There is a long-running superstition saying animals that are black in color are to be feared. This is especially true with black cats, but black dogs haven’t managed to escape the stigma either, even in this modern day and age. Still, to the few kind and brave souls that are willing to see deeper into the dog’s soul instead of just their outward appearance, know that you’ve done the right thing. You will soon discover that your dog commands a special kind of respect befitting their noble coloring, and that’s why you should consider only the best black dog names for your pup.
If you are stuck trying to figure out what name to give your black dog, you have come to the right place. We know how challenging it can be to decide on a name for your dog. You need one that not only reflects their cool appearance, but also the kind and loyal heart hidden underneath all that black hair. You want a name that will make people realize how awesome black dogs are. Keeping that in mind, we have taken it upon ourselves to gather some of the best and most suitable names for a black dog.
Knowing fully well that different people have different mindsets, you will find that the list below has been compiled with diverse categories in mind. In all, we believe you cannot go through this list and not come up with awesome choices on what would go on the next dog tag you’ll be making.
Black Dog Names by Gender
We’re going to get this list started with black dog names as categorized by gender. Both male and female black dogs are striking in appearance, and we will make sure their name lives up to their glorious figure.
Male Black Dog Names
Male black dogs are handsome. They strike fear into the heart of anyone they are displeased with, but for those they are loyal to, they can be the most dependable of companions.
Here are some black dog names male that you can’t go wrong with.
Adham – Arabic word that means ‘black’
Adrian – Means black in Latin
Ash
Asphalt – One of the major materials used in the lining of roads; known for being black in color and very tough
Azur – Egyptian word for ‘black.’ Sounds similar to Azure, so if your black dog has blue eyes, this name will be perfect
Blacky – Because we think that calling your dog just ‘Black’ is too commonplace already
Blake – An old English word that was used to refer to something as ‘black’ or ‘dark’
Bo – Named after Obama’s black dog
Bran – This is Irish for ‘raven’
Bronson – The name has Anglo-Saxon origins, and translates loosely to ‘the son of the dark man’
Bullet – If your dog is a combination of black hair and speed, bullet sounds apt
Burn – If you have two black dogs, naming one Burn and the other Ash will be apt
Corbin – This is what the French would say when they wanted to refer to someone or something as ‘black-haired’
Dargan –Irish word for ‘black-haired’
Darth – Because you might prefer this to Vader
Dorjan – ‘Black-haired’ as said by the Latinos
Doyle – At first, you and your dog will be strangers to one another. That is why the dog can be considered a ‘black stranger’ to you in both of Irish and Gaelic
Dubh – Of Scottish origins, it bears the meaning ‘black’
Duggan – As the Scottish have theirs, so do the Irish have a name that means ‘black’
Duncan – The name refers to famed a black warrior
Dwayne – You can use this if you are a fan of either Dwayne Johnson or Dwayne Wade. Otherwise, you could use it for its meaning ‘little and dark’ in Gaelic
Enigma – Something dark and mysterious
Flame
Flare
Flicker
Inky
Jack – Short for Black Jack, the game
Jet
Jinx
Kerwin – Also spelled as either of Kerwyn or Kerwen, the name translates to ‘little black one’
Kieran – Irish and Gaelic in origins, the name means ‘dark’ or ‘black’
Kieron – This name bears semblance to the one above in its origins, but means ‘little black-haired one’ instead
Kindle
Lead
Noir – A cool French word that means ‘black’
Padfoot – Or Sirius Black, whichever you prefer
Pitch
Pyre
Ray – This one is short for X-ray. See where the black reference comes from now?
Shadow
Sinbad – Named after the legendary pirate who had black hair and black beard
Singe
Sizzle
Smoky – For a black dog that is dark and mysterious
Sooty
Spade – After a pack of black aces of spades
Spark
Spot – Suitable if your dog has a single large mass of black on his otherwise solid-colored fur
Stoke
Tinder
Tux – Short for tuxedo; perfect for black and white dogs
Female Black Dog Names
Female black dogs are elegant beyond compare.
