The best Pug names are fun and show off your love for your Pug.
Pug names don’t just have to be for puppies, you can also use them if you bring home a rescue dog.
And we recommend this is the path to Pugdom that you take if your heart is set on the breed.
Because Pugs unfortunately have a lot of health problems due to their flattened facial shape. This can severely affect their quality of life.
If you are set on a puppy, look for someone breeding Retro Pugs. They are trying to reintroduce a healthy muzzle to the breed.
Our Favorite Pug Names
Here are the top 50 Pug names for 2020:
| Gary | Roy |
| Nipper | Petal |
| Alice | Jazz |
| Simba | Vance |
| Simon | Finn |
| Spice | Prince |
| Queen | Jack |
| Poppy | Dime |
| Abby | Zeus |
| Flower | Rolo |
| Charlie | Gizmo |
| Gus | Colin |
| Buddy | Dexter |
| Bean | Peanut |
| Ella | Pepper |
| Ruby | Max |
| Bear | Leo |
| Boo | Duke |
| Bubba | Rocky |
| Winnie | Tank |
| Yoda | Walt |
| Teddy | Elvis |
| Cookie | Pearl |
| Peaches | Buggs |
| Ozzy | Emma |
Best Pug Names
We’ve split our name ideas into different sections to make your choices a little easier. Just click on the links below to jump straight to that type of name.
- Female Pug names
- Boy Pug names
- Good Pug names
- Fawn Pug names
- Black Pug names
- Retro Pug names
- Funny ideas
- Small Pug names
But first, before we get to the names, let’s look at the Pug breed a little more closely.
Are Pugs Good Family Pets?
Pugs are friendly, energetic dogs that need less space and exercise than many other breeds, which is what makes them so popular.
However, Pugs require a deceptive amount of care.
These small dogs have been selectively bred for generations to achieve the flat face they have now. They used to have a much longer snout.
Their flat face is known as brachycephaly, and it causes modern Pugs a lot of health problems that you should be aware of before bringing a puppy home.
We’ll look at a couple of those now. But, for more detail, take a look at our complete guide to brachycephalic dogs.
Brachycephalic Ocular Syndrome
This is the collective term for the various eye problems Pugs suffer from. Brachycephalic breeds have shallow eye sockets that cause their eyes to protrude out of their faces.
It can leave your dog’s eyes vulnerable to ulcers, scratches, dryness, infection, and more. In extreme cases, your dog’s eyes can actually pop out of their sockets.
There is no treatment for this problem. But it means you will have to dedicate time to caring for your Pug by wiping and monitoring his eyes every day.
Overheating
Pugs cannot cool themselves down as efficiently as other dogs, because their muzzle is so short.
This means they struggle to exercise without getting too hot, and they can struggle in hot weather.
You need to make sure your Pug isn’t overexerting himself when exercising, and take extra precautions on hot days. It is very likely that your dog could suffer from heatstroke if you don’t.
Dental Problems
Even though Pugs have smaller, shorter jaws, they still have the same number of teeth as any other breed. Their teeth just get crammed into a much smaller space.
This makes dental decay more likely. So, you will need to brush your Pug’s teeth every day to try and prevent this.
Breathing Problems
Pugs suffer from a number of breathing problems that you can read more about here. But to summarise briefly, their face shape interferes with breathing in three ways.
It reduces nostril size, forces the soft palate to block their airway, and reduces the size of their airway.
All of this makes it much harder for the dog to breathe, and results in the noisy snorting and snoring that Pugs make. It can even lead to fainting, especially in hot weather or when exercising.
Should I Get A Pug?
Pugs have a lot of serious health problems, so it may be kinder to buy a healthier puppy with a more normal face shape.
If your heart is set on a Pug, you should take a look at the healthier Retro Pug. Or consider adopting an older Pug who needs a loving home.
Even though many rescue dogs are a bit older, they are often just as happy and loving as puppies. And you can rename them with one of the great names on our list!
