Tough Dog Names – Amazing Ideas For Badass Pupsters

Tough dog names aren’t just for those hounds who won’t be messed with.

They can be a fun and ironic way to name your big, or small, softie too!

Our Favorite Tough Dog Names

Our favorite tough dog names for 2019 include:

The Importance Of Choosing The Right Name For Your Dog

Every dog has a different personality and look. It’s important that your dog’s name suits him or her.

Some dogs are cute and cuddly. Some are dainty and sweet. And some are just plain TOUGH!

You might not want to be heard calling your big, bruiser of a mutt in the park by a name like Cutie Pie!

That would surely blow your dog’s street cred straight out of the water!

Naming Can Be Hard

So a cool name that suits your dog’s looks and personality is really important.

Now, when naming a new puppy, there is an element of guesswork when it comes to predicting how your pup will turn out.

This applies especially to crossbreeds. Their future looks are something of a mystery.

However, if you buy a breed such as a Doberman, Labrador, or an Pitbull, you can be confident that a tough dog name will suit their look.

Short, memorable names are simple for your dog to learn. This makes recall easier.

Steer away from really long names, even if they seem like a great choice. Unless you can think of a suitable nickname for your pooch.

When you’ve chosen a name for your new puppy, remember to have him microchipped. Buy a name tag for his collar too.

Tough Female Dog Names

Just because your dog is female, doesn’t mean that she won’t suit a strong female dog name. There are plenty of tough female dog names to choose from. They could make your pup sound both ladylike and tough too.

You can find more names for female dogs at this link.

You may find inspiration for strong female dog names from bands or rappers, many of whom like to sound street-tough. Here are a few ideas:

• Dido
• Fergie
• Ke$ha
• Pitty
• Tina
• Chaka
• Cyndi
• Missy
• Nicki
• Cardi
• Iggy
• Alanis
• Etta
• Avril
• Janis
• Courtney
• Gwen
• Azealia
• Yolandi
• Cher

Tough Dog Names For Male Dogs

Tough dog names can look good on brawny guard dogs or on smaller, scrawny dogs that need to boost their image.

There are lots of male dog names at this link.

Tough Dog Names – Rock Bands And Rappers

There are plenty of bands and rappers who like to create a tough image or outlaw vibe.

Some of these names are great for tough male dogs too.

• Akon
• Arcade (short for Arcade Fire)
• Bruno
• Busta
• CeeLo
• Jayzee
• Linkin
• Neyo
• Outkast
• Stormsie
• Tayo
• Waylon
• Wyclef
• Snoop
• Kanye
• Tupac
• Kodak
• Bono
• Ozzy
• Freddie

Badass dog names – Prisons!

There are lots of tough prisons around the world that can be a source of inspiration for truly badass dog names.

• Al (after Alcatraz)
• Traz
• Chino (state prison for men in California)
• Hatfield (a tough prison in Yorkshire, UK)
• Parchman (the oldest maximum security men’s prison in Mississippi)
• Sing-Sing (maximum security state prison in New York)
• Riker (one of the largest US prisons, located on Riker’s Island in New York)
• Mo (after Guantanamo Bay)
• Stanley (Hong Kong maximum security facility)
• Petak (The Russian version of Alcatraz!)
• Quentin (San Quentin prison California)
• Tadmor (Military prison in Syria)

Tough Dog Names With Meanings

Some names that are traditionally given to people are also suitable as tough dog names. Because of their original meanings.

Here’s a selection that might appeal to you.

• Amir – from the Hebrew, meaning “powerful”
• Brendan – from the Gaelic, meaning “brave”
• Garvan – from Celtic, meaning “rough”
• Gunner – from the Swedish for “strong in battle”
• Lex – abbreviated form of Alexander, meaning “defender of men” in Greek
• Ozzie – from the Hebrew, meaning “strong”
• Stalin – from the Hindu, meaning “man of steel”
• Nina – Native American origins, meaning “strong”
• Trudy – From Germany, meaning “universal strength”
• Elda – Italian origin, meaning “warrior”
• Isa – From Germany, meaning “strong willed”
• Gesa – Dutch name, meaning “strength of a spear”
• Lenna – German name, meaning “lion’s strength”
• Mildred – English origins, meaning “gentle strength”
• Amell – From Germany, meaning “power of an eagle”
• Kawan – From Korea, meaning “strong”
• Denzell – Cornish origins, meaning “powerful”
• Barrett – From Germany, meaning “bear strength”
• Oz – From the Hebrew, meaning “power and strength”
• Takio – From Japan, meaning “strong as bamboo”

You can find lots of inspiration for dog names among lists of baby names.

Baby name dictionaries also include the meaning of each name listed. This makes it simple to find a really meaningful tough dog name.

Tough Dog Names From Mythology

Ancient history has produced some great names for heroes and tough guys that make perfect tough dog names too. These can by found in myths and stories of ancient Gods:

Here are some figures to inspire you:

• Atlas – from Greek mythology who carried the world on his back
• Ajax – mythical Greek hero who held the entire Trojan army at bay during the Trojan war
• Hades – Greek god of the underworld
• Hera – Greek goddess known for her vengeful character traits
• Eris – the Greek goddess of discord and chaos
• Loki – the shapeshifting Norse god of troublemaking and mischief
• Samson – biblical character said to have superhuman strength
• Shaitan – Arabic name for the devil
• Thor – Norse god of thunder
• Titan – Greek giants of incredible strength
• Ares – Greek god of war
• Artemis – Greek goddess of the hunt
• Athena – Greek goddess of wisdom, intelligence, warfare, and battle strategy
• Achlys – Greek goddess of poisons
• Erebus – Greek god of darkness and shadows
• Nyx – Greek goddess of night
• Cacus – fire-breathing Latin giant slain by Heracles
• Orion – Greek giant huntsman 18
• Talos – Giant forged from bronze by Hephaestus in Greek myth
• Ceto – Greek goddess of ocean dangers and sea monsters

Tough Dog Names from History

We don’t just have to look into myths and really ancient history to find some great tough names.

