Nothing beats the feeling of going hunting with your dog, particularly if it has a covert name like Colt or Flint. A hunting dog is usually a special companion which is smart, loyal, tough, and well-disciplined, thus why you need to choose an appropriate name for him or her that reflects all these impressive characteristics.
Hunting dogs are not just pets; they are partners in crime and make an important cog of the hunting team. When you are out in the fields, you will be calling your dog more often if you want him to attack a quarry or run close to the rest of the team.
A hunting dog’s name should not be complicated or you risk your dog not hearing it when you call.
Many people may wonder; is a name important for a hunting dog?
Though naming a hunting dog is almost the same as naming a pet dog, there are a number of things to consider. A hunting dog name should ideally be short so you can easily call and give out the order to it.
Also, there are names that are perfect for both female and male dogs, so you should consider this as well.
How to choose the best name for your hunting dog
To help you find the best name for your hunting dog, we have compiled a list of some of the best names for hunting dogs. So if you want, you can just go straight down in this post for the list, or continue reading as we help you brainstorm and come up with a perfect name for your hunting dog.
When choosing a hunting dog name, you should ask yourself whether you want to give your dog a name that represents an inspiration for hunting or just regular dog names.
You can come up with cool names that are ideal for your tracking dog, a deer hunting dog, or one that conveys authority and power.
But to put your mind at ease, there are no rules for choosing a name for your hunting dog, and it is all up to you to be as creative as possible.
Also, no matter what cool or not so cool name you come up with, it will not affect your dog’s hunting abilities and skills. What could impact your dog’s hunting skills maybe is the training drills it went through. So for this reason, if you want your dog to be a fierce hunter, make sure you properly train him or her or even enlist the help of a professional trainer.
Best name for hunting dogs
In this list, we have categorized the names so that you can go with one that suits your dog perfectly.
Names inspired by hunting
Below are the best dog names inspired by hunting: s
- Arrow: this is a perfect name if you are a bow hunter
- Gunner: on the other hand, this is a great name if you are hunting with a gun
- Boomer: closely related to the above name, boomer comes from a sound produced by a rifle
- Trapper: a perfect name for treeing dogs
- Hunter: no further explanation about this dog name
- Chaser or Chase: is an ideal name for tracker dogs
- Rambo: a great name for your dog and also for you if like Rambo movies
- Sarge: This is simply a short form of sergeant
- Thunder: nothing is as powerful as a thunder
- Blitz: inspired by military attack
- Tank: perfect name for a huge hunting dog
- Diesel: an ideal name of a masculine dog
- Troy: the name is inspired by one of the most powerful armies in history
You can come up with more names for your dog inspired by hunting. The best way to go about this is to focus on mythology or military background, and you will come up with plenty of names that convey power, authority, or unique skills.
If you still need more unique names, continue reading to find names for both male and female dogs.
Suitable names for male hunting dogs
- Archer: an ideal name for hunters who use a bow
- Bullet: a great name for hunters who hunt with a gun
- Apollo: ideal mythology-based name
- Bolt: it is also a great name that is inspired by an arrow or bar
- Decoy: a decoy is a great name for any hunter’s dog
- Camo: this name is short for camouflage, which is great for a hunting dog
- Jet: a great name for a very fast hunting dog
- King: there is no ideal hunting dog name like King
- Justice: who doesn’t like justice?
- Max: a fairly common name for a hunting dog
- Rebel: if your dog tends to ignore your orders, you can’t find a more suitable name
- Magnum: a great name inspired by the famous show Magnum
- Orion: this name is also inspired by the Greek mythology
- Sparta: a name from the city-state in the island of Greece
- Zeus: a name that also comes from a Greek mythology
- Shadow: a catchy name for a hunting dog
- Spade: this common name means late in German.
This is not an exhaustive list of names for hunting dogs, but it’s a great inspiration for you. As you can see, the names are inspired by various backgrounds, and so if you know of others, like military, mythologies (maybe Roman or Aztec), you can come up with plenty of other cool names for your hunting dog.
