100 Best Tough Dog Names For Big, Strong Dogs

Rajnandini Roychoudhury
Feb 16, 2024 By Rajnandini Roychoudhury
Originally Published on Nov 17, 2020
Rhodesian ridgeback dog giving  a girl sweet kiss lick.
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Read time: 9.6 Min



Tough boy names and tough girl names can make for the coolest strong dog names.

Tough and strong names for dogs will give your dog an active personality. A booming name can bring a real difference when you call out to your dog in the park or at home.

The name ideas for scary dog names make your huge and tough dogs stand out. These scary names for dogs are particularly perfect dog names for bigger dog breeds.

These are usually names inspired by strong personalities that make for great strong dog names. A tough dog deserves one of the best dog names for his or her personality. Here is a list of some tough male dog names, some tough girl dog names, and some tough gender-neutral dog names for your tough dog.

For more dog name ideas, take a look at Strong Dog Names and Tough Gangster Dog Names.

Tough Male Dog Names

Cute dog resting on Bed.

Here is a list of masculine dog names for you. These masculine names for dogs can be considered for larger dog breeds or a feisty boxer dog.

1. Archer (English origin) meaning "bowman". It is one of the best mean dog names.

2. Attila (Hungarian origin) meaning "tough father like". Attila is the name of one of the leaders of the Hunnic Empire.

3. Avalanche (English origin) meaning "a large mass of snow". This can be one of the coolest male dog names.

4. Bandit (American origin) meaning "thief". Bandit was a tough raccoon that came to attention after being named 'The World's Fattest Raccoon' by The Guinness Book of World Records. The name is also linked to 'Bandit Queen' which is a film based on the life of Phoolan Devi.

5. Bane (English origin) meaning "cause of distress or annoyance".

6. Bear (Old English origin) meaning "brown bear". Bear is a great tough dog name for huge furry dogs.

7. Blaze (English origin) meaning "flame". This can make for one of the more popular fierce pitbull names.

8. Bozorg (Persian origin) meaning "great".

9. Brando (Italian origin) meaning "sword".

10. Bruiser (English origin) meaning "a person who is tough and aggressive and enjoys a fight or argument".

11. Bruno (Old High German origin) meaning "brown".

12. Brutus (Latin origin) meaning "heavy" or "muscular". Marcus Junius Brutus was a popular Roman senator and the most famous of the assassins of Julius Caesar.

13. Butch (Old English origin) meaning "tough butcher".

14. Buzo is a common English name for dogs. It is a common dog name.

15. Caesar (Latin origin) meaning "emperor". Julius Caesar was a tough and renowned general, politician, and scholar in ancient Rome. It is also the name of one of Shakespeare's most popular plays.

16. Chief (Old French origin) meaning "head". Chief is an amazing tough dog name.

17. Clifford (Old English origin) meaning "cliff-side ford". This is one of the gangster dog names.

18. Colossus (Latin origin) meaning "of extraordinary size, huge, gigantic".

19. Crash (English origin) meaning "crash".

20. Denali (Indian origin) meaning "great one".

21. Diesel (German origin) meaning "diminutive form of Matthias". Diesel is a popular denim brand.

22. Duke (Anglo-Norman origin) meaning "son or descendant of Duke".

23. Everest meaning "mountain in South Asia". Mount Everest is Earth's highest mountain above sea level, located in the range of the Himalayas.

24. Fang (Chinese origin) meaning "fragrance or a canine tooth".

25. Ghost (Arabic origin) meaning "gift of God".

26. Giant (English origin) meaning "giant". This is the perfect name for your tough dog.

27. Goliath (Hebrew origin) meaning "uncover". Goliath is a biblical character from the Book of Samuel. Goliath was a huge giant who was defeated by a young boy David in single combat.

28. Grand (Anglo-French origin) meaning "great".

29. Groot (Dutch origin) meaning "large". Groot is an alien from "Planet X" in the Marvel Age of Monsters. It was his purpose to conquer planet Earth.

