325 Tough Dog Names for Badass Dogs (Male, Female, Guard...)

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Dogs are the best pets and that’s pretty much a fact. Not only dog lovers, but scientists also say this because dogs are among one the most useful animals. They can guard you and your family, as well as perform various dangerous duties. You will find dogs in police and army units, where their guarding and tracking skills are highly prized.

However, a dog doesn’t have to be tough as nails to have a badass dog name. Some people like to give their small pups tough dog names, as well. No matter what breed you have, you can give your canine a strong name and this article will help you choose the right one.

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Why Should You Pick a Tough Dog Name?

A dog doesn’t have to look mean or fierce to sport a tough name. The best badass dog names are short, memorable, and can be perfect for big courageous dogs with attitude (or not!). Go with your gut and have fun with it!

Just remember, you should choose a name for your dog as soon as you get them as a puppy and build a close relationship with them as soon as possible.

On to our list!

Tough Female Badass Dog Names

It is harder to find a cool tough name for female dogs, so let’s start from there. You want a badass girl dog name that sounds both feminine and strong at the same time. Naming your canine female after a tough woman from history, mythology, or the present time is not a bad idea.

Alternatively, you can name her after your favorite fantasy character, taking inspiration from movies, TV shows, books, or comic books. Here are some ideas from the realm of fantasy and reality:

Amaterasu (the Sun Goddess from Japanese mythology)
Andromeda (Ari for short)
Aphrodite
Apolonia
Artemis
Arya
Arwen
Astra
Athena
Avalanche (or Ava)
Bast
Barbara
Bella
Bellatrix
Breanne
Carla
Daenerys
Diana
Diva
Duchess
Ella
Elektra
Elizabeth (as in Elizabeth Bathory)
Empress
Eowyn
Foxy
Freya
Frida
Gal
Galadriel
Gamora
Harley
Hera
Hermione
Huntress
Indiana
Jade
Jane
Kali
Kira
Kitana
Khaleesi
Lagertha
Laika
Leia
Luna
Lily
Liberty
Nala
Nebula
Nina
Mantis
Matilda
Margaery
Mercy
Mina
Ming
Mystique
Pepper
Queen
Raven
Rowena
Ripley
Rousey
Roxie
Roxane
Scarlet
Shadow
She-Ra
Shelob
Sindel
Storm
Tigress
Trixie
Ursa
Valkyrie
Victoria
Vixen
Winter
Xena
Ying
Zelda

These badass female dog names are most versatile and you can use them for your girl regardless of their size, color, and breed. You don’t have to use these exact names. They can also serve as an inspiration.

Female dogs are often considered weaker than male dogs. Show everyone how wrong they are and give your girl a strong and bold name.

Tough Male Badass Dog Names

Unlike with names for female dogs, there is an abundance of badass male dog names. There are too many to count and it would be a long list. Instead, these names will be separated into categories for better visibility and transparency. That being said, some of the names listed in the following sections are pretty gender-neutral and can also work for girls.

The following lists contain many cool historical and contemporary strong names, as well as dog names inspired by fiction. Here are some of the universal top picks for tough male dog names.

Andre
Apex
Archer
Arnold
Butch
Blade
Bruce
Brute
Conan
Dutch
Dwayne
Fang
Flex
Fury
Giant
Heath
Jax
Jackal
Jaws
Killer
Kong
Marine
Marauder
Maverick
Mayweather
Rage
Rambo
Rocky
Rex
Savage
Silver
Sting
Tank
Taz
Tiger
Tyson
Winston
Wolf

Historical Tough Names for Dogs

Here are some of the toughest names straight out of Compton. Sorry, meant to say history books and mythology:

Abel
Abraham
Achilles
Atlas
Ajax
Bjorn
Bruce Lee
Brutus
Caesar
Cain
Cassius
Castiel
Connor (as in Connor McGregor)
Corleone
Dwayne (as in Dwayne Johnson)
Genghis
Hades
Hercules
Isaac
Jackie (as in Jackie Chan)
Jet (as in Jet Li)
John ( as in John Cena)
Judas
Khan
Kull
Napoleon
Nero
Noah
Michael
Muhammed
Leonidas
Loki
Lucifer Morningstar (if your dog is really mean)
Odin
Odysseus
Orion
Osiris
Samson
Samael
Shaitan
Stallone
Ra
Ragnar
Talos
Titan
Rock
Thor
Ulysses
Yggdrasil

Fantasy Badass Names for Dogs

Nowadays, fantasy novels, comics, TV shows, and movies are all the rage. You could name your badass dog after your favorite superhero.