Female Pug Names
Girl Pug names can be fun and pretty. They’re a great way to show off the feminine side of your new little dog. Here are some ideas:
- Tilly
- Zoe
- Beth
- Alex
- Serena
- Nala
- Becky
- Kelly
- Chloe
- Kim
- Lisa
- Molly
- Ness
- Nina
- Josie
- Dee
- Wendy
- Sue
- Annie
- Emily
- Rhea
- Jess
- Tina
- Opal
- Katie
- Maisy
- Tanya
- Delilah
- Jen
- Yaz
- Izzy
- Sharon
- Carol
- Susan
- Jane
- Mandy
- Rue
- Maeve
- Louise
- Darcey
- Hayley
- Eileen
- Layla
- Maddie
- Hattie
- Jill
- Georgia
- Gigi
- Amy
- Devon
Boy Pug Names
Those were 50 female Pug name ideas, but we can’t leave the boys out! Let’s take a look at the top choices:
- Henry
- Dan
- David
- Jake
- Otis
- Steve
- Bobby
- Ollie
- Pete
- Lionel
- Ken
- Ian
- Neil
- Dez
- Frank
- Terry
- Ethan
- Chris
- Joel
- Callum
- Ash
- Wayne
- Zane
- Bertie
- Vinny
- Sam
- Archie
- Louis
- Jones
- Ed
- Jamie
- Ryan
- Tom
- Liam
- Noel
- Percy
- Ned
- Andy
- Kyle
- Julien
- Nick
- Sal
- Harvey
- Basil
- Toby
- Damen
- Jim
- Dwight
- Oscar
- Elliot
Good Pug Names
There are plenty of great name ideas out there. And inspiration can be found all around us! Take a look at these:
- Buzz
- Flea
- Mops
- Peanut
- Hamlet
- Pumpkin
- Tinkerbell
- Nugget
- Hazel
- Rambo
- Rocky
- Hercules
- Apollo
- Rocket
- Java
- Jester
- Pops
- King
- Kobe
- Spark
- Boots
- Bowser
- Flipper
- Brody
- Libby
- Storm
- Sugar
- Pea
- Snapper
- Jazz
- Curly
- Pouncer
- Mouse
- Penny
- Casa
- Knight
- Magnum
- Thelma
- Maggie
- Titus
- Chuck
- Trooper
- Mushu
- Muffin
- Duffy
- Booster
- Yoshi
- Napoleon
- Nibbler
- Gnasher
Fawn Pug Names
One of the most popular colors for this breed is fawn! So, here are some ideas to emphasise this beautiful fur tone.
- Caramel
- Sunshine
- Tulip
- Butter
- Cashew
- Almond
- Bee
- Blondie
- Goldie
- Daffodil
- Dandelion
- Sunny
- Flame
- Sandy
- Corn
- Peach
- Nacho
- Pooh
- Lemon
- Fudge
- Lightning
- Cheddar
- Honey
- Mango
- Amber
- Lion
- Pearl
- Citrus
- Macaroni
- Taxi
- Custard
- Canary
- Banana
- Macaron
- Vanilla
- Cream
- Amaretto
- Bagel
- Champagne
- Cheerio
- Noodle
- Pudding
- Tofu
- Waffles
- Whisky
- Cracker
- Ivory
- Tawny
- Bronzer
- Nutmeg
Black Pug Names
The other most common Pug color is black! But, there are loads of equally great ideas for pups with darker fur.
- Cadbury
- Hershey
- Midnight
- Shadow
- Coffee
- Cocoa
- Root
- Noir
- Olive
- Raisin
- Currant
- Prune
- Charcoal
- Raven
- Pitch
- Jet
- Ink
- Coal
- Sooty
- Obsidian
- Onyx
- Cherry
- Graphite
- Cola
- Diesel
- Pepsi
- Wine
- Berry
- Currant
- Beetle
- Fuel
- Petrol
- Panther
- Starling
- Ant
- Mickey
- Phantom
- Ember
- Nero
- Guiness
- Dahlia
- Morticia
- Carbon
- Storm
- Licorice
- Ace
- Cinder
- Crow
- Puffin
- Raccoon
Retro Pug Names
Retro Pugs are a new cross breed created by breeders who are trying to reintroduce a healthy snout to the modern Pug. So let’s look at some old fashioned names that would be perfect for these dogs!
