Small dog names: 300+ ideas for tiny pups

A Chihuahua, a Yorkie or a toy poodle may fit in a tote bag, but you’ll use their name exactly like a Mastiff owner does: to call them at the park, to stop the barking when the doorbell rings and to check in at the vet. That’s why the best small dog names are cute but can still be said with a straight face.

This list has more than 300 ideas: cute names, names of tiny things and critters, sweet treats, giant names for pint-sized dogs (with all the irony intended) and ideas by breed and country of origin. Still deciding which dog to bring home? Start with our guide to the best small dog breeds for apartments.

How to choose a name for a small dog

The basic rules are the same as for any dog, but small dogs come with their own traps:

• Make sure you can say it firmly. It’s easy to treat a small dog like a stuffed animal and forget they need the same training as a big one. If the name only comes out in baby talk, it’ll be hard to use when you need them to come.
• Watch out for nickname chains. If he starts as Peewee, becomes Wee-Wee and ends up as Weezer, he won’t know which one is his name. Pick one form and stick with it.
• Check the adult size. With mixed-breed puppies, adult size is hard to predict. If your vet thinks your pup will end up medium-sized, save the tiny names for later.
• No cue sound-alikes. Just like with any dog, skip names that sound like “no,” “sit” or “stay.” Our main dog names guide has a table of the most common mix-ups.
• Big names work too. Calling a 4-lb (2 kg) Chihuahua Godzilla is funny, and you’ll naturally say it with energy.

Many small breeds have a strong national identity, which is a great source of name ideas:

Looking for girl names specifically? Our list of female dog names has hundreds more.

Cute names for small dogs

These are the go-to names for little dogs. They work well as long as they don’t turn into a string of nicknames.

• Peanut: small, round and impossible not to smile at.
• Button: short, crisp and about the size of their nose.
• Munchkin: after the little people of Oz.
• Sweet Pea: an old-fashioned flower and a classic term of endearment.
• Smidge: just a tiny bit of dog.
• Bitsy · Tiny · Pip · Squeak · Teacup · Pocket · Sprout · Peewee
• Mini · Squirt · Shorty · Nugget · Peep · Babycakes · Tidbit · Nibbles
• Buttercup · Wiggles · Bubbles · Cutie Pie

Names of tiny things

• Pixel: the smallest dot on a screen, for a modern little dog.
• Thimble: for a dog who could almost fit on the tip of your finger.
• Acorn: tiny now, but full of potential.
• Widget · Marble · Dime · Nickel · Confetti · Glitter · Atom · Byte
• Gnome · Elf · Hobbit · Tic Tac · Crumb · Kernel · Sequin
• Pinkie · Zipper · Bobbin

Critter names for small dogs

• Chipmunk: quick, cheeky and always hiding snacks.
• Minnow: for a tiny dog who loves the water.
• Butterfly: the papillon gets its name from the French word for butterfly, thanks to its wing-shaped ears.
• Mouse · Hamster · Squirrel · Bunny · Ferret · Gerbil · Cricket · Bumblebee
• Ladybug · Firefly · Tadpole · Guppy · Shrimp · Pika · Koala · Otter
• Piglet · Chick · Gecko · Possum · Hedgehog · Sparrow · Meerkat · Chinchilla
• Marmoset · Lemur

Sweet treat names

Treat names sound cheerful, and it’s nearly impossible to say them in a stern voice.

• Gumdrop: small, round and colorful.
• S’more: for a dog with a chocolate-brown and cream coat.
• Cupcake: the classic for a dog who’s pure sugar.
• Muffin · Pudding · Bonbon · Sprinkles · Marshmallow · Twinkie · Tootsie · Skittles
• Snickers · Rolo · Cheerio · Jujube · Lollipop · Donut · Snickerdoodle · Lemon Drop
• Butterfinger · Pop Tart

Big names for little dogs

A giant’s name on a pocket-sized dog is a classic bit of dog humor, and it makes you say the name with gusto.

• Napoleon: famous for being short, although he actually stood about 5 feet 6 inches (1.68 m), an average height for his time.
• Fluffy: in Harry Potter, it’s the name of Hagrid’s giant three-headed dog.
• Godzilla: the king of the monsters, in a 5-lb version.
• Rambo: for the Chihuahua who stares down German shepherds.
• Terminator · Gladiator · Maximus · Spartacus · Caesar · Leonidas · Genghis · Attila
• Chuck · Kraken · Dragon · Beast · Monster · Bulldozer · Megatron · Optimus
• Juggernaut · T-Rex · Tyson · Hippo · Brick · Mighty · Thanos · Sauron · Bowser · Bane

Small dog names by breed

For a Chihuahua

• Chiquita: Spanish for “little one.”
• Jefe: Spanish for “boss,” which is exactly what your Chihuahua thinks he is.
• Frida: after Frida Kahlo, the Mexican painter famous for her self-portraits.
• Paco · Chico · Pepito · Frijol · Churro · Salsa · Queso · Pancho
• Diego · Lupe · Tamale · Chalupa · Jalapeño · Guacamole · Peso · Tito

For a Yorkie or another English terrier

• Paddington: the most polite bear in London.
• Bobby: after Greyfriars Bobby, the little Skye terrier said to have guarded his owner’s grave in Edinburgh for 14 years.
• Beckham · Banksy · Byron · Dickens · Chaucer · Brontë · Wembley · Mayfair
• Chelsea · Kensington · Piccadilly · Crumpet · Scone · Trifle

For a Westie or a Scottie

• Haggis: Scotland’s famous savory pudding, for a sturdy little terrier.
• Shortbread: the buttery Scottish cookie, ideal for a cream-colored coat.
• Angus · Hamish · Nessie · Scotch · Tartan · Dundee · Macbeth · Burns · Bagpipe · Kilt

