500+ Names for Golden Retrievers

Ah Golden Retrievers, those walking sunbeams that somehow manage to be 90% love and 10% fur. Or is it the other way around?

Anyway, choosing a name for these goofballs is hard cause you really want something that captures their essence, ya know?

We’ve got some name ideas that’ll make your Golden’s tail wag faster than you can say “Who’s a good boy?”

25 Best Names for A Golden Retriever Puppy

Want to skip all the decision fatigue and just go for something proven?

We’ve looked at ALL the name options for your Golden and these are the ones that we think are the best.

1. Sunny
2. Max
3. Daisy
4. Cooper
5. Bella
6. Charlie
7. Goldie
8. Buddy
9. Ruby
10. Finn
11. Bailey
12. Scout
13. Luna
14. Marley
15. Tucker
16. Rosie
17. Duke
18. Molly
19. Sadie
20. Zeus
21. Lucy
22. Beau
23. Rex
24. Ginger
25. Nala

50 Classic Golden Retriever Names

These are the names that have stood the test of time, much like your Golden’s ability to find that tennis ball you thought you lost three years ago. These popular choices that never go out of style, whether you’ve got a high energy puppy or a calmer adult ESA dog.

1. King
2. Lady
3. Rex
4. Queenie
5. Champ
6. Rusty
7. Shadow
8. Sandy
9. Copper
10. Lucky
11. Blondie
12. Sparky
13. Honey
14. Rex
15. Buddy
16. Ginger
17. Rocky
18. Angel
19. Rusty
20. Duke
21. Penny
22. Rex
23. Sandy
24. Belle
25. Daisy
26. Rex
27. Rufus
28. Sadie
29. Duke
30. Penny
31. Max
32. Buddy
33. Lucky
34. Goldie
35. Rex
36. Sandy
37. Ginger
38. Lady
39. King
40. Rex
41. Rusty
42. Shadow
43. Rex
44. Sparky
45. Queenie
46. Angel
47. Copper
48. Blondie
49. Rex
50. Duke

50 Food-Inspired Names

If your Golden Retriever’s coat reminds you of your favorite snacks, why not name them after something delicious? Here’s some of our ideas:

1. Honey
2. Biscuit
3. Buttercup
4. Muffin
5. Peaches
6. Toffee
7. Pumpkin
8. Cinnamon
9. Cookie
10. Maple
11. Caramel
12. Popcorn
13. Butterscotch
14. Gingerbread
15. Peanut
16. Cupcake
17. Mocha
18. Waffles
19. Nutmeg
20. Marshmallow
21. Fudge
22. Brownie
23. Cheddar
24. Saffron
25. Olive
26. Brie
27. Candy
28. Almond
29. Latte
30. Apricot
31. Honeydew
32. Lemon
33. Carrot
34. Snickers
35. Tater Tot
36. Twix
37. Shortbread
38. Pudding
39. Jellybean
40. Cream
41. Truffle
42. Meringue
43. Pistachio
44. Chili
45. Dumpling
46. Oreo
47. Biscotti
48. Mocha
49. Vanilla
50. Noodles

50 Nature-Inspired Names

Golden Retrievers love the great outdoors almost as much as they love you. Almost.

Here’s some names reflecting their outdoor-loving nature and elements or natural phenomena that match their golden hue:

1. Sunny
2. River
3. Willow
4. Autumn
5. Blaze
6. Clover
7. Daisy
8. Forest
9. Maple
10. Storm
11. Aspen
12. Cedar
13. Sky
14. Breeze
15. Meadow
16. Summer
17. Ember
18. Ocean
19. Birch
20. Ivy
21. Luna
22. Rain
23. Sage
24. Snow
25. Poppy
26. Flint
27. Fern
28. Stone
29. Hazel
30. Sierra
31. Coral
32. Flora
33. Ash
34. Dawn
35. River
36. Aurora
37. Oakley
38. Solstice
39. Sand
40. Thunder
41. Star
42. Glacier
43. Moss
44. Rose
45. Blaze
46. Leaf
47. Stone
48. Echo
49. Frost
50. Pebble

50 Movie and TV-Inspired Names

For the pop culture lovers out there, why not name your Golden after a famous character?

