When it comes to dog names, you may consider naming them for certain places you’ve lived or have a fondness for. For example, perhaps you grew up in a city that you still love and want to memorialize your childhood town by naming your dog after that place.
Or, perhaps you’re a mad fan for a certain city sports team. So giving your dog a sporty name for that favorite team makes the most sense.
Or maybe you just want a unique or cool name for your dog. I’m telling you — naming your pup after a city or place you love is awesome, such as a Michigan fan naming their female dog Ann Arbor.
Dogs named for cities, states and places
Does this notion of a place-inspired name for your dog resonate with you? If so, read on for an alphabetical list of name ideas based on geography. In other words, here is a list of the 50 United States and names you might consider for your pup related to those places. This includes ideas for city names for dogs.
Here’s a look at the official dogs of various states.
Alabama dog names
When it comes to Alabama dog names, it is easy to think about well-known colleges for your inspiration. For example, Auburn would make a great dog name. For a red dog, you might even consider Crimson Tide (for the University of Alabama).
Also, there are well-known Alabama cities that could be a dog moniker — Montgomery or Birmingham, for example. Finally, I could imagine calling for my pooch with the name, Alabama or just Bama.
Alaska or Alaskan dog name ideas
The first thing that came to my mind when thinking about Alaskan dog names was the most famous dog race in the state — the Iditarod. You could call your dog that, right?
Also, there are places in Alaska to consider for name ideas:
- Denali
- Juneau
- Kodiak
- Sitka
Arizona dogs
Here are the five most populated cities in Arizona. Any of these could be legit names for a canine.
- Phoenix
- Tucson
- Mesa
- Chandler*
- Gilbert
* Bonus if you’re a fan of the TV show “Friends” and are looking to name pets after the characters.
Arkansas dogs name
Former President Bill Clinton is an Arkansas native. So, if you’re a fan of his, you could name a dog Clinton or even Hope — for his hometown.
Staying with the politician theme and going to the other side of the aisle, you may find inspiration with former governor Asa Hutchinson’s name, too.
Dogs named for California places
As one of the largest states (by population) in America, I’m guessing you can find lots of great dog names from California. You can use cities, sports teams and even colleges for your inspiration.
Here are a few to get you started:
- Angel
- Berkeley
- Catalina
- Diego
- Dodger
- Pacific
- Stanford
Colorado inspired dog names
I would use Colorado cities and towns if I were looking for a Colorado-inspired dog name. Just think about how great it would sound to call for your dog Aspen or Breckenridge or Boulder.
Or you can go with Denver since it is one of the most dog-friendly places in Colorado. Another way to find a boy dog or girl dog name that you want to honor Colorado? Name them after the mountains — Rocky for the Rockies.
Connecticut names
Connecticut doesn’t have any major league teams in baseball, football or basketball. But it does have two big schools with dog mascots.
One, there is the Yale Bulldogs. And two, there is the UConn Huskies. So, I guess if you had a bulldog or a husky and wanted to give it a Connecticut name, you could go with Yale or UConn — perhaps even Yukon to spell that phonetically.
Delaware dog names
When it comes to places in Delaware to name a dog, I think Lewes, Delaware is perfect. You could name the dog Lewes and then call him Louie for short.
For a girl dog, you could name her after Bethany Beach, and call her Bethany for short.
Florida-inspired names for dogs
Here are few ideas for Florida-inspired names for male dogs and female dogs:
- Banyan (for trees found in Florida)
- Gator
- Jax (short for Jacksonville)
- Miami
- Pete (for St. Pete or St. Petersburg)
- Sunny (for the sunny weather in Florida)
- Tampa
Also, there is anything from Disney that could provide you with dog name ideas. I mean, Pluto is a Disney dog, right? Then there’s also Lady or the Tramp.
Georgia dog names
We all know that Georgia is the peach state. So, wouldn’t you think that Peach would be a great name for a female dog that you wanted to name after Georgia?
Of course, you can also find inspiration from the Georgia Bulldogs and name a male dog after one of your favorite college players.
Hawaii place names for dogs
When it comes to giving a dog a name that is inspired by Hawaii, probably the best idea is to go with a traditionally Hawaiian name or word, or a well-known Hawaiian place.
Heck, even the actual Hawaiian islands can give you a great dog’s name. Remember Maui from “Moana”? Maui would be perfect for a boy dog you want to give a Hawaiian moniker.
