Tough Dog Names for Male and Female Dogs

The toughest dog names often the most memorable, aren’t they. I love it when I meet an adorable new puppy called Killer, or a sweet shelter dog named Death. The juxtaposition is such fun and so individual too!

Tough dog names aren’t just perfect for gritty guard dogs, they can be a cool way to name your cute pet puppy. Today I’ll share a selection of bold, fierce and fabulously furious ideas for your new bestie. Whether he’s a badass Bulldog, yappy Yorkie or cheerful Chihuahua, I hope you’ll find your perfect fit.

Contents

• Tough names for girls and boys
• Guard dog names
• Police dog names
• Spooky, fierce and villainous ideas

Best Tough Dog Names

There are hundreds of tough dog names here, so we’ve gathered them into collections based around a theme. Whether that’s hardcore baddie names, warrior names or truly gangster dog names, we’ve got you covered.

We also recommend you build your own collections around themes that interest you too. Pick a theme first – a tough sport can be a great place to start. Maybe you like rock-climbing for example. Names like ‘Biner’, ‘Cam’, ‘Sherpa’, ‘Crag’ or ‘Flake’ might appeal to you.

Or perhaps motor vehicles are your passion? Names like ‘Porche’, ‘Ferrari’, ‘Axle’, ‘Beemer’ or ‘Diesel’ make very cool and tough dog names. 

Write the name of your theme on a big sheet of paper and start to write words related to that theme randomly across it. And write quickly, don’t stop to try and evaluate each word, just get it out there on the paper and let your mind race around the topic until your sheet of paper is covered

Make two or more collections if you like, then it’s time to go through them and make your shortlist. That’s a list of ten to twenty names that especially appeal to you. You can use our collections below, as well as your own to get your shortlist down.

Popular Tough Dog Names

Here are some classic badass names. There are lots more collections below! Some names come and go, others are totally timeless. These tough dog names will stick around for a long while yet:

• Fender
• Butch
• Dana
• Dutch
• Dragon
• Damia
• Gnasher
• Mauser
• Shredder
• Marine
• Vixen
• Arya
• Tank
• Rowan
• Atlas
• Samson
• Icon
• Heath
• Echo
• Andrea

Once you have made a shortlist, its a great idea to pin it up on the wall somewhere prominent for a few days. It’s amazing how your views can change when you look at something every day! Here are some more collections to inspire you, and at the end of the article, we’ve got some fun games for you too.

Tough Female Dog Names

The best tough girl dog names can be feminine and fierce simultaneously. Or just plain hard and gritty. You can grab them out of the baby naming lists, or find them associated with bold or daring traits. Inspired by fiction, or based in reality. Strong female dog names really are everywhere. Whether the names have an air of menace or simply an association with a tough woman, get inspired with these badass girl names.

• Amber
• Arya
• Astra
• Avril
• Breanne
• Briana
• Bridget
• Carla
• Damia
• Erin
• Harley
• Jenna
• Kahlan
• Kelsey
• Kitana
• Lara
• Matilda
• Nina
• Rogue
• Rowan
• Roxie
• Sheba
• Storm
• Trixie
• Ursa
• Valkyrie
• Zelda

Tough Male Dog Names

Tough boy dog names can come from a huge range of inspired places. Although they are often human names too. Whether you are choosing your favorite tough mystical, mythical or 100% real character, there are a lot of badass boy names to choose from. And I bet you’ll love some of these great traditional tough boy dog names too.

• Ajax
• Archer
• Ares
• Axel
• Blake
• Brick
• Brutus
• Buck
• Dane
• Ethan
• Griffin
• Hale
• Heath
• Holt
• Jax
• Jet
• Knox
• Lex
• Preston
• Ryder
• Samson
• Scrapper
• Stone
• Wayde
• Zane

Tough Guard Dog Names

Some of the toughest dogs around have guard dog duties. They make their owners and families feel safe and secure. However, most of our family pet dogs aren’t actually going to guard our house any time soon.

If we’re honest, our Labs are more likely to welcome burglars in with open paws than with a fierce growl. But that doesn’t mean their name can’t conjure up a serious impression when heard by anyone who passes by!

• Bouncer
• Buckler
• Colonel
• Gauntlet
• General
• Helm
• Major
• Marine
• Marshal
• Master
• Officer
• Sentinel
• Shield
• Trigger
• Warden
• Watcher

Our Labs are definitely more likely to give any intruders a thorough licking than send them packing. But that doesn’t mean it’s not fun to mess around with tough ideas. And what’s a step up from guard dog? Police dog!