For a shih tzu, a pug or a Pekingese

• Momo: a Tibetan dumpling, perfect for a shih tzu or Lhasa apso.
• Mochi: a soft, round Japanese rice cake.
• Bao: a fluffy steamed bun, just right for a chunky pug.
• Mei · Lin · Ming · Tao · Yin · Yang · Panda · Dumpling · Wonton
• Dim Sum · Bok Choy · Lychee · Kung Pao · Lo Mein · Boba · Edamame · Miso · Kimchi · Gyoza

For a toy poodle, a bichon, a papillon or a Maltese

• Bijou: French for “jewel.”
• Piccolo: Italian for “small,” perfect for a Maltese.
• Beignet: the powdered-sugar pastry of New Orleans, for a white, fluffy dog.
• Pierre · Fifi · Gigi · Croissant · Baguette · Macaron · Éclair · Crêpe · Louis
• Monet · Renoir · Matisse · Chérie · Amélie · Colette · Gelato · Cannoli · Pesto
• Ravioli · Gnocchi · Bambino · Vespa · Espresso · Cappuccino

For a dachshund or a miniature pinscher

• Slinky: like the stretchy Slinky Dog from Toy Story.
• Schatzi: a German term of endearment meaning “little treasure.”
• Fritz · Hans · Otto · Strudel · Pretzel · Schnitzel · Bratwurst · Frankfurter · Weenie
• Hot Dog · Oscar · Klaus · Gretel · Heidi · Liesl · Lotte · Ludwig

For a Pomeranian or any little ball of fluff

• Ewok: the small, furry forest dwellers from Star Wars.
• Tribble: the fuzzy, fast-multiplying creatures from Star Trek.
• Puff · Pom Pom · Dandelion · Fuzzy · Furby · Q-Tip · Powder · Puffin · Cotton · Popcorn

For a Boston terrier or a French bulldog

• Fenway: after Boston’s historic ballpark.
• Chowder: a Boston classic, for a dog with a creamy coat.
• Escargot: French, funny and perfect for a slow-moving Frenchie.
• Revere · Bunker · Beantown · Sox · Brioche · Camembert · Dijon · Lafayette · Gustave · Frites

For a Havanese

• Mambo: the Cuban dance, for a dog who never stops moving.
• Cha-Cha · Mojito · Conga · Desi · Cubano · Guava · Rumba · Bongo · Maraca

Famous little dogs and tiny characters

• Toto: Dorothy’s loyal little dog in The Wizard of Oz.
• Dogmatix: Obelix’s tiny dog in the Asterix comics.
• Bruiser: Elle Woods’s Chihuahua in Legally Blonde.
• Gidget: the white Pomeranian in The Secret Life of Pets.
• Frank: the talking pug in Men in Black II.
• Eddie: the Jack Russell terrier who stole scenes on Frasier.
• Wishbone: the book-loving Jack Russell of the PBS kids’ show.
• Snowy: Tintin’s white fox terrier.
• Stuart · Remy · Jerry · Speedy · Tweety · Nemo · Pikachu · Minion · Grogu
• Gizmo · Dobby · Stitch · Jiminy · Thumbelina · Tom Thumb · Mickey · Pinocchio · Alvin · Dale

Teach it like you would a big dog

Small dogs get picked up so often that many never learn to come when called. Why bother, if someone always scoops them up? Their name should mean “look at me and come over, something good is happening.”

1. Say the name once, in a happy voice, and reward the moment your dog looks at you. Use treats the size of a pea: in a 6-lb (3 kg) dog, snacks add up to a lot of calories fast.
2. When they’re turning toward you right away, take a step back after saying it and reward them for coming to you.
3. Practice for 5 minutes, 2–3 times a day, first at home and then at the park.
4. Before you pick your dog up, call them and let them walk over to you.

You’ll find the complete exercise in our guide on how to teach a dog its name. For a puppy, add it on day one to your plan to train a puppy from scratch: small dogs need the same socialization and training as big ones.

Frequently asked questions

What’s a good name for a Chihuahua?

Besides the Mexican-inspired names in the breed section, Chihuahuas look great with ironic giant names, because they contrast with their size and with their famously bold attitude. Choose something with two syllables or easy to shorten: Godzilla can become Zilla, but Leonidas will need a nickname from day one.

Is it bad to use baby names or diminutives for a small dog?

It’s not bad, but stick to one version. If her name is Peewee, she should be Peewee to the whole family, without switching between five variations. The problem isn’t the cute name itself; it’s a dog hearing several different words and not knowing which one means you’re calling them.

What if my puppy grows bigger than expected?

It happens a lot with mixed-breed puppies. If the name is cute but neutral, like Button or Nugget, it’ll still work on a medium-sized dog and will even get a laugh. If you’re worried, pick a name that doesn’t depend on size, or wait until your vet can estimate their adult weight before deciding.

Can I give my new dog the same name as my last one?

You can, and some people do it as a tribute. Keep in mind that hearing the name makes it easy to compare the new dog with the old one and expect the same behavior. Many families choose a different but related name, from the same theme for example, so the new dog gets an identity of their own.

Do small dogs learn their names as quickly as big dogs?

Yes. Size doesn’t affect a dog’s ability to learn a name; practice does. The difference usually lies with us: because small dogs are easy to carry, we practice calling them less. With short sessions and tiny treats, a small dog learns its name just as quickly as a large one.

Sources

• American Kennel Club (AKC): tips on choosing a dog’s name and teaching a dog to respond to it, and breed histories.
• Fédération Cynologique Internationale (FCI): breed standards and countries of origin for the small breeds mentioned.
• American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior (AVSAB): position statement on humane, reward-based dog training.
• ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: information on chocolate and xylitol toxicity in dogs.