30. Hercules (Latin origin) meaning "glory of Hera". Hercules from the Greco-Roman world, is known for his adventures.

31. Hulk meaning "a clumsy ship". Hulk is a famous wrestler. In the Marvel Comics Universe, Hulk is a superhero too.

32. Hunter (English origin) meaning "hunter".

33. Jumbo (English origin) meaning "a large specimen of its kind". Jumbo was the name of an elephant at a popular circus.

34. King (Old English origin) meaning "head of tribe".

35. Kong (Chinese origin) meaning "bright". The name is often associated with King Kong which is an American monster film.

36. Leo (Latin origin) meaning "lion". Leo is a great name for huge dog breeds like German shepherds.

37. Macho (Spanish origin) meaning "male animal". Macho is often used to describe a big tough man.

38. Mack (Gaelic origin) meaning "son".

39. Magnus (Latin origin) meaning "great". Albertus Magnus was celebrated as Saint Albert the Great.

40. Mammoth (Siberian origin) referring to an elephant-like mammal.

41. Marmaduke (Gaelic origin) meaning "follower of Saint Maedoc". John Collins Dawson IV was nicknamed Marmaduke. He was a popular American musician.

42.  Maverick (American origin) meaning "an independent man who avoids conformity".

43. Maximus (Latin origin) meaning "greatest".

44. Moose (German origin) meaning "a tough strong man". Moose is an ideal tough dog name. It is quite a strong name for your dog.

45. Ookii (Arabic origin) meaning "enchanting". It also means "big" in Japanese and makes for the perfect big tough dog name.

46. Rambo (Swedish origin) meaning "raven's nest".

47. Rocky (English origin) meaning "rock". Rocky is a popular American drama film starring Sylvester Stallone.

48. Shamu meaning "Friend of Namu". Shamu was the first known intentional live capture of a healthy orca.

49. Shrek (German origin) meaning "fright". Shrek is a popular American animated where Shrek is a green-colored ogre. He's a popular meme too.

50. Spartacus (Latin origin) meaning "from the city of Sparta". A movie called 'Spartacus' shows the life of Spartacus who was the gladiator who leads a rebellion against the Romans.

51. Spike (American origin) meaning "long" or "heavy".

52. Sumo (Japanese origin) is the national sport of Japan. It is treated as a form of martial art in Japan as well.

53. Tank (English origin) meaning "tank"

54. Thor (Germanic origin) referring to the God of Thunder.

55. Titan (Greek origin) meaning "defender". Titan is the moon of the plane, Saturn.

56. Tyson (Old French origin) meaning "firebrand". Michael Gerard Tyson, better known as Mika Tyson, is an American former professional boxer.

57. Vinnie (Latin origin) meaning "conqueror". It is one of the cool male dog names.

58. Whale (English origin) meaning "whale". It is one of the greatest but more uncommon dog names.  

59. Wolf (English origin) meaning "wolf". This is one of the best tough wolf names.

60. Yukon (English origin) meaning "precious". Yukon is one of the awesome dog names.

61. Zeus (Greek origin) meaning "God". Zeus is the famous Greek God.

Tough Female Dog Names

Studio shot of a cute dog on an isolated background.

The list below is a curated tough girl dog names which are great name ideas for your tough dog. If you have a female large dog, you should search for tough girl names for dogs and get the right one for your darling!

62. Amazon (Greek origin) referring to "one of a race of female warriors in Scythia". Amazon is a popular e-commerce website and makes for a memorable name.

63. Athena (Greek origin) meaning "from the city of Athens". Athena is best known for her role in the adventures of several of Greece's most famous heroes.

64. Beastie is the name of a minor 12th-century Spanish saint, a convert from Islam.

65. Cinder (English origin) meaning "ash" or "umber".

66. Cleopatra (Greek origin) meaning "glory of the father". Cleopatra is a famous Egyptian queen.

67. Diva (Italian origin) meaning "celebrated singer".

68. Echo (Greek origin) meaning "reverberating sound".

69. Harley (Old English origin) meaning "hare wood". Harley Davidson is the name of a motorcycle brand that is known for its heavy touring motorcycles.

