names
The names below are either associated with strong people or have the route word of their names originating in strength.
Strong Female Lab Names
| Hally | Amalda |
| Carla | Breanne |
| Isa | Conny |
| Kahlan | Maude |
Strong Male Lab Names
| Titus | Connor |
| Ajax | Tank |
| Kal | Farris |
| Conan | Arnie |
Cute Dog Names
Your new Labrador puppy will be adorable. So you might be inclined to give him or her a name to reflect just how cute your new dog is.
Here are some popular cute dog names, that you might like to choose from.
Cute Labrador Names
| Baby | Sugar |
| Pixie | Bubbles |
| Fifi | Lolly |
| Skittles | Honey |
| Tizzy | Sunshine |
Working Labrador Names
There are some great Labrador names around for working Labradors, bred and used in partnership with human companions in the field.
These are often themed around the tasks carried out, game found and the equipment used for them.
| Purdy | Trigger |
| Widgeon | Drake |
| Webley | Boot |
| Gunner | Brenneke |
| Grouse | Winchester |
| Weatherby | Beretta |
Traditional Dog Names for Labradors
There is nothing wrong with going with an old favourite when it comes to naming your Labrador.
With the wealth of people looking for more modern or unique dog names, it actually leaves a gap for people to go back and look at the more traditional dog names for Labradors too.
These do tend to be more masculine in approach, but plenty of them could be used for male or female Labrador names.
| Rex | Rover |
| Buddy | Buster |
| Scout | Blackie |
| Brownie | Fluffy |
| Sparky | Scamp |
| Scruffy | Hooch |
Good Lab Names
As you can see, there are no end of options when it comes to naming your Labrador. Good Lab names are a matter of opinion as much as anything else, and we all have our different tastes and preferences.
Before we look at some Labrador names to avoid, I thought you might like to hear some more of The Labrador Site’s favorites when it comes to Labrador names.
Good Lab Names for Male Dogs
| Archie | Ben |
| Buddy | Charlie |
| Coby | Dexter |
| Finn | Scott |
| Harry | Jack |
| Jake | Kit |
| Marley | Milo |
| Oli | Oscar |
| Otis | Rigby |
| Riley | Rocky |
| Sam | Teddy |
Good Lab Names for Female Dogs
| Abby | Alice |
| Ava | Bella |
| Bonnie | Cora |
| Daphne | Dolly |
| Elsa | Esme |
| Evy | Maisy |
| Meadow | Mia |
| Molly | Pepper |
| Polly | Roxy |
| Sadie | Tess |
| Sam | Teddy |
Labrador Names To Avoid
Whilst no one can tell you what to call your Labrador, there are a few things to take into account when you make your decision.
Joke names, rude names and especially offensive names are probably best avoided. Whilst they are funny now, will they be funny in five years time? Will they make your Grandma blush or your toddler get told off at nursery when she repeats it?
Will they hurt someone’s feelings or get you nasty looks when you call it out in the woods on your daily walk?
The other names to avoid are those which are very similar to any command word you might want to teach your dog. Words like ‘sit’, ‘heel’, or ‘down’ will probably be used by you on a daily basis.
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Great blog. Thanks. I am currently looking for a name for my little Labrador. Thanks for this great list of dog names for my inspiration. https://petreader.net/
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ReplyDeleteNice collection, Please check more 14 Unique Names for a Cockapoo and Labrador Mix
ReplyDeleteI have Labrador puppy for my mom birthday gift we name our dog buddy.
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