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100+ Tough & Badass Dog Names: Popular Options for Your Protector

Written by: Patricia Dickson

Last Updated on April 9, 2024 by Dogster Team

100+ Tough & Badass Dog Names: Popular Options for Your Protector

If you’ve recently become the proud pet parent of a tough, tenacious dog, you might be looking for a tough or badass name to go with your pet’s personality. After all, what dog owner wouldn’t want a badass name to go with their pet’s sturdy build and super-tough demeanor?

Even if your dog is a marshmallow on the inside and wouldn’t hurt a fly, it’ll still be nice for them to have a tough name to go along with their rugged looks. Whether it’s a spooky name or a name from a TV or movie villain or hero, there are quite a few names to choose from when it comes to tough names.

If you’re overwhelmed and confused by all the names out there and can’t choose one that fits your canine friend, we have you covered. Take a look at our favorite tough and badass names for your canine below.

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How to Choose a Tough Name for Your Dog

When giving your tough dog a badass name, you want to choose carefully. It’s best to make sure that the name is short and sweet because you don’t want to say a mouthful every time you call your pup to come to you. If you shorten a three-syllable or longer name to a nickname, however, it will work too.

It’s also not a good idea to name your dog anything that sounds like a command, as you don’t want them to become confused when you call them. Now that that’s been said, we’ll start our list of the best tough and badass names for your canine friend in the list below, so join us.

Spooky Names for Tough and Badass Dogs

black german shepherd outdoors
Image By: YamaBSM, Pixabay

Spooky names are always a hit when naming a pet. There are plenty of options, whether it’s from a horror movie or a classic TV show. Take a look at the list below and see if you agree.

  • Boo
  • Bram
  • Banshee
  • Cujo
  • Chucky
  • Casper
  • Damien
  • Diablo
  • Demon
  • Dracula
  • Ghost
  • Freddy
  • Gremlin
  • Elvira
  • Hitchcock
  • Hex
  • Kreuger
  • Monster
  • Reaper
  • Ripper
  • Poe
  • Salem
  • Spooky
  • Zombie
  • Trixie
  • Tarot

Badass Dog Names from History

mongolian mastiff dog in the snow
Image Credit: Eudyptula, Shutterstock

History is full of tough guys, whether they are villains or heroes. If you’re a history buff, you might like the names below for your canine friend.

  • Khan
  • Simo
  • Geronimo
  • Atilla
  • Hannibal
  • Joan
  • Augustus
  • Spartacus
  • Grace
  • Napolean

Badass TV Character Names for Dogs

begian malinois dog lying on the railway
Image Credit: Eudyptula, Shutterstock

Who doesn’t have a badass character they love from a TV show? Whether you name your dog after a character from The Walking Dead or after a character from NCIS, there are plenty of badass TV characters to name your dog after. See if one of the names below fits your pet.

  • Gibbs (NCIS)
  • Negan (The Walking Dead)
  • Din (The Mandalorian)
  • Geralt (The Witcher)
  • Billy (The Boys)
  • Eleven (Stranger Things)
  • Vision (WandaVision)
  • Flash (Flash)

Badass Movie Character Names for Dogs

Blue brindle pitbull on the grass
Image By: Zanna Pesnina, Shutterstock

If TV really isn’t your thing, but movies are, you might be wondering what the best name for your dog would be if you named them after a badass movie character. Look at the list below and see which works best for you.

  • John (John Wick)
  • Ripley (Alien)
  • Leo (The 300)
  • Max (Mad Max)
  • Tyler (Fight Club)
  • Rocky (Rocky)
  • Dux (Bloodsport)
  • Marv (Sin City)

Badass Video Game Names for Your Dog

great dane dog standing on grass
Image Credit: belu gheorghe, Shutterstock

Video games are extremely popular and have quite a few tough guys in them. Take a gander at the list below and see just if one of the badass video character names fits your new pup.

  • Price (Captain Price)
  • Ezio (Assassin’s Creed)
  • Kratos (God of War)
  • Altair (Assassin’s Creed)
  • Link (The Legend of Zelda)
  • Sonic (Sonic the Hedgehog)
  • Dante (The Devil May Cry)
  • Cloud (Final Fantasy Universe)
  • Leon (Resident Evil)
  • Kirby (Kirby)
  • Zelda (The Legend of Zelda)
  • Spyro (Spyro)
  • Ryu (Street Fighter)
  • Yoshi (Super Mario)
  • Duke (Duke Nukem)
  • Alex (Prototype)

Badass God and Goddess Names for Dogs

leonberger dog standing at the park
Image Credit: AnetaZabranska, Shutterstock

Who doesn’t love gods and goddesses? If you’re into Greek or Roman mythology, we have quite a few names that you can choose from. See if one of these mighty titles fits your furry friend.

  • Zeus
  • Xena
  • Poseidon
  • Hermes
  • Aires
  • Spartacus
  • Hercules
  • Artemis
  • Leo
  • Aphrodite

The Toughest Badass Names for Dogs

male boxer dog standing on grass
Image Credit: Dmitry Kalinovsky, Shutterstock

Now, we come to the category we’ve all been waiting for. These names are the toughest of the tough and include familiar favorites like King and Kong and names inspired by extreme weather like Hurricane and Cyclone.

  • Boomer
  • Diesel
  • Dash
  • King
  • Kong
  • Maximus
  • Hurricane
  • Renegade
  • Mayhem
  • Tempus
  • Brick
  • Brutus
  • Tank
  • Chase
  • Pyro
  • Malice
  • Chaos
  • Inferno
  • Cyclone

Badass Names Inspired by Superheroes for Dogs

black cane corso dog standing at the park
Image Credit: Tymoshenko Olga, Shutterstock

Of course, not all tough names have to be villains. There are plenty of badass superheroes out there as well. See if one of the names on this list strikes your fancy.

  • Hulk
  • Thor
  • Rogue
  • Wonder Woman
  • Elektra
  • Hawkeye
  • Wolverine
  • Starlord
  • Groot
  • Rocket
  • Drax
  • Spidey
  • Iron Man
  • Captain America
  • Winter Soldier

Final Thoughts

When it comes to naming a tough, intimidating, or scary dog, it can be hard to find a name that fits. Even if the dog is a sweetheart and wouldn’t hurt a flea, you might still want a name that makes them sound scary and ferocious. The titles in the lists above should work fine when finding a badass, tough name for your canine pal. Remember, avoid naming your dog something that sounds like a command, and keep it short and sweet for the best results.

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Featured Image Credit: Serova_Ekaterina, Shutterstock

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