This list will have names from Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Harry Potter, Marvel Universe, DC Universe, and other pop culture comics and novels. Here are some of the top picks.

Albus
Amon
Anakin
Angmar
Aragorn
Arathorn
Argus
Athos
Baggins
Baldur
Balin
Balrog
Bane
Barthemius Crouch
Bilbo
Boffin
Brandybuck
Buck
Buckbeak
Captain (as in Captain America)
Cedric
Charles
Chewbacca
Crookshanks
Cyclops
Denethor
Dementor
Dumbledore
Dobby
Draco
Dwalin
Elendil
Elessar
Elvenking
Elric
Elrond
Gandalf
Gimli
Granger
Faramir
Filch
Fingolfin
Finrod
Force
Haldir
Han Solo
Harry
Hawk
Hawkeye
Jaime
James
Jedi
Legolas
Lucius
Luke
Lupin
Malfoy
Magneto
Mithrandir
Mordor
Necromancer
Neville
Pendragon
Peregrin
Potter
Rand
Ron
Remus
Saber
Samwise
Sauron
Saruman
Severus
Shadowfax
Skywalker
Sirius
Sith
Snape
Starlord
Stormbringer
The Beast
The Hulk
Thranduil
Thorin
Treebeard
Uruk
Vader
Varg
Vigo
Voldemort
Weasley
Wormtongue
Wraith
Wolverine
Xavier

Guard, Military, Hunting or Police Tough Dog Names

Service dogs are extremely loyal and brave. They deserve the toughest names because they are the most reliable dogs. Hunters, military, and police personnel require trustworthy and supremely resilient dogs.

Here are some of the most badass names for dogs in the military, hunting, guarding, and police categories.

Alpha
Animal
Assault
Bash
Behemoth
Bolt
Braveheart
Buck
Bullet
Claw
Colonel
Colt
Corporal
Courage
Delta
Demon
Demogorgon
Doc
Dragon
Eagle
Fang
Fear
Fierce
Flash
Flame
Frenzy
Fury
General
Ghoul
Gladius
Glock
Growl
Grunt
Hound
Hyena
Knife
Lieutenant
Night
Max
Maximus
Major
Paw
Rage
Rebel
Recruit
Rex
Rook
Rookie
Rip
Saint
Scream
Sergeant
Siege
Sonic
Spike
Sprint
Strength
Vandal
Villain
Winchester
Wolf

Dog Naming Tips

There are some general tips you should apply when naming your dog. First of all, short names are always better. However, if you choose a longer name, you can give your dog a shorter nickname. Dogs can’t remember long names, and you will build better rapport if they have a name made up of one or two syllables.

If you have more than one dog, make their names as unique as possible. Try to avoid similar names like Lex and Rex, because you can confuse the dogs. Also, don’t name your dog similar to a command. For example, Ying is similar to bring, so it might be better to avoid this name.

The best tough dog names are unique. Although Rex and Max are cool dog names, they are kind of overused. You don’t want other dogs responding to your calls in the park, just because you used a common dog name.

All seriousness aside, you can name your dog whatever you want. They are your dog, and you shouldn’t care about what other people think. You can even give a tough name to a Chihuahua, a poodle, or a schnauzer.

How to Decide on a Strong Dog Name

Naming your dog is difficult, especially if they are your first puppy. There are some things that can help you decide on the name. For starters, you should take the dog’s personality and physical appearance into account.

For example, if you have a big black dog, give him an appropriate tough name like Dark, Shadow, Night, Spook, or Raven. In case your dog is gray, or they resemble a wolf, name them Hound, Mist, Cloud, Ghost, Fang, Claw, Demon, etc.

Sometimes your pup will dramatically change in appearance as they get bigger and stronger. You can also wait for them to grow up before naming it. Naming a dog after its looks might be easier if you adopt a stray or a full-grown dog.

In case you want a badass dog name, you can choose a breed of tough dogs like Stafford, Pit Bull, Rottweiler or Doberman. Such dogs will surely grow big and muscular.

However, these dog breeds take extra care, more food, and more strength for disciplining and handling. It is not recommended to get such a big dog breed if you are inexperienced.

Who Let the Dogs Out?

Dogs are the best pets, hands down, even if they look tough and scary. Choosing a name for a dog is almost like choosing a name for a child, so be careful and take your time. If you want to give your dog a cool and powerful name, keep in mind that short and easy-to-remember names tend to work the best.

Female dogs can be tough too, and they deserve a name that shows just how tough they are, so select one and show the world how badass your girl is.

325 Badass Dog Names for Tough Dogs (Female, Male, Guard, and More)