What Are The Best Pug Names?

Owning a pug is one thing. But giving it a beautiful name is another. Even during planning on owning a pug, we already become excited to give it the best name a dog could ever have. We imagine an infinite list of possible names. So, what’s the best name for your pug?

Make sure not to make hasty decisions in choosing pug names. It’s always nice to think about it carefully, right? They are your family as well, so they deserve a good name.

Let’s help you find the best pug names!

The Importance of a Name for your pug

female pug names

Before we discuss the creative, witty, and fun names for our pugs, it would be best to appreciate why we have personal names. We might not have wondered about it since having a personal name is a normal part of our everyday life. Ever since we were born, we were called by our name (whether we like it or not). But pause for a moment and imagine how life would be if we and our beloved pets did not have names. How do we identify a person? Would it sound pleasant if we were called by ID numbers? That would bring order to the community, but would it be able to establish relationships?


Therefore, a name is not just a group of letters. It should not be taken for granted. A name is an identity related to the owner’s character, background, appearance, and other qualities. A person’s name is even related to his reputation.

Popular Pug Names

cute pug names

How then can you pick the best name that would reflect the attributes of your pug? You might need some help so we compiled the best pug names around the globe, and if you have already named your sweet dog, see if your pug’s name made it to the list.

Ace – a nickname to one who excels

Alex – means Defender of Men or Protector

Bella – means Beautiful

Biscuit – for the dog who loves treats

Bruno – means Brown

Buddy – means Friend

Diesel – means Full of Energy

Doug – from the Famous Doug the Pug

Louie – means Famous Warrior

Lucy – means Light

Max – means Fun and Happy

Precious – means Beloved or Of Great Worth

Oliver – olive branch symbolizes Peace

Otis – means Wealthy

Pugsly – one of the most popular Pug names

Rico – means strong

Shadow – dog that follows you anywhere

Sophie – from Sophia which means Wisdom, Skill

Tootsie – means Young Lady

Yuki – from a Japanese word which means Happiness

What’s your favorite on the list? If we have not mentioned your pug’s name, don’t worry. You can always make your own.

How to Choose the Right Name

new pug puppy

If you are still having a hard time thinking about which name is the best for your pug, here are a few tips. As mentioned, pick something that is related to your pug’s attributes. Is your pug friendly and playful? Does your pug love treats? You may want to observe your dog for a short period before giving it a name that reflects its traits. Keep in mind too that the best names are short, so your dog can easily recognize the name. Choose a name that you are comfortable with, as you will often use it when calling your pug.

There are endless ways to name your pug. Just don’t forget to have fun! Let’s further talk about it below.

Choose dog names you like

Take note that you’ll be calling your pug puppy with their pug name. Make sure it’s a name that you like, so you can flawlessly express your love for them.

Most pet owners choose adorable pug names they want. And there’s no stopping you from naming them.

The shorter the better

Of course, you don’t want to trouble yourself with a super long dog name, right? It’s practical if you go for dog names that are one to two syllables long. It’ll be easier for you to say it all the time.

Whether you’re calling your pug dog for playtime or training, it will be a lot easier if it’s a short name.

Never use embarrassing names

You will be calling your pugs name anywhere. It can be when you’re with the vet, or with your kids. You don’t want to say out loud embarrassing names for your new dog, right? It leaves a bad impression of you and your pug.

A nice fitting name that shows love is more recommended. It must be a perfect match with your puppy’s personality. Don’t worry as we are going to show a list of pug names for you to choose from.

Avoid using names that seems like a command

If you choose a pug name that sounds like a command, it might confuse them. For instance, you have “Frit” for your pug dog name. It sounds similar like “sit”, which can confuse your dog.

Another example is “Jay” which sounds like “stay”. Be careful not to make this mistake. It’s nice to find a cute name for your pug.

Say it a few times before finalizing it

Before you settle for a fitting name, try repeating it for a week. See if your pug puppy reacts to it nicely or not. You also need to feel if you like calling them with that dog name.

If you feel it’s difficult to pronounce their pug name, replace it with an easy one. You can think of unique pug names and find some inspiration online.

Saying a pug name repeatedly for a week will help you feel if it’s a good one or not.

Secure a nickname for long pup names

If your puppy’s name is too long, make sure to have a nickname. Say your dog’s name is “Rick James”, then possible nicknames could be “Rick”, “James”, or “RJ”. That all depends on your preference.

In choosing the nickname, make sure it is one or two syllables for easy pronunciation. By having a shorter name, it will be easier for you to call their attention. It’s helpful when training them as well.

Can you rename if they turn into an adult dog?

When you’re adopting an adult dog, you can choose to keep their old names or not. This goes for your pug puppies as well. It’s a matter of personal choice actually. Some pet owners want to change while others don’t.

If you plan to rename your dog’s name as they turn adults, you can plan ahead of time. For instance, “Jolly” to “Molly” or “Bell” to “Bella”. We suggest that during name transition, there will just be a minor change like one or two letters.

Train them to respond when calling their name

famous pugs

Once you’ve chosen one from a list of adorable pug names, start calling them. It’s best practice to train any dog breeds by their name and let them respond to it.

You can start by calling their name and giving them a treat when they respond. This is positive reinforcement and it’s good for your four legged friend.

Try repeating this process for a month. This helps them retain their fitting name. After a month, try calling their name without a treat and see if they respond still. You can also rub their head or body when they respond to their name.

