Congratulations! You’ve decided to adopt a Jack Russell Terrier!
You’ve picked out your new best friend, got a new crate, plenty of toys, and stocked up on dog food.
Now all you have to do is decide on a name. If you are adopting from a breeder, you will most likely be responsible for naming them.
If you are rescuing a shelter dog, you may or may not want to give them a new name.
Pros and Cons of Renaming a Shelter Dog
If you are adopting from a shelter, your Jack Russell may already have a name. However, you may want to rename them for a variety of reasons.
You may simply not like the name they have. Don’t let their name keep you from giving them a good home.
Or, more importantly, if the dog has been abused in the past, giving them a new name is actually a good way to help their rehabilitation. They will learn to associate their new name with their new, better life.
As Jme Thomas, executive director of the Motley Zoo Animal Rescue in Redmond, Washington told PetMD.com, “I feel like 99 percent of the time it’s completely okay to rename your pet. It’s a fresh start for you and them, and it can be a bonding experience.”
On the other hand, if you are adopting an adult dog that has not been abused in the past, renaming them may not be the best idea. It is likely to cause confusion and frustration for both the dog and their new owner.
Dog Names to Avoid
I know you’re excited to pick out a new name for your dog, but there are a couple of rules you should follow.
First, avoid naming your dog a name that they could confuse with a command word like “sit” or “stay.” If you name your dog Kay, for example, they may think you are calling for them when you actually want them to do the exact opposite and stay where they are.
Second, don’t name your dog anything that you would be embarrassed to yell out in public. It may sound funny now to name your pup something a little dirty or inappropriate, but when you are chasing after them in the park after they wriggle out of their collar it won’t seem quite as amusing.
Names For Your New Jack Russell Terrier Puppy
With those few caveats out of the way, let’s get to naming your new Jack Russell.
Whether you are getting a new puppy from a breeder or a rescuing a shelter animal, here are 223 name ideas for your new Jack Russell Terrier:
- Abby
- Ace
- Amber
- Angus
- Annie
- Apollo
- Archie
- Bailey
- Bandit
- Barney
- Baxter
- Bella
- Benny
- Bentley
- Bernie
- Betsy
- Betty
- Biscuit
- Bitsy
- Blue
- Bo
- Bobby
- Bonnie
- Boomer
- Boots
- Brady
- Brewster
- Brindle
- Brody
- Bruno
- Buddy
- Bugsy
- Buster
- Butch
- Buttons
- Caesar
- Calvin
- Cami
- Captain
- Cash
- Cassie
- Chance
- Charlie
- Chase
- Chester
- Chewie
- Chico
- Chili
- Chip
- Chloe
- Chuck
- Cindy
- Cisco
- Cleo
- Clifford
- Coco
- Cody
- Comet
- Cookie
- Cooper
- Copper
- Cosmo
- Cricket
- Cubby
- Daisy
- Dakota
- Dallas
- Damon
- Dan
- Daphne
- Dash
- Dave
- David
- Dee
- Deuce
- Dexter
- Diego
- Diesel
- Dixie
- Doc
- Domino
- Doodle
- Doogie
- Duke
- Dusty
- Eddie
- Elvis
- Emma
- Emmy
- Enzo
- Eve
- Faith
- Fanny
- Fido
- Finn
- Flash
- Fletcher
- Flip
- Flossie
- Floyd
- Foxy
- Frank
- Frankie
- Fred
- Freeway
- Fritz
- Gabby
- Gatsby
- George
- Ginger
- Gizmo
- Gloria
- Goldie
- Goose
- Grace
- Gracie
- Gray
- Griff
- Gus
- Guy
- Hamlet
- Hank
- Happy
- Harley
- Harry
- Harvey
- Hazel
- Henry
- Hercules
- Holly
- Homer
- Honey
- Hoover
- Hope
- Hudson
- Hunter
- Ike
- Indy
- Inky
- Jack
- Jackie
- Jackson
- Jake
- Jasper
- Java
- Jax
- Jazz
- Jellybean
- Jesse
- Jessie
- Jet
- Jethro
- Jewel
- Jim
- Jimmy
- Joey
- Johnny
- Joker
- Jordan
- Josie
- Jules
- Juliet
- Jumper
- Junior
- Kacey
- Kaela
- Kahlua
- Kaiser
- Kasey
- Katie
- Kato
- Katy
- Kiki
- King
- Kirby
- Koda
- Kooper
- Koz
- Lady
- Layla
- Leo
- Lola
- Louie
- Lucky
- Lucy
- Luna
- Maggie
- Maisie
- Marley
- Max
- Milo
- Mimi
- Molly
- Muffin
- Nala
- Olive
- Oscar
- Otis
- Pepper
- Pippin
- Poppy
- Riley
- Rocky
- Rosie
- Roxy
- Ruby
- Rusty
- Sadie
- Sammy
- Sasha
- Sassy
- Simba
- Sophie
- Sparky
- Stella
- Teddy
- Tilly
- Toby
- Winnie
- Winston
- Zeus
- Ziggy
- Zoey
Jack Russell Terrier Names
We hope this list helped you find a new moniker for your new Jack Russell, or at least gave you some new ideas.
If you need some more inspiration, check out our list of celebrity Jack Russell owners to see what they named their pups and the 1,000 most popular dog names in New York City.
We wish you the best of luck on your new adventure with your Jack Russell Terrier. Be sure to check out the Terrier Owner YouTube Channel dedicated to helping you raise a Jack Russell Terrier.