126 Dog Names That Mean “Friend”

If you’re anything like me, you want to name your dog something unique and fun that has a positive meaning.

And since dogs are supposed to be man’s (or, in my case, woman’s) best friend, we thought we’d share some of our favorite names that mean “friend” or something similar.

Check ’em out below and don’t forget to share your favorite friend-related doggo names in the comments!

Dog Names Meaning “Friend” 

We’ll dive into some variations on the friend theme in a bit, but let’s get started with the basics.

We’ll break them down into gender-neutral, male, and female versions (but obviously, you should feel free to pick from whichever list you like — your pooch won’t care).

Gender Neutral Dog Names That Mean “Friend”

• Alden —  “Old, Wise Friend”
• Alvie — “Noble Friend”
• Baldwin — “Brave Friend” 
• Bellamy — “Fine Friend” — I like this variation a lot. 
• Connelly — “Love, Friendship” 
• Dakota — “Friendly One” 
• Lakota — “Friend to Us” 
• Nakotah — “Friend to All” 
• Rei — “My Companion”
• Taffy — “Beloved Friend” — Too cute!

Male Dog Names That Mean “Friend”

• Alvin — “Noble Friend” 
• Ames — “Friend”
• Bly — “Friendly”
• Corwin — “Heart’s Friend” 
• Darwin — “Dear Friend” — I know a really nice Beagle with this name. 
• Emilien — “Friendly” 
• Irving — “Green River, Sea Friend” — Maybe for a water breed? That would be cute. 
• Jeb — “Beloved Friend” 
• Levin — “Dear Friend”
• Livingston — “Dear Friend’s Place”
• Sahir — “Friend” 
• Samir — “Friend to talk with in the Evening” 
• Theophilus — “Friend of God” — His nickname could be Theo! 
• Winthrop — “Friend’s Village” 

Female Dog Names That Mean “Friend”

• Amity — “Friendship”
• Amy — “Beloved”
• Cara — “Dear, Friend, Face” 
• Damica — “Open Spirited, Friendly” 
• Mitra — “Angel” 
• Nefartari — “Beautiful Companion” 
• Raya — “Friend” 
• Rowena — “White spear or Famous Friend” 
• Ruthie — “Compassionate Friend” — I knew a nice mini schnauzer named Ruthie. 
• Winfrey — “Peaceful Friend” 
• Winnie — “Gentle Friend” (also make sure to check out our list of dog names that mean “gentle”)!
• Yadira — “Friend” 

Dog Names That Are Synonyms for Friend or Friendship

Expanding our scope a bit, here are some names that are synonyms for friend. We also include a few family-themed names.

• Ally
• Amigo
• Amiga
• Brother
• Buddy
• Chico 
• Chica
• Chum
• Gramps
• Grammy
• Mate — Perfect for an Australian shepherd (even though they’re didn’t originate in the Land Down Under)!
• Mama 
• Mijo 
• Mija
• Partner — Or, as we say in Texas, “Pardner.” 
• Pal
• Pops
• Sister
• Tio
• Tia 

I particularly like the familiar names. I often call dogs I’m training and friendly with “Sister” or “Brother.”

In the horse world, it’s common to call your horse “Mama” or “Pops”. I adore calling little old dogs Gramps, Grampy, or Grammy. It feels like they are part of my family tree after all. 

Famous Dogs Who were Darn Good Friends

Movies, novels, and history books often feature dogs who were awesome friends for their people. Check out some of our favorites!

• Shadow — The golden retriever in Homeward Bound.
• Chance — The excitable American bulldog in Homeward Bound.
• Lassie — The world’s most useful collie.
• Yeller — The yellow Lab who protected his human from Old Yeller. 
• Benji — The stray who saves two kidnapped kids, from the movie Benji.
• Beethoven — A great St. Bernard from the movie of the same name. Admittedly, he got into some mischief, but he also loved his family and saved his kid from the pool!
• Toto — “There’s no place like home, There’s no place like home!” 
• Lady — As in Lady and the Tramp.
• Pongo — The dad Dalmatian in 101 Dalmatians.
• Nana — The St. Bernard in Peter Pan.
• Copper — The hound dog in Fox and the Hound.   
• Sandy — The mixed breed that Little Orphan Annie finds.
• Clifford — He’s big, and he’s red. 
• Rin Tin Tin — The silent film star. 
• Scooby-Doo — “Ruh Roh!” 
• Balto — The Siberian husky who saved a town from a diphtheria outbreak. 
• Blue — Blues Clues 
• Snoopy — Need I say more? 
• Wishbone — From the children’s show on PBS of the same name, he solved mysteries and read stories.

The fun thing about famous names is that they evoke instant recognition and feeling from strangers. If I introduce my dog as Snoopy, everyone understands. Or with historically pertinent names, you get to honor great dogs of the past. 

Dog Names That Sound Friendly

These don’t literally mean “friend,” but they sure do evoke the right sentiment. Then again, maybe it’s just my Texan upbringin’? 

• Ace
• Amore
• Baby
• Bubba
• Buck 
• Bucky
• Buckaroo
• Boss
• Cutie
• Cherie 
• Darlin’
• Dulce
• Dumplin’
• Honey
• Jefe 
• Love
• Muffin
• Mon Cher 
• Pumpkin
• Pie 
• Puddin’
• Sugar
• Sweetie

Please remember any of these can be mixed together to make it all the more friendly, like “Sugar Darlin’” or “Puddin’ Pie?” Or “Bucky Buckaroo.” 

Personally, when naming a dog, I think of nicknames associated with their “formal” names, since nine out of ten times I call them by that anyway. Why not just start there? 

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When naming a dog, there is a lot to consider. Is it fun to say? Is it comfortable to pronounce? Does it have awesome nicknames associated with it that you can make into ridiculously cute tongue twisters and obnoxious chants to sing to your dog? 

If you’re looking for more naming inspiration, make sure to also check out our article on dog names meaning “love” too!

Hopefully, we’ve give you some friendly doggo name ideas above. Do you have any great, friendly dog names? Feel free to post them in the comments below!