Have you ever tried calling your pets with Japanese dog names such as Hachiko and Akita? These are some unique names that are used by thousands of dog lovers around the world.
Nowadays, many have preferred to call their pet using a different language like Japanese because they want a name that differs from their neighborhood. Perhaps you think that it is also best to consider. Then, you are in the right place to find a cool name for your new little pup.
We gathered all popular Japanese names for male and female dogs, including those inspired by anime, food, color, and more. Read on!
Japanese Dog Names for Male Dogs
Before it was typical to name their male dogs, such as browny, boss, max, but generations now are more creative when calling their pets. Here are the Japanese terms and names trending worldwide to name your new male canine.
List of Male Dog With Meanings
Kotaro (コタロー、small boy)
Koro (コロ、roly-poly)
Choco (チョコ, from the English word chocolate!)
Cookie (コーキー、from the English word, cookie)
Crea (クレア)
Leo (レオ、from the word lion)
Leon (レオン、also from the word lion)
Taro (タロ、tallow)
Maron (マロン、chestnut)
Lucky (ラキー、from the English word lucky)
Takashi (タカシ、success, storm)
Kaede (カエデ、maple)
Akira (アキラ、clear)
Hiro (ヒロ, fathom, hero)
Ryo (リョ、cool, dragon, good)
Nao (ナオ、still, ordinary)
Yoshi (ヨシ、good)
Ren (レン、affordable, love)
Kenji (ケンジ、youth, sacred, sword)
Sota (ソタ、prime)
Yuto (ユト、mix, time)
Haruki (ハルキ、spring)
Riku (リク、land)
Yuma (ユマ、hero)
Misuto (ミスト mist)
Kumo ( 雲 cloud)
Shino (信乃 trust)
Kingyo (金魚 goldfish)
Kimi (君 you)
Kento (謙 humble)
Jazu (ジャズ jazz music)
Haru (春 spring)
Kazu (寿 long life)
Kiyoshi (淳 pure)
Masa (雅 graceful)
Taku (宅 home)
Toshi (慧 bright)
Tomo (友 certainly)
Yuji (湯 hot water)
Shohei (翔平 soar, fly)
Reiko (音 is sound, noise)
Tetsu (哲 wise)
Know This!
The famous Japanese anime series, Naruto which has a ninja dog called Akamaru, is inspired by local Japanese words. Akamaru(赤マル) means red perfection is opposite to the dog’s color, white. This is because his fur will become red when eating a Military Rations Pill. The ‘Aka’ means the color ‘red’, and ‘maru’ meaning ‘perfection’、’ full circle’ which is a suffix commonly used for Japanese male names.
Japanese Names For Female Dogs
It is so easy before to pick the name of your pretty pup girl dog, but this time you want something uncommon. Using other languages, such as Japanese, is very amusing to think of. So to help you out, we listed down some charming Japanese dog names for your female pup.
List of Female Dog Names With Meanings
Momo (モモ、peach)
Sakura (桜、サクラ、cherry blossoms)
Choco (チョコ、from the English word, chocolate)
Hana (花、ハナ、flower)
Nana (ナナ、seven)
Maron(マロン)
Mocha (モーカ、mocha)
Kurumi (クルミ、walnut)
Koko (ココ、coco)
Runa (ルナ、luna, moon)
Kiko (キコ、tiger)
Emi (エミ、smile)
Kimi (キミ、monarch, noble)
Akiko (アキコ、autumn)
Yuri (ユリ、shake)
Mana (マナ、dear, beloved)
Mariko (マリコ、ball)
Yua (ユア、scale)
Natsuki (ナツキ、summer)
Noriko (ノリコ、ride)
Mei (メイ、life)
Yui (ユイ、hair)
Chika (チカ、scattered flowers)
Akira (アキラ、clear)
Chiyo (チヨ、one thousand generations)
Inu (犬、イヌ、めあ, dog)
Pochi (ポチ、a common dog name in Japan, meaning pooch)
Chanoyu (チャノユ、a traditional tea ceremony)
Tenko (テンコ、a long-living fox from Japanese folklore)
Akamaru (アカマル、the hound character from the famous anime show Naruto owned by Kiba)
Obon (オボン、an annual festival and Buddhist custom honoring ancestors)
Sakura (桜、サクラ、means Cherry Blossom, the national flower of Japan)
Sumo (スモ、the famous ancient Japanese sport)
Takeo (タケオ、means warrior)
Jin (ジン、means placid)
Kuma (クマ、means bear)
Taidana (タイダナ、means lazy)
Fuwafuwa (フワフワ、means fluffy)
Doki doki (ﾄﾞｷﾄﾞｷ、means excited)
Mausu (マウス、means mouse)
We narrowed down the list above to get the 10 top choice names of dogs around the world. You might consider one of the following names to label your new pup.
Top Choice
- Sota (ソタ、for males)
- Sakura (サクラ、 for females)
- Yuto (ユト、for males)
- Mei (メイ、for females)
- Haruki (ハルキ、for males)
- Yui (ユイ、for females)
- Riku (リク、for males)
- Hana (ハナ、for females)
- Yuma (ユマ、for males)
- Hiro (ヒロ、for males)
Names Inspired by Japanese Anime
Japanese anime is very popular around the world. Its popularity even extends to naming pets. Without a doubt, this option of picking dog names is incredibly unique!
Gen Z and Millenials specifically are more playful when it comes to naming selection. Some may name their dogs after their favorite Japanese anime character, titles, or places mentioned in the series. Others may also pick names of those anime dogs in different anime series.
