Poodle Names: 250+ Names For Color, Size, Trends, And More

Poodles often get a bad reputation for being prissy, high-strung dogs that require a lot of care and attention. This couldn’t be further from the truth. If you know a high-strung poodle, it is likely a product of how it was trained. Most poodles are incredibly friendly, intelligent, loyal, and loving.

They are a wonderful family dog because they do great with children. Although, the smaller breeds might not be suitable around small children due to their size. Poodles love to learn and are simple to train due to their intelligence. They are also very eager to please, which means they will be more than happy to follow commands. It is also why they are commonly found competing in agility programs.

You may find a showy, frilly name is perfect for your pooch. However, you may also quickly see it doesn’t fit your pup at all. The last thing you want is to saddle your dog with a moniker that doesn’t suit it at all. To help you find the perfect name, here is a look at several categories you can consider to help you choose the one that suits your dog the best.

Popular Names

Poodles are athletic and super intelligent. You can train these dogs quickly. Their curly hair will grow into natural cords if you let it grow out, and the coat of a Poodle is naturally low in allergens. They are an excellent choice for a family with sensitivities to dog dander.

The poodle is the national dog of France, but it originated in Germany. It was a hunting dog used to retrieve ducks from the water. This also means these dogs are excellent swimmers.

They were also pretty famous within European circuses. They were smart enough to learn all the tricks that wowed the crowds and had the showy looks people wanted to see. Plus, poodles are natural entertainers, so they thrived off the cheers they received. As if hunting ducks and thrilling fans at the circus wasn’t enough, poodles also are truffle hunters. If it isn’t clear yet, this breed is an overachiever.

What that means for you when choosing a name, the sky is the limit. You can dip into this breed’s busy background and draw lots of inspiration. Go with something French or German. Try out circus and hunting-related names, or play off the poodle’s good looks.

Male

Kyzer	Iven	Chaucer
Miles	Hunter	Oliver
Uzi	Bullet	Julius
Frank	Finn	Fairfax
Bruno	Duckie	Benedict
Kosmo	Desmond	Theodore
Rufus	Vincent	Charles
Maurice	Hamilton	Beau
Jacques	Emerson	Riviera
Clown	Gaston	Felix
Tiger	Duke	Heureux
Henry	Jack	Mignon
Blake	Schwarz	Rhine
Gregor	Schnitzel	Pudel

Female

Amore	Aphrodite	Love
Farrah	Duchess	Charlotte
Gypsy	Bianca	Camelia
Helena	Effie	Violet
Jewel	Fifi	Darling
Paloma	Lux	Aurora
Queenie	Aspen	Jolie
Sarah	Victoria	Cherie
Princess	Harper	Elle
Iris	Sabine	Odette
Tera	Natasha	Suzanne
Julie	Ainsley	Yvette
Bella	Angel	Paris
Ellie	Theodora	Frenchie

Coat Color-Based Dog Names

It makes a lot of sense to name your dog after its coat’s color or style. Poodles often get creative cuts and dye jobs. Its fur works nicely with these styles. Plus, the dog does require a lot of maintenance to keep it looking good.

However, the stereotype is usually a white poodle. It may surprise you to learn white isn’t even the most common coloring for the breed. Rarest.org explains the most common poodle color is black. It is common because it results from breeding different colored parents. Black coats do a nice fade as the dog ages into a silver or gray color.

Brown is another standard color. It is the result of parents who have either brown or black coats. It will usually fade with age to a lighter brown. Some may get silver if they have a parent with black fur.

While a popular choice for owners, white coats are only common because breeders know they will sell. White is a recessive gene, so it should be rare. It also may not come in pure white but somewhat different shades, such as cream.

Poodles may also have blue coats. While the name is blue, the color is grayer. It can have a brown tint to it. A pure silver coat is hard to get. It requires two parents carrying recessive genes. Even breeders have difficulty recreating the right genetic makeup to get a silver poodle, making them very rare.

Another rare color due to requiring recessive genes is red. Red will fade rather quickly with age. The rarest of all poodle colorings is apricot which is cream with barely a hint of red. The colors and hairstyles of poodles give you a lot to work with if you desire an appearance-based name. Here are some of our suggestions.

Male

Frosty	Ink	Valentine
Ice	Coal	Rojo
Bianco	Pepper	Copper
Powder	Shady	Berry
Alabaster	Oreo	Phantom
Olaf	Dusky	Holstein
Cotton	Woofson	Orca
Cloudy	Noir	Zorro
Domino	Jet	Motley
Ash	Knight	Jasper
Smoky	Shadow	Skunk
Bandit	Blacky	Odile
Café	Red	Rocky
Spidey	Merlot	Espresso

Female

Kahlua	Clove	Ginger
Tootsie	Dusty	Cinnamon
Bambi	Graycie	Amber
Nestle	Cinder	Sienna
Brownie	Ashley	Rose
Chestnut	Misty	Foxy
Burgundy	Lily	Ruby
Jade	Winter	Annie
Sable	Shell	Ariel
Ember	January	Fiona
Onyx	Sugar	Merida
Pearl	Ink	Garnet
Creamy	Raven	Panda
Coco	Ebony	Greta

Breed Size-Based Dog Names

There are three different sizes of poodles within the breed. The standard poodle will stand 15 inches or taller. Miniature poodles are between 10 and 15 inches in height, and the toy poodle is the smallest, standing less than 10 inches tall. Height measurements are from the shoulder, according to the AKC.