If your lady in black is smart, loyal, and she has a heart that’s blindingly pure in striking contrast with her dark hair, choose one of these enchanting black dog names female for her.
Alva – Translates to ‘black’ in Spanish
Angel – An ironic name for a black dog, especially given the prejudice of people towards the color
Ashley – An old English name that means ‘ash meadow’
Brena – This is an Irish word that means ‘raven-haired’
Cerin – You can use this Gaelic name if your dog is little. It means ‘little black one’
Darcy – ‘Dark one’
Dee – The name does sound cool for a female dog, and it also means ‘Black’ in Welsh
Diva
Dolce – means ‘sweet’ in Italian
Duff – The name, Scottish in its origins, has a nice ring to it. It also means ‘dark’
Dusty
Duvessa – an Irish name that translates to ‘dark beauty’
Eve – mother to us all that was tricked by an evil, dark snake
Fia – An Irish-Gaelic name that means ‘dark’
Huyan – A Vietnamese name that translates to ‘having a reflective black color.’ If your female black pup has a shiny coat, this is the one for her
Jetta – Much like how it sounds, this Latin name means something that is ‘jet-black’ in color
Kala – Hindi for ‘black’
Kanika – In Kenya, the people will tell you that this means ‘black material’
Kerry – The Irish will tell you that this name translates to ‘black-haired’
Leila – An Arabic name that translates to ‘dark as the night’
Lilith – This is a Hebrew word that can either mean ‘dark’ or ‘woman of the night’
Melanie – Latin word that means ‘dark-skinned’
Noire – The female version of Noir
Sandy
Shade
Sheba – Biblical names never go out of style. This one refers to the African Queen
Simmer
Soir – A beautiful French word that refers to the time of the day when the sky is dark
Suede
Sullivan – An ideal name for a female dog, it means ‘black eyes’ in Gaelic
Swan
Umbra
Black Dog Names Based on Food and Drinks
Some food and drinks have the color black by nature. Surprisingly, that does nothing to take away their great taste. In fact, most of them taste better than those which are not black.
If you don’t believe us, let us jog your memory with some of the food items we will be mentioning right now. Meanwhile, keep at the back of your mind that we are not trying to whet your appetite and make you reach for your cooking utensils. Quite the contrary. We are still in the business of finding your dog a most suitable name, and a sweet one at that.
Angus – Refers to a kind of delicious black meat that is produced by a certain breed of cattle
Anise – A kind of herb with Eurasian origins. Medicinal in nature, the black herb has also been used in many kinds of healthy food
Bee-Bee – This one is short for Blackberry
Cabernet – A kind of dark red wine
Chanyaka – This is the Russian translation for ‘Blackberry.’ The fruit, not the phone brand
Cherry – A sweet name for female dogs, it goes on this list because cherries come in black as well, not just red
Chicory – A type of plant whose roots can be finely ground to brew a kind of tea that makes a good substitute for coffee
Chip – Not the one used in computers and other electronics. We’re referring to chocolate chips, which are usually dark brown or very dark (black) in color
Coco – Ideal name for a female dog, this name relates to the dark chocolate
Cocoa – We know this name would fit well on a small, black dog
Coffee – Especially if you are a coffee lover already, this is a way to associate your dog with something else you’d love to have every day
Coke – Just like how this world-famous soft drink makes any meal taste better, so does your black dog improve the taste of your life
Currant – As in the blackcurrant fruit
Espresso – For a dog who always seems to be full of energy at any point of the day
Goulash – Of Hungarian origins, this is a kind of delicious stew of meat and vegetables. It comes out of cooking almost black in color
Guinness – After the very black, strongly brewed, stout. Apt name for a strong, black dog of any gender
Hershey – Are you a big fan of chocolate? Why not consider this sophisticated name?