To name a few, the anime dog named Maru from the Kimi in Todoke series and Menchi from the Heppoko Jikken Animation Excel Saga series. If you love ninjas, you may prefer Akamaru and Pakkun, the ninja dogs from the all-time best Japanese anime series, Naruto.
List of Names Based on Japanese Anime
- Gin (ギン、Akita Inu from Ginga Nagareboshi Gin)
- Guts (ガーツ、pug from Kill la Kill)
- Heen (ヘーン、 Errand dog of Madam Sulliman from Howl’s Moving Castle)
- Iggy (イギー、 Boston Terrier from JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken (JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure)
- Kazuhito Harumi (カズヒト、 from Inu to Hasami wa Tsukaiyou (Dog & Scissors))
- Koromaru (コロマル、Albino Shiba Inu from Persona 3 the Movie 1: Spring of Birth)
- Maru (マル、Stray dog from Kimi ni Todoke)
- Menchi (メンチ、 Excel’s dog from Heppoko Jikken Animation Excel Saga)
- Pakkun (パックン、 Ninja dog of Kakashi Hatake from Naruto)
- Pluto (プルト、 from Black Butler)
- Potato (ポタト、 Fluffy stray puppy from Air)
- Sadaharu (サダハル、Yorozuya’s dog from Gintama)
- Akamaru (アカマル、Inuzuka Kiba’s dog from Naruto/Naruto Shippuden/Boruto)
- Alexander (アレキサンダー、 from Fullmetal Alchemist)
- Apo (アポ、 Hibito’s pug from Uchuu Kyoudai (Space Brothers))
- Armageddon (アーマゲドン、from Hayate no Gotoku! Cuties)
- Bee (ベー、 from Dragon Ball Z)
- Black Hayate (ハヤテ、 Riza’s dog from Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood)
- Blue (バル、from Wolf’s Rain)
- Ein (エイン、 Data dog from Cowboy Bebop)
- Den Rockbell (デン、 from Fullmetal Alchemist)
- Shiro (シロ、 Momotaru’s dog from Hoozuki no Reitetsu)
- Tadakichi-san (タダキチさん、 White Great Pyrenees from Azumanga Daioh)
- Tetsuya #2 (テツヤ、Kuroko Tetsuya’s pet dog & mascot of the Seirin Team from Kuroko no Basket)
- Tobimaru (トビマル、Shiba Inu from Stranger: Mukou Hada (Sword of the Stranger))
- Wanta (サンタ、from Effen Lied)
- Zeke (ゼケ、 from Highschool of the Dead)
Names Inspired by Food
Using Japanese foods as a reference in naming your dog is also a good choice. There are easy-to-pronounce Japanese words such as ramen, sushi, wasabi, and choco. You can also expect that some words related to the Japanese way of eating can be used to call your dog.
On the other hand, using these kinds of words improves your vocabulary in the Japanese language. People tend to forget words when unspoken, so it is also good to use such Japanese food-inspired words in naming your pet dog. If you are a Japanese food lover, below is the list of Japanese dog names inspired by food.
- Kanpai (カンパイ、means cheers)
- Hashi (ハシ、means chopsticks)
- Udon (ウドン、a thick type of noodle)
- Sushi (スシ、the most iconic type of Japanese food)
- Matcha (マチャ、green tea)
- Miso (ミソ、salt soup)
- Soba (ソバ、a thin type of noodle)
- Natto (ナット、fermented soybeans)
- Kombu (コンブ、a type of seaweed)
- Amazake (アマザケ、a sweet fermented rice drink)
- Momoshu (モモシュ、a peach liquor)
- Sake (サケ、a famous alcoholic drink)
Color-Based Names
Labeling a new canine companion based on its color has been a popular choice. For example, in English color based-names, such as Browny, Whitey, and Blacky are the most used dog names. However, those names are too common, and you preferred a unique one.
With the use of the internet, dog names inspired by color can be translated easily to whatever languages you want. If your dog’s fur color is black, you will label it Kuru, which means black in Japanese. On the other hand, if it has white fur, use Shiro means white in Japanese.
If you want to be creative in choosing a catchy name for your pup, here’s the list of Japanese dog names based on colors.
Names Based on Japanese Colors:
- Kuru (クル、means black)
- Shiro (白、means white)
- Red (レッド、from the color red)
- Kiro (キロ、means yellow)
- Hairo (ハイロ、means ash or grey)
- Akamaru (アカマル、aka means red)
To name a dog is sometimes not that easy, especially when you have to deal with your family. The decision should be made in unison, in which all the family members agreed.
Further, it would be easy to remember the dog’s name if it is short, like 2-3 syllables. You should also avoid confusing your pet by calling it many names. Therefore, settling to one name is much easier for the dog to remember its name.
Once you and your family have come up with a Japanese name for your dog, now it’s time to teach its name. Here are some helpful tips!
Tips In Teaching The Dog His Name
- Get your dog’s attention by letting them hear their name.
- Mention your dog’s name along with commands such as “Akamaru, sit!”
- Do not use your pet’s name in conjunction with a reprimand, such as “Pakkun, No!” or “Never!”
- Your adorable dog must learn that when you call his name, it means you are commending him for good results.
- Make your dog’s training short and simple.
- Praise your canine when he is doing well. Always mention his name when calling out.
Many believe in this phrase, that “dogs are man’s best friend.” They make us smile because of their cuteness and wits. They are very loyal and deserve to have a beautiful and unique name as Japanese names.
How About You?
Would you like to use Japanese dog names too? We hope our list above will help you pick the best name for your pet.
However, you should bear in mind to choose a name that helps them remember it easily. Choose one that describes your dog best or one that admired you most.
Comment down your favorite Japanese dog name from the list.
To learn more about Japan, FAIR Inc provides helpful information.