Here are some others to consider:
- Aloha
- Hilo
- Kauai
- Kona
- Lanai
- Lei
- Leilani
- Ohana
Idaho
A friend of mine adopted a dog from Idaho. She gave her a potato-related name of Tater Tot. How fun is that?
Other ideas might be well-known Idaho towns, such as Ketchum or Hailey.
Illinois
When I think about naming a dog for the state of Illinois, I think about sports teams, such as the Chicago Bears. So, the name Bear (also a great series on Hulu set in Chicago). Not sure White Sox or Cubs would work as a dog name, though.
Or, I think about some of Illinois’ most famous politicians, such as Lincoln or Obama. I guess if you wanted to keep with the 44th president’s theme, you could name a girl dog Sasha or Malia or Michelle for the female members of that family.
Chicago is known as the Windy City so. you could name a boy or girl dog Windy. Finally, there are some great street names in Chicago you could consider for naming your pup:
- Addison
- Clark
- Randolph
- Rush
- Wacker
- Wells
Indiana
People from Indiana are the Hoosiers. So, that could be a great name for a dog — “Hey, Hoosier, want to take a walk?”
Another way to approach naming your pet — think about the Indiana Jones movies and maybe call the dog Indie.
Iowa dog names
Here are some clever ideas for naming a dog for the state of Iowa: name it after famous people who are from Iowa. This includes Ashton Kutcher (both his first and last name would be great dog names), Johnny Carson (again both names work) or actress Donna Reed (once more, both names work).
Kansas dog names
When researching ideas for Kansas dog names, I kept coming across names related to the Kansas City Chiefs. No surprise considering the team’s success. However, they play in Missouri, not Kansas.
So, I’m inclined to go with the other famous group from Kansas — the characters in the “Wizard of Oz.” Therefore, you could name a female dog Dorothy or Glinda, or a male dog Toto (especially if it is a Cairn terrier, which is what Toto was in the movie). Another idea could be Frank or Baum (author of the story) or after a character in the Broadway show “Wicked,” such as Fierro or Fiyero.
Kentucky dog names
When you think of Kentucky, do you think of bluegrass music or bourbon whiskey? Any of these would be great Kentucky-related dog names. So would Churchill (for Churchill Downs).
Louisiana names for dogs
If I were going to name a dog for something in Louisiana, I would think about a Cajun-related name. With a heavy Louisiana-French connection, you could probably choose any French name and it would work. Even the name Cajun itself could work.
Or, you could take inspiration from one of the state’s most popular cities — New Orleans. For example, Beignet, the French doughnut, would make a great girl dog’s name. Also, it being French, it fits with the Cajun theme. And Bourbon, for Bourgon Street, a male dog’s name.
Finally, what about having fun with Louisiana puns? I love the idea of naming a dog Mardi Paws instead of Mardi Gras.
Maine-inspired dog names
Now that we’re living in Maine — and writing our blog Southern Maine on the Cheap — I’ve got endless ideas on Maine-inspired names for dogs. For instance, my grandfather was an apple farmer who grew McIntosh apples. In fact, they had a pet named McIntosh. However, he was a cat.
Other great Maine names for dogs include Acadia. Augusta and Cornish. Really, any of the small towns would work.
Maryland names
Our eldest daughter lives in Maryland, and she could have easily named her dog after any place in the state. This includes Takoma (for Takoma Park), Frederick or Rockville. For a girl dog you might name her Annapolis (for the capital) but then call her Annie for short.
Massachusetts-themed dog names
Here are some Massachusetts-themed dog name ideas — especially great if you have a Boston Terrier:
- Boston
- Charles
- Concord
- Fenway
- Lexington
- Lynn
- Harvard
- Peabody
- Revere
- Williams
Michigan-inspired dog names
As a University of Michigan fan, the first Michigan-inspired dog name that comes to mind is Wolverine. Sounds like a bad-ass dog, doesn’t it?
However, Detroit is a great dog name as is Ford, Mackinaw (Mack for short), Yooper (for the UP or Upper Peninsula) or Kellogg (for the cereal company based in Battle Creek).
Minnesota dog names
What do you think about Gopher as a Minnesota-inspired dog name? That would be the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers. I guess Golden or Goldie would work, too.
Also, there’s Paul for St. Paul or Walleye (Wally for short), the Minnesota state fish.
Mississippi dog names
I would go with a dog named after places in Mississippi towns. Here are a few to consider:
- Biloxi
- Jackson
- Tupelo
Or you can simply go with Missy — short for Mississippi.