Latte – A kind of coffee that has a hint of milk in it
Licorice – Some of these spicy candies come in black
Mavro – Coming all the way from Cyprus, the Mavro is a popular dark grape in the country
Nori – A kind of black seaweed that is used for wrapping sushi rolls
Oreo – We were not going to round this up and not mention one of the sweetest, most popular black snacks/food out there
Pepper – The name is especially fitting if you’ve got a black dog that sneezes a lot
Pepsi – Because we know some people would rather take this to Coke
Plum – The purple color of this fruit is so dark, it is almost considered black
Prune – This fruit is known to turn black after it has been purified
Truffles – They are the second most expensive food in the world, and they make everything taste good
Black Dog Names Inspired by Nature
There are a lot of things around us that your dog can get their name from. Some are things you come across daily and appreciate, but couldn’t think of off the top of your head. We are here to give you a little nudge in the right direction.
Keeping the theme of your dog’s coat color in mind, here are some naturally-inspired names for your dog.
Bamboo – This one refers to the black bamboo plant with black stems
Basil – A small basil plant has purplish-black leaves
Black Pearl – This can refer to either the gemstone or the flower, or maybe even Captain Jack Sparrow’s precious ship. Whichever it is, you are recognizing the color of your dog and letting them know that they are both special and beautiful. For better trainability, you could shorten it to just ‘Pearl’
Calathea – This is a black tropical plant that will do well as a female dog’s name. It sounds better shortened to just ‘Thea’
Calla – Another great option for a female dog, calla flowers come in black among other colors
Caviar – When your dog has especially good taste, this name will go well with them
Coal – A naturally occurring black substance
Cosmos – Put all those years in the astronomy club to good use
Dahlia – Coined from Black Dahlia, this is the name of a black plant. It is better suited for female black dogs
Dawn – The period of time before light breaks into the day
Dianthus – Inspired by a flower, it can be shortened to just ‘Dian’
Dusk – The time of day that gives a nod to the color of your pup
Ebony – A form of valuable black wood. If you’ve got a white dog too, you could name them ‘ivory’ to complement the black dog
Eclipse – This occurs when a celestial body obstructs the course of another one. Usually, that results in momentary darkness
Galaxy – In case you are a space lover and ‘Cosmos’ didn’t do it for you, here’s another one
Graphite – A form of coal that is pitch black in color
Hellebore – The name of a beautiful flower. You can shorten it to ‘Helle,’ and try it out on your female dog
Jaguar – An animal that shares likeness with your black-coated dog
Luna – Another way to call the moon, which is known to come out when the sky grows dark
Mamba – A dangerous black snake from Africa
Metallica – This could refer to the name of your favorite brand, but it is also the name of a plant with almost pitch-black leaves
Moon – A celestial name that gives a nod to the color of your dog, as it is only visible in the night sky
Night
Obsidian – We have seen people shorten this to just ‘Ob,’ even though the dog can learn to get used to the full name. It refers to the black volcanic rock and is a solid name for male dogs
Onyx – A very precious stone colored black
Panther – The color fits, and this animal is an amazing hunter, just like your dog
Petunia – The full name of the plant is “Black Velvet Petunia,” characterized by its purple to black leaves
Raven – Much like the large, intelligent, and most importantly, black bird. Works better on female dogs
Rosa – Another way to call the black rose
Tar – Liquid made from burning coal, usually used to coat roads
Twilight – During twilight, the sky mimics the color of your dog’s coat
Wrap Up
A black dog can be any of two things, depending on who’s looking at them. To the owner/parent of such a dog, they are the most beautiful thing ever. To an outsider, they could be seen as the harbinger of bad luck.
With all the discrimination still going on even in this modern era against black cats and dogs, first of all, we think the fact that you’re adopting one is a beautiful thing. That being said, you going through this much trouble to find a name for your dog shows just how much you love them.
You should compound that love by choosing a name that the both of you will love for years to come. Make sure it’s something that is somehow significant to you, easy for you to pronounce, and matches the personality of your dog as well.
We know that by the time you are done with the list above, you will have found multiple names that fit that description, as well as your selection criteria. Don’t forget to let us know what name you finally picked, and why it was the one for you. If we missed any good names, please give us a shout-out in the comments section below.
