Brindle Dog Names: The Ultimate List of Great Names for that New Pup

Brindle Dog Names  by Janice Jones   

Are you adopting a brindle colored dog or one that is striped or possess mottled coat patterns?  

Need a little help coming up with a great name that reflects your new puppy's beautiful coat?

Great, let's get started.

What is the Brindle Color?

Brindle dogs have a unique pattern of striping that can range from very dark, to red, to tan colored and is common in many different dog breeds. If you have a short haired dog, the brindling can look like stripes or tiger stripes.  If your dog has long hair like the ones above, those stripes or mottled appearance is a little harder to see.

Brindle Dog Names: Small Dogs That Can Be Brindle

You probably think of the bulldog or greyhound when brindle comes to mind, but there are many small breed dogs that can also be brindle.

While brindle coats are more commonly associated with larger breeds like Greyhounds or Boxers, many small dog breeds also exhibit this beautiful coat pattern. Here’s a list of small breeds where brindle can occur:

1. French Bulldog

Known for their compact size and bat-like ears, French Bulldogs often come in stunning brindle patterns.
Their brindle coats can range from dark tiger stripes to a lighter brindle with splashes of white.

2. Boston Terrier

These "American Gentlemen" often sport brindle in combination with their characteristic tuxedo markings.
The brindle pattern in Boston Terriers usually features a mix of black and brown stripes.

3. Pug

While not as common, brindle Pugs can be found, showcasing unique striping over their smooth, short coats.
Brindle Pugs often stand out in a breed where fawn and black are more typical.

4. Dachshund

Brindle is more frequently seen in smooth-haired Dachshunds, although it can occur in long-haired and wire-haired varieties as well.

This pattern adds extra charm to their elongated, low-slung bodies.

5. Chihuahua

Chihuahuas occasionally display brindle coats, particularly in short-haired varieties.

Brindle in Chihuahuas can appear as fine streaks on a fawn or tan base.

6. Cairn Terrier

Known for their rugged, wiry coats, Cairn Terriers can sometimes exhibit brindle coloration.

Brindle Cairn Terriers often have earthy tones that complement their hardy appearance.

7. Miniature Bull Terrier

This spunky breed occasionally features brindle coats, with stripes typically appearing on a fawn or white base.
Brindle Mini Bull Terriers exude both charm and personality.

8. Shih Tzu

Brindle is rare but possible in Shih Tzu, adding unique stripes to their long, flowing coats.
The brindle pattern is often paired with white markings for added flair.

9. Cardigan Welsh Cargi

How Does Brindle Affect Personality and Health?

There is no need to worry if brindle dogs are healthy. They are no more or no less healthy than any other colored dog. The same is true of personality.

There does not seem to be any correlation between personality traits and the genetics that creates brindling.

The Color Brindle In the Animal Kingdom

Since brindle is a coat color, the only creatures in the animal kingdom that can have the genes necessary for the brindle color are mammals.

Dogs are not the only mammals with brindle colors in their fur. This color is also seen in cats, rabbits, cattle and horses, even guinea pigs. There is also a brindle-colored Blue Wildebeest.

Brindle Dog Names Based on the Brindle Appearance

Look up brindle, and you’re likely to see words such as dappled, streaked, or mottled. Let’s turn them into dog names.

Buckskin – a coat color of horses which resembles shades of tanned deerskin.

Camo – As in camouflage 

Dappler – Like Dapple,

Dot – Cute dog name but also good for a brindle puppy

Fleck - Does your brindle dog have flecks of color in her hair?

Flecker – Some brindles look like they have flecks of color

Freckles – Some brindle patterns look like long freckles. way.

Heather – type of fiber that that blends many colors to create a unique coloration

Marble – The pattern also has a marbled effect.

Mosaic – A technique that uses tiny spots or dots to create a whole image

Motley – Also means multicolored, dappled, or piebald;

Mutter - (from Mottled)

Patches – One way to look at the brindle color

Pebbles – The brindle pattern can also look a bit like pebbles. (How cute is this name?)

