Tough Dog Names

If you're adopting a hard nut, try these tough dog names on for size. They're perfect for larger breeds or just dogs with a dominant personality.

Tap the arrow to see a name's meaning, and the heart to save it to your shortlist.

Acadia
Meaning: Idyllic Place
Admiral
Meaning: the supreme commander of a fleet; ranks above a vice admiral and below a fleet admiral
Alaska
Meaning: Mainland
Ames
Meaning: God of war in greek mythology.
Ammo
Meaning: Short for ammunition.
Aragorn
Meaning: character from Tolkien's Lord of The Rings trilogy
Augustus
Meaning: Great
Bale
Meaning: a city in northwestern Switzerland
Bandit
Meaning: A thief.
Bear
Meaning: Bear-like
Blade
Meaning: Sharp edge of a knife, saw or other weapon.
Blitz
Meaning: An overwhelming all out attack.
Bomber
Meaning: a large sandwich made of a long crusty roll split lengthwise and filled with meats and cheese (and tomato and onion and lettuce and condiments); different names are used in different sections of the United States
Bowser
Meaning: Fictional villain from Nintendo's Mario franchise.
Bravo
Meaning: Brave, courageous
Bro
Meaning: Brotherly love/friendship.
Brock
Meaning: Badger
Bruiser
Meaning: Brawny and tough.
Bruno
Meaning: Brown-haired
Brutus
Meaning: Bad.
Bubba
Meaning: Nickname for a boy in the south of the US; a slow moving individual.
Buffalo
Meaning: any of several Old World animals resembling oxen including, e.g., water buffalo; Cape buffalo
Bully
Meaning: A ruffian; someone who threatens those that are weaker.
Cane
Meaning: Stalk Of Sugar
Captain
Meaning: The leader of a group of people
Cleopatra
Meaning: Glory + father
Cobra
Meaning: Venomous Asiatic and African elapid snakes that can expand the skin of the neck into a hood
Crete
Meaning: Cradle of the empire in Roman mythology.
Crusher
Meaning: a device that crushes something
Damaris
Meaning: Dominant woman.
Digger
Meaning: a machine for excavating
Ditka
Meaning: Football coach/legend.
Duchess
Meaning: the wife of a duke or a woman holding ducal title in her own right
Duke
Meaning: Leader, commander, governor of a province
Dutch
Meaning: From The Netherlands
Fang
Meaning: Beautiful
Fender
Meaning: an inclined metal frame at the front of a locomotive to clear the track
Frisco
Meaning: Free
Friska
Meaning: Lively, energetic, vivacious.
General
Meaning: a general officer of the highest rank
Gnasher
Meaning: Fierce teeth gnashing.
Goliath
Meaning: A giant from the bible.
Gruber
Meaning: German noble family name.
Gunner
Meaning: Strong in battle (in Swedish).
Han
Meaning: imperial dynasty that ruled China (most of the time from 206 BC to AD 220) and expanded its boundaries and developed its bureaucracy; remembered as one of the great eras of Chinese civilization
Hawk
Meaning: Short for Stephen Hawking.
Howler
Meaning: a joke that seems extremely funny
Hudson
Meaning: The son of Hugh
Idris
Meaning: Righteous lord, studious
Jax
Meaning: Son Of Jack
Kahlan
Meaning: Combination Of Kay And Lyn
Kevlar
Meaning: Strength, like a kevlar vest.
Killa
Meaning: Powerful and dangerous.
Kush
Meaning: "African royal dynasty."
Kyla
Meaning: Narrow
Kylo
Meaning: Gift of God
Leech
Meaning: a follower who hangs around a host (without benefit to the host) in hope of gain or advantage
Lefty
Meaning: Nickname For Left-handed
Lex
Meaning: Defender of men in greek.
Lonestar
Meaning: Lonely Texas pride.
Mace
Meaning: The collective dead in the afterlife
Mafia
Meaning: any tightly knit group of trusted associates
Magnum
Meaning: As in magnum, private investigator
Major
Meaning: Better; a military rank
Malcom
Meaning: Follower Of St. Columba
Mildred
Meaning: Gentle strength
Missy
Meaning: Bee
Nipper
Meaning: a young person of either sex
Nitro
Meaning: Short for nitroglycerin.
North
Meaning: Geographical Direction
Onyx
Meaning: Black Gemstone
Outkast
Meaning: "Different from the rest."
Pepper
Meaning: The pepper pad a handheld game console.
Pyro
Meaning: As in pyromaniac.
Queen
Meaning: Female ruler
Rambo
Meaning: A sylvester stallone character.
Ranger
Meaning: Gamekeeper; a rover or wanderer
Raven
Meaning: Dark-colored.
Reaper
Meaning: Death personified as an old man or a skeleton with a scythe
Remington
Meaning: From The Ridge Town
Ronaldo
Meaning: Advice Ruler
Roo
Meaning: Short for kangaroo
Roxie
Meaning: Dawn.
Saber
Meaning: Lightsaber, a weapon in star wars.
Samson
Meaning: Man with super strength.
Sarge
Meaning: As in sargent.
Scar
Meaning: an indication of damage
Sergeant
Meaning: a lawman with the rank of sergeant
Shasta
Meaning: Praised, Commended
Snatch
Meaning: a small fragment
Snipe
Meaning: aim and shoot with great precision
Sniper
Meaning: a marksman who shoots at people from a concealed place
Solider
Meaning: Brave, loyal, protector.
Spike
Meaning: Stingy or pointed.
Storm
Meaning: To deliver a violent attack or assault. barrage.
Striker
Meaning: someone who hits
Talon
Meaning: Bird Claw
Tank
Meaning: Big.
Thor
Meaning: God of lightning and thunder in norse mythology.
Tigre
Meaning: Tiger; giant cat.
Titan
Meaning: Greek giants.
Tito
Meaning: Saved
Trigger
Meaning: put in motion or move to act
Tyrone
Meaning: From The Land Of The Yew Tree
Uzi
Meaning: Power, Strength
Vera
Meaning: Faith, truth
Vlad
Meaning: Prince of Wallachia.
Wolf
Meaning: Wolf
Wrigley
Meaning: Clearing By The River Bend
Xander
Meaning: Defender of the people
Yukon
Meaning: a territory in northwestern Canada; site of the Klondike gold rush in the 1890s
Yuna
Meaning: Kindness

Staying on the tough theme, these names mean warrior or are in some way related to the word.

Staying on the tough theme, these names mean fighter or are in some way related to the word.

Staying on the tough theme, these names mean brave or are in some way related to the word.

Is your dog going to grow up to the bully of the dog park? If you want a menacing name that strikes fear into smaller puppies, try these mean dog names on for size.

Brave dogs offer the best companionship, because they have the confidence to support and protect you. These courageous dog names are a tribute to strong-willed dogs.