A suitable name for a female hunting dog
Now let’s see the best, unique names for female hunting dogs. Female hunting dogs are known for being faster learners compared to male dogs (just a little tidbit I thought you should know).
- Beretta: this name comes from an arms manufacturing company
- Echo: a name inspired by the echo your gun makes after firing a shot
- Daisy: a common name that comes from a flower
- Aspen: this name comes from the aspen tree
- Athena: a great hunting dog name inspired by the Greek mythology
- Sadie: name with both English and French origins
- Bess: the name that comes to the Greek mythology meaning God or oath)
- Luna: a straight forward name that means moon
- Molly: name that means star of the sea
- Bella: this name means beautiful in French
- Bailey: this great name comes from the berry clearing
How to Name your Hunting Dog
Below are our 10 rules that guide the dog naming process.
A functional name is better
Don’t just give your dog a name. It must be more than a name. A hunting dog name is a command, carrying a meaning such as “Run!” or “Pay attention!” The name should also be short and easy to yell out.
Avoid names that rhyme
This is particularly important if you have other dogs. For instance, if you already have a name called Zed, don’t name your other dog Jed. This will create much confusion when you ran both dogs at the same time.
The dog name should not also rhyme with the name of people in your home or certain commands. For instance, if there is Pam in your household, perhaps you should avoid naming your dog Sam.
Also, avoid names that may rhyme with slurs.
You and you alone should decide your hunting dog’s name
Don’t allow you, youngsters, to decide the name of your dog, as they can come up with embarrassing or hard names to pronounce.
Don’t use the online name generator
You may think that if online name generators work for humans, it can also generate a name for your dog. But you will be surprised by the names that you will be suggested.
If you are stuck, people names tend to make the best dog names
As you can already tell from our list above, human names make the best dog names. The name you pick does not have to have a special meaning to you. This allows your dog to write his or her own story with the name.
While this is a pretty safe method of dog naming, giving your dog the name of other people can sometimes go terribly wrong.
You can name a dog after a person you admire
We have already seen in our list some inspirational names like Rambo. So you can name your dog after someone who inspires you. It can be after a jazz star, a famous baseball player, a great poet and so on. Remember that the name does not affect the hunting skills of your dog, though it is always good to name your dog after tough guys.
You can also name a dog after a thing
The name of your hunting does not have to be a real name. You can also name him or her with non-human names such as Bonsai. However, you can’t just pick some random name and expect it to be a great hunting dog name.
Another inspiration is sporting things, for instance, Covey, Rooster, or Wigeon.
Name your dog after a gun
We have seen some cool names inspired by the sound of a gun, and you can take it a notch higher and name your dog after a real gun. For example, you can name your dog Ruger, Remi, or Ak.
If you have a passion for a handgun or a pistol and you are not afraid to show it, there are numerous gun names for your hunting dog to choose from.
In fact, this is like a whole inspiration for your dog name, and you can categorize it into a manufacturer, model, or parts of a gun.