Since the breed has such a wide range of sizes, you can get a lot of mileage from this area of inspiration. The larger poodles may get strong and bulky names, while the smaller ones can have cute, little names.

Of course, there are no rules in naming. You can always add humor by flipping the meaning, giving a toy poodle a name that sounds like it should fit a much bigger dog, or vice versa. Dog owners know that little dogs often have the biggest personalities to handle a big name.

Here are some options related to size.

Male

Shorty	Puma	Yeti
Peanut	Buck	Axel
Peewee	Dino	Moose
Squirt	Griffin	Max
Jellybean	Wolf	Boomer
Nugget	Tiger	Bruiser
Munchkin	Chief	Diesel
Bean	Bear	Samson
Shrimpy	Killer	Rex
Scrapy	Tank	Slim
Nino	Choco	Kong
Mango	Runt	Goliath
Shorty	Half Pint	Hulk
Nibbler	Puny	Hercules

Female

Tiny	Buffy	Pebbles
Little	Minnie	Candy
Baby	Teensy	Puff
Button	Ladybug	Sierra
Nina	Crumpet	Denali
Beignet	Puddles	Sky
Muffin	Fluffy	Adeen
Bunny	Pearl	Berry
Karina	Demi	Chica
Lunette	Diva	Bluebell
Weema	Dab	Pia
Zip	Itty	Hollywood
Dot	Lollipop	Glamour
Elfie	Fancy	Chardonnay

Dog Name Trends And Tips

Common poodle names do not follow any of the stereotypes. You might think they would be very fancy to match the breed’s looks. However, the most common are quite ordinary. The most popular poodle names include Max, Molly, Bella, Buddy, Charlie, and Daisy, which are pretty typical. In fact, these are the popular general names regardless of breed.

Of course, some of the popular poodle choices better suit their looks. These include Teddy for  the teddy bear, Princess for the perceived prissy nature, and Coco, which suits some pups’ sophisticated appearance and chocolate brown coloring.

You certainly can choose any of these, but you want to be sure whatever you go with is the one that works for your new furry friend.

Be Aware Of Connotations

Some dog names have negative vibes associated with them. For example, Cujo is not very inviting, thanks to the Steven King novel.

You don’t want to put your pup in a bad place with a disturbing name. Even if it is incredibly loving and sweet, a name like Lucifer may encourage people to stay away more than you’d like.

You also want to think about personal connotations you may make. For example, if you name your dog Sarah, be sure your spouse doesn’t have a bad memory attached to it. It would be awful to choose an ex your spouse would rather forget.

Don’t Choose A Similar Name

You don’t want to create confusion. Avoid naming your canine anything that sounds similar to another person or pet your dog will be around frequently.

For example, if your son’s name is Dan and your dog’s is Fran, your pup could think it’s in trouble when you are punishing Dan for some misdeed. This is sad and something you can easily avoid by varying the names.

A name should be unique enough that your dog recognizes it easily. While poodles are very smart, they still are canines. They may not recognize subtle differences.

You should also be careful with names that sound like common words or things you will say to your pup. For example, Bit might be a cute option for a toy poodle, but it also rhymes with sit. That could confuse your dog. To make it simple, avoid names with the same ending sound. Your dog will recognize these parts of a name the best.

Matches The Personality

One of the best tips for choosing a dog’s name is to get to know them. Find out what it is like and how it acts. Get to know your furry pal’s personality. You have the luxury of taking your time, so take that opportunity to learn more about your pup. Matching the name to the personality allows you more freedom.

Many times, people jump in based on looks. This may suit your dog, but you may see how another choice that would be more relevant as you get to know them better. You’ll probably know when a name just fits. Try out a few before settling. See how they feel on your tongue and how your dog reacts. This can help you narrow down choices and hone in on the one that is the right one for your pup.

Take these tips to heart, especially if you struggle to figure out the perfect name. They can make the process a little easier and help you find the ideal fit.

Final Thoughts

Finding the perfect name for your poodle may seem like an impossible task at first. There are many options and ideas you can use to come up with your own, unique name. The key is to take your time. It is never a good idea to rush into anything, so slow down. Give yourself a chance to learn more about your pooch.

The general rule is the right name will just sort of stick. You may find yourself calling the pup something in jest that ends up being the ideal choice. Even if you are still hunting, we’ve given you a lot to jumpstart your brainstorm. Choose a name we’ve listed, or use our ideas to create one as unique and stunning as your poodle.