Tough Police Dog Names

Although in reality most police dogs have rather standard human style names, if we were in charge of naming them they’d get something a lot more dramatic. Choosing names that mean protector, or are linked to something truly honorable or loyal. Not to mention tough! Here are some powerful dog names that would suit any police dog down to the ground.

• Bear
• Beretta
• Blue
• Blazer
• Bruin
• Caesar
• Charger
• Colt
• Hooper
• Hawk
• Lobo
• Mauser
• Odin
• Ranger
• Rex
• Rhodes
• Sable
• Scout
• Trooper
• Walther

And if they aren’t tough enough, how about taking a step towards something out of the ordinary?

Spooky Dog Names

That haunting feeling that sends a shiver down your spine can be an inspiring place to look. Even if your cute pup is hardly likely to freak anyone out.. Well, maybe during the dreaded puppy biting phase! But that soon passes, and the teeth are never intended to be malicious.

Yet that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun thinking up spooky names or nicknames for her. Here are some ghastly ideas for the grimmest tough dog names around.

• Banshee
• Beast
• Demon
• Diablo
• Fang
• Ghost
• Ghoul
• Goblin
• Gremlin
• Haunt
• Hellhound
• Hellion
• Maniac
• Mutant
• Ogre
• Phantom
• Serpent
• Sneer
• Spectre
• Spook
• Troll
• Villain
• Wrath
• Zombie

Fierce Dog Names

What could be cuter than an adorable puppy with a name that strikes terror into the hearts of your companions? Or funnier to call out at the dog park! These fierce dog names give a great twist to the tough tale!

• Barbarian
• Brute
• Chaos
• Cobra
• Cutthroat
• Dragon
• Fiend
• Fury
• Gunner
• Ire
• Jaws
• Poison
• Punk
• Rage
• Rowdy
• Sabre
• Savage
• Scar
• Shredder
• Spite
• Torment
• Vandal
• Venom

Perhaps fierce dog names just aren’t tough enough for you? Big dog names can also make a massive impression on your friends and family. But maybe you were looking for a different take on tough? Then let’s slip on over to a more felonious world…

Villain Names For Dogs

How many tv and movie bad guys have given across a real tough attitude over the years. They can be a great way to find the perfect tough dog names that really pack a punch.

Although your pup would obviously never be dastardly, you might feel the shoe fits as they sneak off with their teething toys to hide in their lair. Here are some of our favorite bad guys that could make great names for dogs too!

• Bane
• Cruella
• Cyborg
• Doom
• Draco
• Dracula
• Dredd
• Gollum
• Gothel
• Gruber
• Hades
• Hannibal
• Krueger
• Loki
• Magneto
• Ursula
• Ra’s
• Ratched
• Stryker
• Vader
• Vector
• Voldemort
• Zod
• Zoom

Hench Dog Names

What says tough more firmly than strength? Whether it’s inner strength or sheer muscular poundage, the most muscular are almost always associated with being the toughest. And dogs are no different.

Whether you give your pup a name that literally means strong, or one that has ties to a character, there are loads of great choices. They don’t have to be serious, but can also be a tongue-in-cheek nod to strength too! What do you think of these?

• Andra
• Angus
• Brunt
• Beefcake
• Brawn
• Burly
• Hercules
• Jedi
• Juggernaut
• Khaleesi
• Mighty
• Mountain
• Odinson
• Ragnar
• Red
• Superman
• Tarzan
• Thor

Military Names For Dogs

Names on a military theme can be a great choice for a dog. Try one of these

• Captain
• Alpha
• Tank
• Bullet
• General
• Scout
• Bomber
• Rifle
• Soldier
• Sabre
• Delta
• Sergeant
• Warrior
• Gunner
• Skipper
• Tango
• Pistol

Tough Dog Names For Labradors

The toughest dog names aren’t just great Rottweiler names. Labs might be some of the friendliest dogs around, but they can still rock a tough dog name. Toughness goes hand in hand with love, protectiveness and loyalty. Which are all Labrador traits!

• Amaya
• Artemis
• Diesel
• Dutch
• Dorado
• Duke
• Fender
• Hags
• Jett
• Max
• Onyx
• Raven
• Ravenna
• Sunna