Missouri
Now that we’re talking about Missouri-theme names, we can talk about Kansas City Chiefs-inspired names, such as your favorite players (I’ll bet Mahomes is popular).
Normally, I would suggest Hannibal for a Missouri name — because it’s where Mark Twain’s boyhood home is. However, the book and movie “The Silence of the Lambs” has probably ruined the name Hannibal for everyone.
But sticking with Mark Twain, you could probably come up with dog names based on characters in his books, right?
Montana names for dogs
On its own, Montana is a great name for a dog. So are Missoula, Billings or Butte.
Nebraska puppy names
Would you name a Husky from Nebraska “Husker” for the Nebraska Cornhuskers? What about Omaha?
To be honest, what initially came to mind for me is “Penny.” That’s because Kaley Cuoco’s character “Penny” on “The Big Bang Theory” is from Nebraska.
Nevada dog names
Two dog names jump to mind when thinking about naming a dog for Nevada. One is Jackpot, for all things Las Vegas. And the other is Tahoe, for Lake Tahoe. I guess you could consider Reno, too.
New Hampshire dog names
New Hampshire is the granite state. Don’t you think Granite is a great name for a dog?
On the other hand, the University of New Hampshire mascot is the wildcats. So, I guess you can have some ironic fun naming a dog Wildcat.
New Jersey-themed dog names
Whether you’re from North or South Jersey, I’ll bet you’ll agree that one of New Jersey’s best-known icons is singer Bruce Springsteen. And there you have a ready made name for a male dog.
As far as girl dog names, there are a bunch of great town and city names in the state. This includes:
- Asbury
- Camden
- Princeton
- Wildwood
Finally, the Jersey Shore is known for its boardwalk and salt water taffy. So why not name a dog Boardwalk or Taffy?
New Mexico names
When it comes to New Mexico-inspired dog names, my brain immediately goes to the TV show “Breaking Bad.” There were great characters in that show with great names, such as Jesse, Skyler and Walter White.
New York dog names
There are so many great places and great themes connected to New York State that you’ve got a ton of dog names at the ready. I’m thinking about anything from Broadway to Brooklyn to Buffalo.
Also, since the show “Hamilton” is primarily set in New York, you can look to its cast of character for male and female dog names:
- Angelica
- Burr
- Eliza
- Hamilton
- Jefferson
- Lafayette
- Schuyler
- Washington
Here are ideas on how to find dog names inspired by movies and theater.
North Carolina dog names
Recently, we stayed in Sylva, North Carolina — which I think makes a great name for a girl dog. However, so does Charlotte, Raleigh and Durham.
Or you could go with Blue, for the Blue Ridge Mountains that run through the state.
North Dakota
I’ll come right out and say it: if you’re looking to name a dog after someplace in North Dakota, I think the name Dakota is great on its own. However, Fargo and Bismarck are pretty great, too.
Ohio dog names
Ohio is the Buckeye state. So why not name your dog Buckeye or Bucky for short? Other ideas from the state:
- Akron
- Canton
- Cleveland
- Dayton
- Toledo
Oklahoma dog names
If you went to the University of Oklahoma, then you’ll probably want to name a dog (male or female) Sooner. Or, you can find names related to places in Oklahoma, such as Enid or Norman. Finally, you can name your dog after famous people that hail from Oklahoma — think Reba McEntire or Blake Shelton.
Oregon-themed dog names
The state of Oregon has got lots of great places you can name your dog after, such as Eugene, Bend or Portland. Willamette, shortened to Willa for a girl dog or Will for a boy dog, would work, too.
Pennsylvania-inspired dog names
When it comes to Pennsylvania-inspired dog names, I think about city-specific names.
One, you could use a city’s sports teams for name ideas. That would include Pittsburgh dog names (Steeler, Pirate or Penguin) or Philadelphia dog names (Eagle, Philly or Flyer).
In addition, you might hone in on names or nicknames or phrases that are specific to someplace in Pennsylvania.
For example, Pittsburgh dog names could be any of the following:
- Allegheny
- Carnegie
- Carson
- Forbes
- Mellon
- Primanti
- Roberto
- Warhol
- Yinz
Also, Pennsylvania has a lot of greatly named counties that would make great dog names. This includes:
- Bucks
- Butler
- Chester
- Lehigh
Rhode Island
You could name a dog after Providence, Rhode Island, or Newport, Rhode Island. If you went to Brown University — and the dog was brown — you could simply call it Brownie.