Here’s some ideas based on famous golden-haired characters from pop culture and iconic dog names from films and shows:

1. Simba (The Lion King)
2. Lassie (Lassie)
3. Air Bud (Air Bud)
4. Dug (Up)
5. Scooby (Scooby-Doo)
6. Marley (Marley & Me)
7. Lady (Lady and the Tramp)
8. Bolt (Bolt)
9. Shiloh (Shiloh)
10. Balto (Balto)
11. Buddy (Air Bud)
12. Shadow (Homeward Bound)
13. Old Yeller (Old Yeller)
14. Hooch (Turner & Hooch)
15. Chance (Homeward Bound)
16. Clifford (Clifford the Big Red Dog)
17. Max (The Secret Life of Pets)
18. Beethoven (Beethoven)
19. Snoopy (Peanuts)
20. Toto (The Wizard of Oz)
21. Brian (Family Guy)
22. Copper (The Fox and the Hound)
23. Pluto (Disney)
24. Slinky (Toy Story)
25. Rex (Toy Story)
26. Dug (Up)
27. Nana (Peter Pan)
28. Tramp (Lady and the Tramp)
29. Perdita (101 Dalmatians)
30. Pongo (101 Dalmatians)
31. Zero (The Nightmare Before Christmas)
32. Buck (Call of the Wild)
33. Goofy (Disney)
34. Spike (Rugrats)
35. Snoopy (Peanuts)
36. Marmaduke (Marmaduke)
37. Gromit (Wallace and Gromit)
38. Fang (Harry Potter)
39. Toto (The Wizard of Oz)
40. Ace (Batman)
41. Einstein (Back to the Future)
42. Rowlf (The Muppets)
43. Blue (Blue’s Clues)
44. Buddy (Air Bud)
45. Comet (Full House)
46. Bailey (A Dog’s Purpose)
47. Duke (The Secret Life of Pets)
48. Togo (Togo)
49. Einstein (Back to the Future)
50. Bingo (Bingo)

50 Personality-Based Names

Golden Retrievers have personality in spades, so why not use that to come up with their name?

Here’s our ideas for names that reflect the breed’s friendly and energetic nature, and playful monikers for your goofy Golden puppy:

1. Happy
2. Bouncy
3. Wiggles
4. Smiley
5. Sparky
6. Goofy
7. Zippy
8. Jolly
9. Peppy
10. Lively
11. Bubbles
12. Joy
13. Sprout
14. Pippin
15. Rascal
16. Chip
17. Flash
18. Cheer
19. Frolic
20. Tigger
21. Sparky
22. Sizzle
23. Tango
24. Buzzy
25. Pogo
26. Dash
27. Gleeful
28. Buster
29. Zoom
30. Chase
31. Bliss
32. Boomer
33. Giggles
34. Jig
35. Tizzy
36. Rascal
37. Whiz
38. Twist
39. Snickers
40. Doodle
41. Zest
42. Zippy
43. Binky
44. Perky
45. Skip
46. Buddy
47. Scoot
48. Flare
49. Spunky
50. Jive

50 Regal and Sophisticated Names

We’ve got some elegant names fitting for the “golden” breed, and royal-inspired names for your majestic pup cause sometimes, you gotta balance out all that goofy Golden charm with a touch of class.

1. Duke
2. Duchess
3. Baron
4. King
5. Queenie
6. Sir
7. Lady
8. Earl
9. Countess
10. Lord
11. Princess
12. Prince
13. Majesty
14. Noble
15. Regal
16. Emperor
17. Empress
18. Kaiser
19. Pharaoh
20. Sultan
21. Caesar
22. Czar
23. Duchess
24. Baroness
25. Earl
26. Monarch
27. Viceroy
28. Archduke
29. Regent
30. Knight
31. Baron
32. Sovereign
33. Sheik
34. Sultana
35. Viscount
36. Vicereine
37. Lady
38. Count
39. Tsar
40. Majestic
41. Sultan
42. Crown
43. Royal
44. Sovereign
45. Tzarina
46. Empress
47. Majesty
48. Sultan
49. Marchioness
50. Tsarina

50 Ironic and Humorous Names

If you want some ideas based on funny contrasts to their size or appearance, here’s some witty names for owners with a sense of humor:

