53 Chinese Dog Names

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Updated on 06/07/22

Black chow chow dog walking on cobblestone street with mouth open — The Spruce / Kristie Lee

Whether you want to pay homage to your Chinese heritage, you're fascinated with Chinese culture and history, or you're bringing home a Chinese breed—like a Shar-Pei, Pug, or Shih Tzu—there's literally thousands of years worth of inspiration for your new dog's Chinese name.

With all that history, you may not know exactly where to begin the search for the perfect dog name. But the good news is, we did a lot of the work for you and rounded-up some of our favorite Chinese dog names for your new Gǒu.

Top Chinese Dog Names

If you're looking for a way to honor the Mandarin language and describe exactly what your dog means to you and the family, look no further than these sweetly descriptive dog names. Really want to ramp up the love? Give your dog a first and middle name!

Ai ("loving")
Bao ("jewel" or "precious")
Chen ("great")
Chong ("powerful")
Hui ("kind")
Huan ("happiness")
Kuai ("quick-minded" or "clever")
Ming-Hua ("brilliant")
Sying ("star")
Xiáng ("good luck")
ZhenZhen ("precious")

Tips for Naming Your New Dog

When you're bringing home a new puppy or dog, your to-do list may feel never-ending. Not only do you have to shop for all the right gear—like a safe, sturdy harness and leash, a comfortable bed, and lots of engaging toys—but you have to prep your home for the arrival of your new pooch. And let's not forget: Choose the perfect, fitting name that you and the whole family will love for years to come. Are you feeling tired already?

When it comes to naming your new dog, we say, look to his or her appearance and personality for inspiration. Is she a calm, cool, and collected girl, or is she a wild (fur) child? Is he quick and energetic, or lumbering and laid back?

Creating a short-list of your family's favorite dog names will make it easier to narrow down the perfect moniker for your newest family member. Once you have the list ready, be sure to consider:

Choosing a name with one to two syllables and hard consonants. These names will be much easier for your dog to hear and understand.
Avoiding names that sound like a command or another word you use frequently with your dog. Think: "Kay" and "stay." These kinds of names will only confuse your dog.
Always using his or her name in a positive context. Your dog's name will be the first thing she hears when you call her—try to give her a pleasant association with her name.
Avoiding names that could be embarrassing. If you'd be embarrassed to shout your dog's name across the dog park, don't use it.

Chinese Names for Female Dogs

Whether your very good girl is laid-back and mellow, or energetic and rough-and-tumble, there are tons of beautiful, unique female dog names in the Mandarin language.

An ("peaceful" or "loving")
Chun Hua ("spring flower")
Jiao ("charming")
Jun ("truthful" or "obedient")
Lian ("delicate")
Meiying ("beautiful flower")
Nà ("graceful")
Qiao ("skillful")
Shu ("warm hearted")
Ying ("clever")

Chinese Names for Male Dogs

From his cleverness, to his good looks, to his brute strength, one of these male names from Mandarin is sure to suit your very good boy. The hardest part will be choosing which aspect of his personality to honor.

Fu Han ("broad-minded")
Gan ("brave")
Hui ("splendor")
Jie-Rui ("quick-minded")
Junjie ("handsome" or "outstanding")
Longwei ("the greatness of a dragon")
Minzhe ("sensitive" or "wise")
Ping ("stable")
Quiang ("strong")
Yingzie ("brave" or "heroic")

Chinese Dog Names Inspired by Their Coat Colors

Like we said: Getting inspired by your dog's (adorable) appearance can make choosing the right name a little bit easier. Check out these color-inspired names from the Mandarin language.

Bai ("white")
Bān ("spotted")
Banwen ("brindled")
Dai ("dark)
Hongse ("red")
Huang ("yellow")
Jin ("gold")
Tao ("peach")
Yang ("sun")
Zongse ("brown")

Chinese Dog Names Inspired by Nature

According to the American Kennel Club, there's been a massive increase in nature-inspired dog names in the last few years. And what better dog-naming inspiration than our awesome planet? Pay homage to Mother Earth and give your dog a totally unique name with one of these nature-inspired monikers.