- Josephine
- Abraham
- Albert
- Amos
- Chester
- Calvin
- Dorothy
- Edgar
- Ernest
- Florence
- Clarence
- August
- Howard
- Homer
- Elijah
- Clara
- Ida
- Jasper
- Beatrice
- Cora
- Josiah
- Edith
- Frederick
- Cecil
- Lydia
- Phineas
- Nathaniel
- Letitia
- Sophia
- Thaddeus
- Virgil
- Ralph
- Isaac
- Evangeline
- Walter
- Josephine
- Albert
- Norman
- Addison
- Winifred
- Maude
- Levi
- Bonnie
- Rosemary
- Blythe
- Celia
- Julien
- Eugene
- Irene
- Etta
Funny Pug Names
Humor is a great way to think of name ideas! They’ll make your choice totally unique. Here are our favorites.
- Pugsy Bear
- Pugger
- Puggs Bunny
- Pugsicle
- Humpug
- Jitterpug
- Ladypug
- Nosey
- Doug
- Goliath
- Mammoth
- Pugzilla
- Pugsley
- Love Pug
- Berkley
- Santa Paws
- Spark Pug
- Chewbarka
- Mary Puggins
- Sarah Jessica Barker
- Harry Pugger
- Sherlock Bones
- Jimmy Chew
- Frodo
- Snoop Dogg
- Dumbledog
- Queen of Barkness
- Miss Piggy
- Subwoofer
- Indiana Bones
- Meatloaf
- Pug Tart
- Kitty
- Mittens
- Notorious D.O.G.
- Woofgang
- Pug Norris
- Cleopugtra
- King Kong
- Meatloaf
- Love Pug
- Porkchop
- Woofie Goldberg
- Boba Fetch
- Spud
- Goliath
- Pinky
- Joan of Bark
- Churchill
- June Pug
Small Pug Names
Pugs are a relatively small breed. So perhaps you want to give yours a name that shows off their tiny size, or an ironic large name!
- Pipsqueak
- Tiny
- Atom
- Minnie
- Giant
- Goliath
- Hulk
- Ant
- Bambi
- Elf
- Nano
- Scamp
- Twiglet
- Dobby
- Maximus
- Bug
- Imp
- Midge
- Pixie
- Shortie
- Stubs
- Bambino
- Cherub
- Marbles
- Pico
- Barbie
- Rex
- Doll
- Whale
- Saturn
- Bee
- Puppy
- Banjo
- Baby
- Diamond
- Lamb
- Crumb
- Seed
- Fig
- Key
- Rice
- Grain
- Clover
- Bib
- Almond
- Dime
- Penny
- Cent
- Orca
The Best Pug Names
It’s important to research all the health needs of Pugs before you commit to this breed, as unfortunately they can suffer from lots of conformational problems.
If your heart is set on a Pug, you should consider rescue dogs, or even the new Retro Pug.
What name did you choose for your Pug breed? We would love to hear if you have any great choices that we have missed!
Want to Read More?
People who enjoyed this article on Pug names also enjoyed the following great guides:
References and Resources
- Roedler, F. (et al), ‘How Does Severe Brachycephaly Affect Dogs’ Lives? Results of a Structured Preoperative Owner Questionnaire’, The Veterinary Journal (2013)
- Waters, A. ‘Brachycephalic Tipping Point: Time to Push the Button?’, The Veterinary Record (2017)
- Haar, G & Oechtering, G. ‘Brachycephalic Airway Disease’, BSAVA (2018)
Free Training Tips
Get Pippa's free dog training tips delivered to your inbox
Boston Terrier Names – 350 Ideas To Suit Every Taste