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Take a look at some of these. Perhaps their stories will inspire you!

We will include their full name, but you can always just choose your favorite part!

Male Names

• Nelson Mandela – South African anti-Apartheid leader
• Winston Churchill – British Prime Minister during WW2
• Alexander the Great – King of Macedonia
• Napoleon Bonaparte – Emperor of France
• Robert Falcon Scott – Royal Navy officer who reached South Pole!
• Neil Armstrong – First man to walk on the moon
• Marco Polo – Venetian traveller and explorer
• Edmund Hillary – First man to climb Everest
• Jesse Owens – Gold medalist at 1936 Berlin Olympics
• Hugh Glass – Inspired the film ‘The Revenant’!

Female Names

• Khutu (after Khutulun) – Mongol noblewoman and wrestler
• Boudicca – Leader of Britons against Roman occupation
• Margaret Fuller – American women’s rights advocate
• Marie Curie – First woman to receive Nobel Prize
• Rosa Parks – American civil rights activist
• Maya Angelous – American author and poet
• Harriet Tubman – Escaped slave who campaigned for abolition
• Amelia Earhart – Aviation pioneer
• Mary Seacole – British Jamaican nurse in Crimean War
• Melita Norwood – Inspired the film “Red Joan”!

Scary Dog Names

If you want to give your pooch a really tough dog name, you might want to consider something really scary.

You can even get inspiration from famous villains.

We think these fierce dog names are enough to make you quake in your boots!

• Hannibal – after fictional serial killer, Hannibal Lecter
• Lecter
• Satan
• Lucifer
• Spook
• Freddie – after Freddie Kruger
• Bullet
• Orc
• Sauron (evil wizard in the Lord of the Rings)
• Thanos
• Vader
• Ultron
• Scar
• Jaws
• Gollum
• Jigsaw
• Cruella
• Jafar
• Jabba
• Evil

Tough Dog Names That Just Sound Tough!

There are some words that simply sound tough!

Here’s a selection that you might like to consider.

• Turbo
• Spike
• Sniper
• Rhino
• Reaper
• Razor
• Rampage
• Nitro
• Kevlar
• Hitman
• Duke
• Dozer
• Crusher
• Champ
• Brutus
• Bruiser
• Ammo
• Ajej – means “sandstorm” in Moroccan Arabic
• Creeper
• Buster

Punny Tough Dog Names

Tough dog names can be funny at the same time! If you’ve got a sense of humor, and want to show this through your pup’s tough name, we’ve got some great choices for you here.

Check out some of our favorite tough punny names – can you recognise who they’re inspired by?

• Chewbarka
• The Notorious D.O.G.
• Sherlock Bones
• Dogtor Watson
• Beowoof
• Jabba the Mutt
• Muttley Crew
• Luke Skywoofer
• JK Growling
• Pup Norris
• Bark Vader
• Tony Bark
• Uma Furman
• Ned Bark
• Hairy Potter
• Kahl Dogo
• Bark Ruffalo
• Clint Eastwoof
• Barky Rogers
• Dogtor Strange

Have you got any other great punny ideas? Use this as inspiration for your own punny tough names and leave us some more ideas in the comments!

Tough Names Inspired by Fighters

If you’re still looking for the perfect tough name, you can also get inspiration from famous fighters.

They could be boxers, wrestlers, martial artists, or something else!

Let’s take a look at some famous fighters that could have the perfect name for your tough pup.

• Muhammed Ali
• Mike Tyson
• Floyd Mayweather
• Cris Cyborg
• Ronda Rousey
• Georges St-Pierre
• Rocky Marciano
• Bruce Lee
• Anderson Silva
• Hulk Hogan
• John Cena
• Dwayne Johnson
• Andre the Giant
• Rose Namajunas
• Conor McGregor
• Holly Holm
• Gina Carano
• Anthony Joshua
• Deontay Wilder
• Tyson Fury

Things To Remember When Choosing Tough Dog Names

When you think you’ve found the ideal tough dog name for your pup, there are a few things to bear in mind before you make your final decision.

Make sure that the name you choose has only one or two syllables.

Of course, you can use a longer name if you find one that you really like. But this can make it tricky for your pup to learn his name and come to call.

If you prefer a long tough dog name, abbreviate it to a nickname!

If you already have a dog, avoid choosing a name for your new pup that sounds too similar.

  The Perfect Companion For Life With A New Puppy 

Avoid giving your new pup a name that sounds very like one of his training commands!

The name, Grit, is undoubtedly quite a fierce dog name. But it also sounds like sit!

And you don’t want your helpful hound to stay seated in the park when you actually want him to come back to you!

Try to think of a really unusual and unique tough dog name.

There are hundreds, if not thousands, of dogs that are called Rambo, Rocky, and Tyson!

Imagine the confusion that could be caused in the park and at your local vet surgery if you pick a really common tough dog name!

Tough Dog Names – Summary

Even the toughest-looking dogs can be loving and gentle.

However, if you have a fierce-looking pup, you might want a name to suit him.

We hope you find inspiration amongst our list of tough dog names!

If you do choose one of our suggestions, please tell us in the comments section below.

However, if you already have a dog with a great tough dog name, we’d love to know about that too!

If you want more inspiration, take a look at our cool dog names!

References and Further Reading

• Bounty – “Baby Name Search”
• Behind The Name – “Ancient Greek Names”
• American Kennel Club