South Carolina
I think one of our rescue dogs is from South Carolina, but we didn’t name them for the state. We don’t like to renaming a dog’s after adoption.
Anyway, if you’re looking for a South Carolina-inspired name for a dog, here are a few to consider:
- Aiken
- Charleston
- Columbia
- Hilton Head
- Myrtle
South Dakota
One of the biggest tourist attractions in South Dakota is Mount Rushmore. So, you could name your dog Rushmore or give it one of the names of the presidents on that monument:
- George or Goergie or Washington
- Theodore or Teddy or Roosevelt
- Abraham or Abe or Abbey or Lincoln
- Thomas or Tommy or Jefferson or Jeff
Tennessee-inspired dog names
After writing this article on college dog mascots, I know that the University of Tennessee mascot is a collie named Reveille. That’s the perfect name for a Tennessee-inspired dog name.
Also great would be any of the big cities in the state or the things that Tennessee is known for, such as the Memphis blues.
Finally, Dolly Parton is from Tennessee. In fact, when we drove through Tennessee on our roadtrip with our dogs this past summer and visited a rest stop there, a cardboard cutout of Dolly Parton greeted us. That’s it above. I love the idea of a female dog named Dolly Parton.
Texas-themed dog names
We know that everything is bigger in Texas. And the same is true with Texas-themed dog names: you likely have a bigger selection to choose from than other places in the United States.
Some of my favorites include:
- Austin
- Bluebonnet
- Cowboy
- Dallas
- Houston
- Ranger
- Tex
However, you could also consider Galveston, Rio, Plano, Antonio and many other Texas places for your dog’s name.
Utah
Believe it or not, the Aspen is the state tree of Utah — the quaking Aspen, to be specific. I think Aspen is a great name for a dog.
Other Utah-inspired dog names might include Ogden, Park (for Park City) and Sundance.
Vermont dog names
One of the best-known businesses in Vermont is Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. So why not name your dog after them or one of their pun flavors, such as Cherry Garcia or Phish Food.
Vermont is also the Green Mountain State so you can do a variation on the color green for the dog’s name. That could be Emerald or Jade.
Here are other ideas for naming a dog based on color.
Finally, you can name your dog after well-known towns or even ski mountains in Vermont. This might include:
- Bennington
- Burlington
- Killington
- Okemos
- Smuggler
Virginia
Two of the biggest universities in Virginia are the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech and their nicknames would be perfect for a dog. They are the Cavaliers and Hokies, respectively.
Also in Virginia is James Madison University. The JMU mascot is a bulldog named Duke Dog. So, even though this feels like a name that’s more appropriate for North Carolina (where Duke University is located), it would be a legit Virginia dog name, too.
Washington, DC
You could name your dog after any of our nation’s presidents, vice presidents, senators, congresspeople and the like for a dog name inspired by Washington, DC or the District of Columbia. Or you could name the pup after well-known places or institutions in the city — Smithsonian, Potomac or even the Beltway (sounds like it should be a pro wrestler’s name).
Washington State dog names
You could name your Washington State dog Seattle or Tacoma, for the state’s bigger cities. Or you could name it after some of the big businesses headquartered there — Starbucks or Amazon.
Then there are all of the sports teams and their awesome names, including:
- Kraken
- Mariners
- Seahawks
- Storm
Finally, the University of Washington is known as the Huskies. So maybe call your husky “Dub” for UDub.
West Virginia
The capital of West Virginia is Charleston, which, in the South Carolina section, we established was a great name for a dog. Other cities in West Virginia that could inspire dog names include Huntington and Wheeling.
Wisconsin
The University of Wisconsin is the Badgers so I guess you could name a dog that. Or you could name the dog after the capitol, which is where the university’s main campus is: Madison.
Wyoming
I think Cheyenne is a great name for a female dog. And Casper is perfect for a male dog from Wyoming.
Popular city names for dogs
Above, I’d outlined names for dogs that are related to specific states in the United States. Many of these suggestions include names for dogs that are also city names. These are names that can work for male dogs as well as female dogs. However, I wanted to recap some of my favorite city names for dogs based on the above list.
- Austin
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Chicago
- Erie
- Houston
- Phoenix
- Portland
- Queens
- Tucson
If you have additional ideas for dogs with city names, I’d love to hear from you.