For example;
Gun manufacturer names for hunting dogs
You can go with:
- Anderson
- Mossberg
- Nexter
- Benelli
- Bersa
- Savage
- Browning
- Ruger
- Blaser
- Bushmaster
- Noveske
- Remington
- Sauer
- Seraphim
- Charter
- Sig
- Chiappa
- Smith
- Colt
- Springfield
- Crickett
- Stag
- Crosman
- Sturm
- Franchi
- Taurus
- Glock
- Tikka
- Heckler
- TOZ
- Kimber
- Walther
- Koch
- Weatherby
- Marlin
- Wesson
- Mauser
- Winchester
Model names for hunting dogs
Here some of the cool firearm models that can make a great hunting dog name:
- Arquebus
- Machine
- Assault
- Momentum
- Avenger
- Musket
- Blackhawk
- Musketoon
- Blunderbuss
- Navy
- Bolt
- Pistol
- Bullpup
- Powerhead
- Carbine
- Revolver
- Derringer
- Rhino
- Desert eagle
- Riffle
- Diplomat
- Shotgun
- Gerand
- Switchblock
- Gatling
- Uzi
- Iceman
- Vulcan
- Infidel
- Wildcat
Parts and accessories names for hunting dogs
Some parts and accessories of a gun can also make for a cool name for a hunting dog. Check some of them below:
- Baffle
- Matchlock
- Barrel
- Muzzle
- Butt (yea, you may want to think twice about this one)
- Picatinny
- Chamber
- Pin
- Clip
- Pivot
- Cylinder
- Plug
- Damascus
- Ramrod
- Ejector
- Rib
- Extractor
- Scope
- Flintlock
- Sear
- Hammer
- Silencer
- Hush Puppy
- Slide
- Laser
- Spring
- Linx
- Stock
- Lock
- Strut
- Magazine
- Trigger
- Maggie
- Underlug
Ammo-inspired names for hunting dogs
Here are some cool hunting dog name ideas inspired by ammunition:
- Ammo
- Gunpowder
- Ammunition
- Hollowpoint
- Ballistic
- Hydra-Shock
- BB
- Jacket
- Birdshot
- Pellet
- Blank
- Powder
- Brass
- Propellant
- Buckshot
- Rimfire
- Bullet
- Rounder
- Caliber
- Cartridge
- Shell
- Dum-Dum
- Shelly
- Dummy
- Slug
- Guage
- Wadcutter
- Big Bore
- Point Blank
- Friendly fire
- Pump
- Half-cock
- Recoil
- Hangfire
- Red Dot
- Holster
- Ricochet
- Iron Sight
- Spritzer
- Misfire
- Submachine
- PB
- Swage
- Pew Pew
- Trajectory
- Plink
- Velocity
You can also name your dog after marksmen. Here are some of the greatest marksmen-inspired name ideas for your hunting dog.
- Assassin
- Outlaw
- Bandit
- Range
- Berm
- Ranger
- Bullseye
- Scout
- Decoy
- Sheriff
- Dogtag
- Shoot
- Fighter
- Shooter
- Fire
- Shot
- Flyer
- Skeet
- Gangster
- Sniper
- Gunman
- Soldier
- Gunslinger
- Strier
- Hotshot
- Target
- Hunter
- Torpedo
- Marine
- Tracker
- Marksman
- Triggerman
- Mobster
- Veteran
Another idea is to name your hunting dog after gun-wielding characters such as:
- Butch Cassidy
- Suicide Squad
- The Sundance Kid
- Dirty Harry
- Suicide Squad
- Django
- Harley Quinn
- Harmonica
- Marshal
- Master Chief
- Riggs
- Gunsmoke
- Ringo
- Judge Dredd
- Punisher (this is good!)
- James Bond (why not)
- Bonnie
- Clyde
- Alice (Resident Evil)
- Ripley
- Costello
- Jules
- Furiosa
- Han Solo (for Star Wars buffs)
- Al Capone
How about taking a notch higher and name your dog after fictional firearms. If no other names excite you, here are some more ideas from fictional firearms.
- Blade Blaster
- Boomstick
- Chemtrail Gun
- Golden Gun
- Gristle Gun
- Hailstorm
- Haymaker
- Infinity Blaster
- Kuda
- Lancer
- Carl (GTA San Andreas)
- Tommy (GTA Vice City)
- Lawgiver
- Man-O-War
- Maverick
- Mortia
- Needler
- Noisy Cricket
- Phaser
- Ripper
- Smartgun
- Vesper
- Winona
- Zorg
You can also stick with your breeder’s name
Most breeders pick a theme when picking a name for each dog. There are dogs named after the Beatles songs or even pirates.
We saw a name inspired by a famous action hero somewhere above. Maybe we can expand this further and come up with more cool names for hunting dogs.