70. Huntress (English origin) meaning "female hunter". This name is a perfect dog name for a tough dog like Siberian huskies.

71. Justice (Latin origin) meaning "law".

72. Kodiak (Russian origin) meaning "island".

73. Liberty (English origin) meaning "freedom". The name is often linked to The Statue of Liberty, which is a famous symbol of freedom in New York City.

74. Medusa (Greek origin) meaning "cunning". The name Medusa is linked to an ancient Greek character who could turn people, who looked at her, into stone.

75. Midnight (American origin) meaning "midnight".

76. Onyx (English origin) meaning "black Gemstone". Onyx stone is one of semi-precious stones known as separation stone among people.

77. Raven (English origin) meaning "blackbird". It is a huge black bird, sometimes considered a bad omen.

78. Rouge (English origin) meaning "dishonest".

79. Shiba (French origin) meaning "God-fearing". It is a great name for your female tough dog.

80. Tiger (American origin) meaning "tiger".

81. Vixen (Old English origin) meaning "a female fox". Vixen is the name of an American rock band.

Tough Gender-Neutral Names

Here is a list of tough names for strong dogs that you can get for your tough dog.

82. Alaska (English origin) meaning "great land". Alaska is a famous state present in the United States.

83. Beethoven from Ludwig van Beethoven who was a German composer from the Classical and Romantic eras. It is also the name of a series with the dog, Beethoven, as the protagonist.

84. Bigfoot (English origin) meaning "someone with big feet". Bigfoot, also known as Sasquatch, is a giant ape-like creature that is said to roam the Pacific Northwest.

85. Brawny (English origin) meaning "strong" or "muscular".

86. Bull (English origin) meaning "a male bovine animal". It is a great name for your big dog.

87. Burly (Old English origin) meaning "meadow with knotty-trunk trees". Andrew "Burly" Burlinson is the guitarist of the Mouse Rat band.

88. Chunk (English origin) meaning "big part". Chunk is a great gender-neutral dog name.

89. Danger (Norman origin) meaning "powerful".

90. Genghis (Mongol origin) meaning "universal ruler". Genghis Khan was best known for unifying the Mongolian region under his empire. It is a perfect dog name and is also quite uncommon.

91. Luna (Latin origin) meaning "moon". It is a great name for both a male and female dog.

92. Meatball (English origin) referring to a certain kind of dish. Meatball is a tough dog name for your huge dog breeds.

93. Rebel (English origin) meaning "defiant person".

94. Rex (Latin origin) meaning "king". It is a common dog name.

95. Sable (English origin) meaning "black". It is one of the characterful dog names.

96. Sarge (Roman origin) meaning "in honor of Saint Sergius". Saints Sergius was a military saint by the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox Churches.

97. Storm (American origin) meaning "strong winds".

98. Tex (English origin) meaning "from Texas". It is a great name for your big playful dog.

99. Whopper (Middle English origin) meaning "something large". Today, the Whopper is known as the signature sandwich or burger at some international fast-food chains.

100. Yeti (South Asian origin) meaning "a monstrous creature". The Yeti is a character in ancient legends and folklore of the Himalayas people. It is the perfect name for your tough dog.

Kidadl has lots of great names articles to inspire you. If you liked our suggestions for Tough Dog Names then why not take a look at Hunting Dog Names, or for something different take a look at Anime Dog Names.

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Written by Rajnandini Roychoudhury

Bachelor of Arts specializing in English, Master of Arts specializing in English

Rajnandini Roychoudhury picture

Rajnandini RoychoudhuryBachelor of Arts specializing in English, Master of Arts specializing in English

With a Master of Arts in English, Rajnandini has pursued her passion for the arts and has become an experienced content writer. She has worked with companies such as Writer's Zone and has had her writing skills recognized by publications such as The Telegraph. Rajnandini is also trilingual and enjoys various hobbies such as music, movies, travel, philanthropy, writing her blog, and reading classic British literature. 

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