1. Tiny
2. Goliath
3. Hercules
4. Tank
5. Whopper
6. Mini
7. Peanut
8. Sumo
9. Squirt
10. Jumbo
11. Fluffy
12. Hulk
13. Mouse
14. Yoda
15. Panda
16. Porkchop
17. Shrimp
18. Biggie
19. Frodo
20. Titan
21. Moose
22. Runt
23. Smalls
24. Elf
25. Waldo
26. Puff
27. Jumbo
28. Teeny
29. Dinky
30. Porky
31. Button
32. Tofu
33. Pipsqueak
34. Spike
35. Bigfoot
36. Gizmo
37. Rhino
38. Behemoth
39. Squash
40. Chubbs
41. Goober
42. Stretch
43. Munchkin
44. Tinkerbell
45. Meatball
46. Dino
47. Yogi
48. Bubbles
49. Pickles
50. Mr. Big

50 Sports-Inspired Names

Here’s some names of famous athletes with golden qualities, and sports terms that fit a Golden’s athletic nature:

1. Jordan
2. Kobe
3. Tiger
4. Serena
5. Brady
6. Shaq
7. Phelps
8. Venus
9. LeBron
10. Bolt
11. Messi
12. Beckham
13. Ali
14. Curry
15. Federer
16. Gritty
17. Laker
18. Boomer
19. Dunk
20. Homer
21. Ace
22. Slugger
23. Scout
24. Blitz
25. Buster
26. Rookie
27. Swoosh
28. Scout
29. Slam
30. Slugger
31. Blitz
32. Hustle
33. Champ
34. Dribble
35. Heisman
36. Golazo
37. Ace
38. Scout
39. Blitz
40. Punt
41. Dribble
42. Slam
43. Scout
44. Dunk
45. Tackle
46. Sprint
47. Dribble
48. Heisman
49. Kobe
50. Jordan

50 Short and Sweet Names

Here’s some ideas for easy-to-call names for training purposes, and cute, simple names that roll off the tongue:

1. Max
2. Bella
3. Finn
4. Ruby
5. Jack
6. Luna
7. Ace
8. Zoe
9. Gus
10. Coco
11. Scout
12. Milo
13. Lexi
14. Sam
15. Ella
16. Pip
17. Rex
18. Nala
19. Ben
20. Ivy
21. Jax
22. Koda
23. Bo
24. Mia
25. Kai
26. Duke
27. Kit
28. Zed
29. Dot
30. Leo
31. Mae
32. Ava
33. Rue
34. Ned
35. Liv
36. Max
37. Dee
38. Eli
39. Izzy
40. Alf
41. Lou
42. Ray
43. Ace
44. Juno
45. Sky
46. Remi
47. Gus
48. Blu
49. Bea
50. Taz

50 Unique and Uncommon Names

And here’s some stand-out names for owners wanting something different, and rare names that still suit a Golden’s personality:

1. Zephyr
2. Orla
3. Azura
4. Saffron
5. Marigold
6. Juno
7. Apollo
8. Zola
9. Yara
10. Oberon
11. Calliope
12. Eira
13. Huxley
14. Xanthe
15. Quillon
16. Vesper
17. Thalassa
18. Indra
19. Lyra
20. Oberon
21. Solstice
22. Zephyr
23. Kaia
24. Cassian
25. Elara
26. Orion
27. Ziva
28. Sirius
29. Xena
30. Vesper
31. Leif
32. Zenith
33. Azula
34. Oberon
35. Thorne
36. Solara
37. Niamh
38. Echo
39. Theron
40. Nyx
41. Eos
42. Orin
43. Tamsin
44. Zara
45. Eirlys
46. Oberon
47. Leander
48. Orion
49. Xander
50. Astrid

That’s a lot of names, right? So, when you’re picking a name, think about what fits your dog’s personality. Is he a goofball who trips over his own ears? Maybe “Clumsy” or “Whoops” would work. Or is she more of a regal lady who expects to be treated like the queen she is? “Empress” might be more her style.

Oh, and here’s a pro tip: try yelling the name out loud before you commit. Trust me on this one. I once knew a guy who named his dog “Fire”… yeah, that didn’t end well at the dog park.

The thing about Golden Retrievers is that they’ll pretty much respond to anything if you say it with enough enthusiasm. Heck, I once accidentally called my Golden who is named Butter “Margarine” for a week straight and he didn’t seem to mind.

But at the end of the day, whatever name you choose, your Golden is gonna love it because it’s coming from you. Whether you go classic, quirky, or somewhere in between, just remember: your dog doesn’t care what you call them, as long as you call them for dinner!