Names after action heroes and actors
Below are some of the most famous actors and action heroes who have featured in some iconic action films over the years, after whom you can name your dog:
- Arnold
- Araya
- Bella
- Blade
- Bruce
- Chuck
- Clint
- Conan
- Drigi
- Dutch
- Eastwood
- Echo
- Fang
- Ford
- Hagrid
- Harrison
- Hawkeye
- Hulk
- Indiana
- Jackie
- Keanu (whom to name your hunting dog after than the person who’d kill for his dog)
- Lara
- Logan
- Marlow
- Maximus
- Mystique
- Nikita
- Predator
- Riddick
- Simba
- Rocky
- Statham
- Storm
- Sylvester
- Bolo
- Thor
- Trinity
- Xena
- Voldo
- Wesley
You can also name your dog after celebrated shooters and hunters. This may be the most befitting name for your hunting dogs. If you admire famous real-life shooters and hunters, then you can name your dog after them. Here are some great ideas for hunting dogs’ names based on some of the most famous shooters, adventurers, and hunters.
- Buffalo Bill
- Boone
- Bridger
- Ernest
- Esau
- Ishi
- Hemmingway
- Pope
- Jeremiah
- Teddy
Unique Hunting Dog Names
These are names that would not even have crossed your mind. Let’s see them.
- Cerberus: after a mighty three-headed mythical dog
- Comet: inspired by marvels of the universe
- Laika: how about a tribute to the first dog to ever orbit the earth?
- Ghost: inspired by the direwolf adopted by Jon Snow in popular Game of Thrones
- Nymeria: still on the Game of Thrones, this direwolf is adopted by Arya Stark
- Rogue: this name also describes the rebellious nature of your hunter pet while entailing that it also has some wild streak.
- Olympia: the name of the town where the Olympic Games originated
- Cleopatra: a name that depicts royal, beauty as well as a strong personality inspired by a famous Egyptian queen.
- Sassy: this shows that your dog is full sass and a little bit of wit
- Vixen: a perfect name for your female hunting dog that also means a female fox
- Ursula: This is also a female name for a hunting dog that means “a little female bear”
- Skylar: how about an apt name for your strong, loving hunter pet?
- Medusa: this name means “to rule over” or “to protect”
- Nyx: ideal name for your hunting dog that has a Greek origin.
- Dakota: a great name for a dog that will do anything to please their owners
- Artemis: this is a Greek mythology name that’s great for your hunting breed
- Cyclops: a mythology-based name that means a strong giant that must be restrained due to its overpowering strength.
- Buttercup: a name that shows rebellious and toughness
- Lolita: ideal name for a female hunting dog that describes high tolerance levels
- Duchess: a name for a female dog that always wants royal treatments
- Gizmo: a great name for a playful hunting dog that is also full of energy
- Arya: Remember this fearless character in Game of Thrones?
This is some list of hunting dogs’ names. But we are not done making your life easier as far as picking your hunter’s name. Below we have narrowed down the criteria, so make sure you choose a name that fits these standards.
- Appearance
Appearance is the first criterion to use when brainstorming a name for your hunting dog. For instance, does your dog have two different colored eyes? What is the color or colors of his or her fur? Is he or she big or small? Muscular?
- Personality
Most dog names are usually a reflection of their personality. Spend some time with your hunter pet and determine his or her personality. For instance is he or she shy, loving, playful, skittish, and so on.
- Practice commands
Find out how the name of your dog sounds when issuing commands. For example, a name like Butt (inspired by guns and its parts) may not sound right when yelling out commands.
- Shout out the name
When you yell out a dog’s name, you will realize that some sound a lot better on paper than how they sound.
Final Thoughts
If you are a hunter, you need a dog to run along with you out in the fields. A hunting dog is more than just a pet. You will be spending lots of time with him or her, and so you need to find a suitable name that fits him or her. Since this is a hunting dog, avoid going for sweet or cheesy names even though it won’t affect your dog’s hunting skills. Instead, opt for a strong name that will show its strengths, personality, loyalty, and discipline. Avoid also complicated names that are hard to pronounce or names that may be offensive ethnically or politically. Last but not least, this dog will become an integral member of your family, therefore make sure you choose a name that you will all love.