Choose a pug name from famous people in history

If you love history, you can grab some famous names there. No one’s stopping you from this since a perfect name depends on you. In picking a name for your sir pugs, it must match their personality.

Here are some pug name ideas:

  • Queen Victoria
  • Diamond
  • Fortune
  • Leonard
  • Pompey
  • Caesar
  • Chester Ludlow
  • Charles

Pug Names from Celebrities

If you love showbiz and the limelight, you can grab some famous artist as a perfect name for your puppy. Below are some examples:

  • Jessica Alba
  • Elvis Presley
  • Leonardo
  • Tom Cruise

There is an endless list for you. You can also modify these celebrity names to make it a funny name. For instance, “Elvis Presley” to “Elvis Pugsly”.

Taking Pug Names from Movies

You can also choose your puppy’s name from famous television series and movies. This can be the name of the main character or villain in the movie. These are some popular dog names you can try from movies and television:

“Precious” from the movie The Nut Job

“Frank” from Men in Black

“Scooby Doo” from the cartoon show Scooby Doo

“Percy” from Pocahontas

Choose a movie you like and pick the name of your favorite character. It could be a movie your family always watches, or just your own choice.

Interesting Pug Names using the word “Pug”

You can also play with words and create a new cute name from “pug”. This is fun to do and you can do that with your family. Here are some ideas:

Pugzilla

Pugsley

Pugs Bunny

These are a few of the many you can think of. Just let your imagination roll and you’ll be able to create one. It may take some time, that’s the only problem with this method. But if you’re not in a hurry, you’ll have fun with it.

Trending Girl Pug Names

If you have a female pug, you can choose from any of these go-to female dog names.

Bella

Bella Daisy

Penny

Coco

Kim

Stacy

Lola

Lilly

Zoey

Stella

You can choose any of these names for any dog breed. They are all cute names, so just have to find the perfect one for your pup.

Popular Male Pug Names

There are also hundreds of boy pug names to find online. You might be overwhelmed by the choices. But keep in mind to match it with your male pug’s trait. Below are some ideas:

Milo

Frank

Oliver

Otis

Max

Louie

Rocky

George

Steve

Rick

All these male pug names have one or two syllables so that it’s easier to say it. That’s helpful for training or calling out your pug dog.

Intelligent Pug Names

You can also choose a dog name that sounds smart or nerdy. It gives an impression that your pug dog is intelligent. But you need to train them to enhance their obedience and skills.

These nerdy names will motivate you to train your pugs to be obedient and adaptive. These dog breed are highly trainable, so you just have to patient. Make sure to use positive reinforcement when training your pug puppies.

Here are some nerdy names for your adorable dogs:

Rey

Gizmo

Eddy

Albert

Hawking

Ridley

Cosmos

Ferdie

Most of these names are patterned from famous scientists. You can modify the original name to fit your favorite pug.

Pug Names Based on Color

Pugs have different breeds. It can be that you own a fawn or black pug, right? There are name ideas you can have for your pug based on their breed or color.

Brown Pug Names

Coco

Autumn

Almond

Amber

Suede

Cinnamon

Peanut

Clove

Black Pug Names

Obsidian or Obsie

Shadow

Charcoal

Midnight

Eclipse

Nightshade

Ember

Onyx

Panda

Smoke

Phantom

Odd Pug Names

There are also trending pug names that sound rare. These pugs’ names are also seldom used by owners. Here are they:

Bumble

Pluto

Fern

Bonsai

Echo

Trello

Mambo

Jinkx

Jim

Bitly

Pug Names Based on the Alphabet

The generic manner of choosing a pug name can also be based on the alphabet. You have an endless list of pug names starting from letter “A” to “Z”.

Pug names starting with letter “A”

Allan

Alice

Albert

Anna

Axe

Alvin

Pug names starting with letter “B”

Bravo

Ben

Bailey

Bart

Bella

Bean

Boo

Pug names starting with letter “C”

Charlie

Charles

Coco

Carl

Chloe

Cooper

Pug names starting with letter “D”

Dennis

Dave

Doug

Duke

Dolly

Daisy

Pug names starting with letter “E”

Eddy

Edward

Ella

Elvis

Emma

Elly

Ernie

Pug names starting with letter “F”

Frankie

Fern

Ferdie

Filnard

Fil

Fiona

Pug names starting with letter “G”

Ginger

Gigi

Gary

Grace

George

Pug names starting with letter “H”

Hank

Harry

Harris

Hugo

Henry

Hillary

Pug names starting with letter “I”

Ivan

Igor

Izzy

Ice

Takeaways

famous pug names

Choosing the perfect name for your new dog is part of their secret life of pets. It’s a fun and tedious process but worthwhile for your cute pug.

Before you finally go, let’s summarize some things you need to remember in picking a pug name:

  • Easy to say
  • Matches your dog’s personality
  • Avoid embarrassing names
  • Don’t use pug names that sounds like a command
  • Choose a shorter name
  • Repeat the name for a week before you settle with it

We hope you had a great time reading through the article. Take time to think about the right dog name that’s a perfect match to your pet. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. We are happy to help you with anything for your pugs name.

Keep yourself informed! We have gathered tons of useful pug tips , frequently asked questions and trivia for you here. Read on and get to know your pug better. Coz’ everything has a scientific explanation.