Is your family excited about their new pet? Of course they are. What comes next? Picking out the perfect name for the new member of your family. Don’t know where to start? Let’s take a look at some different ways you can pick out a great name for him or her.

In order to get creative, it may be best to give it a little time and don’t try to name them on the first day. You need to examine their personality to see what name would be most befitting for them. Consider which activities the pet enjoys, as well as their dislikes. Observe their energy level and take that into consideration.

Do they remind you of a famous person or character in a book or a movie, perhaps? What about a famous musician? What about your favorite hero or villain? Think of people like famous poets, movie stars or sports heroes for inspiration.

One thing you can do is to name your pet according to their country of origin. For example, a German shepherd could be named Alfred and a French poodle could be named Adelaide.

You could also name your pet according to the city you adopted them in. This works better for some cities than others. For example, Chicago or Atlanta works just fine whereas Fort Myers or Shreveport just doesn’t roll off the tongue as nicely.

Consider trying out names of everyday objects if you like. Just look around the house for inspiration. Just make sure it is nothing too boring.

Is your dog a purebred? Consider giving them an aristocratic name such as Princess Diana or Prince Albert. Don’t forget to use a shortened version to call them on a regular basis. Famous historical figures or inspirational people will work nicely for this.

You could also consider your own personal interests. For example, you may love astronomy. In this case you could name your pet after a planet such as Pluto, Jupiter or Neptune. You could also give them an unusual name, modeled after a star or constellation. Some examples of star names are Altair, Electra and Vega.

Feel like going with a name that is more tried and true over a unique creation? There isn’t anything wrong with that. The top five names for male dogs are as follows: Max, Buddy, Jake, Charlie and Bailey. The top five names for female dogs are Bella, Daisy, Molly, Lucy and Maggie.

Are you still stumped? You could always check out a large volume of online pet names at Nifty Pet Names.

More Tips

Whatever you decide upon it should be a simple name that is easy for your pet to understand. It shouldn’t sound similar to any of your commands such as no, sit or stay. Make sure to pick a name that you are not going to be embarrassed about calling out in a public place. If you decide on a regular human name, try not to name them something that sounds close to one of your family members as this may confuse them when they are called. In general, it is best to keep the name short and simple. Two syllables is best.

Try not to mix people up on the gender of your animal by giving it a name from the opposite sex. For example, people may think you have a male dog if you name your female dog Alex or Jo.

After you decide on a name, experts give advice on the best way to use it. It is said that it is best to teach your dog to associate their name with a positive outcome. For example, if you use their name a lot when you scold them, they may learn to run and hide on a regular basis when they hear their name called out.

And there you have it! Have fun and be sure to include your whole family in the name selection process.