Pinto – as in a Pinto horse; They are not brindle colored but do have more than one colored patches on their hair. Pinto beans have a striped appearance.

Pixel – From technology, adding individual dots of color to create a whole image

Speckler as in Speckled

Streaker – Similar to Streaked appearance

Brindle Dog Names Based on the Colors Involved

Ash - For light brown brindles

Charcoal - When the Brindle color is very dark

Cordovan – very deep red

Flame – When the coat is a rich red brindle

Hickory – works great when there are noticeable brown tones in the coat

Inky – Many brindle coats are very dark with black the predominant color.

Lava – Some brindles are so dark that it’s difficult to see other colors within the coat

Peat – Great name for a dark brindle dog: 

Russet – a good name for a red or light brown brindle dog

Sienna – lighter brown

Slate – Another good name when the brindle is very dark

Smoke – Sometimes the black may appear lighter and greyer as in smoke

Smoke- When there are dark grey or black tones

Storm or Stormy – when there are grey tones in the coat

Tawny – Meaning an orange, brown color which is typical of some brindle dogs

Walnut – When brown shows through the dark streaks, Walnut might be the name you choose

More Great Black Dog Names

More Red Dog Names

More Brown Dog Names

More Blue or Grey Dog Names

Even More Ideas:  Brindle Dog Names

• Jack –the bulldog featured in the Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Jack was brindle.
• Maru - a tabby from Japan; and once held the Guinness World Record for the most-watched animal on YouTube
• Morris – as in Morris the Cat; that orange tabby who was the mascot for 9 Lives Cat Food in 1969. - an orange tabby who began appearing as an advertising mascot for 9Lives cat food in 1969.
• Ocelot – a wild cat with similar brindle colorations
• Ocicat - a breed of cats that have similar colorations as brindle
• Okapis – striped mammal belonging to the Giraffe family with stripes that resemble brindling
• Orangey - an orange tabby who starred in the 1961 film, Breakfast at Tiffany's, He had a type of brindle coat.
• Tabby – a term used to describe a cat color that was originally referred to as a striped silk taffeta. It also resembles the brindle color in dogs.
• Tiger – the stripes on a tiger could be considered one type of brindling.
• Tortoise - Think of the beautiful coloration on a turtle’s shell. Also a great name for a slow dog.

Striped Dog Names

Dogs with brindle coats often have a striking striped appearance, resembling tiger stripes or natural patterns found in the wild. These unique coats deserve names that highlight their beauty.

Here’s a list of creative and fitting names for striped dogs:

• Zebra - Perfect for a dog with bold, contrasting stripes.
• Tiger - A classic choice for dogs with a tiger-striped brindle coat.
• Shadowstripe - A sleek and mysterious name for darker brindle dogs. Perhaps Shadow for short?
• Tigra - A playful twist on "Tiger," great for a female pup.
• Marble - Ideal for dogs with a more mottled or marbled coat pattern.
• Striker -  Inspired by the striking appearance of bold stripes. (OK, maybe a stretch)
• Ridge - A rugged, nature-inspired name for a striped dog.
• Bengal - Remember the wild and majestic Bengal tiger?
• Blaze - Perfect for dogs with lighter or fiery-colored stripes.
• Mocha - Great for brindle dogs with brown, coffee-colored streaks.

Exotic and Unique Brindle Dog Names

• Bengal - A breed of tiger known for its striking stripes.
• Raya - Inspired by Southeast Asian culture, evoking elegance.
• Sable - Highlighting coats with rich, dark streaks.
• Onyx - Perfect for black-striped brindle dogs.
• Kodiak - After the Kodiak bear, for strong, striped dogs.

Brindle Dog Names Based on Pop Culture

• Shere Khan - From "The Jungle Book," perfect for a tiger-like dog.
• Hobbes - The striped tiger from "Calvin and Hobbes."
• Tony - From Tony the Tiger of cereal fame.
• Cheshire - Inspired by the stripes of the Cheshire Cat in "Alice in Wonderland."
• Tigger - A fun, bouncy name for an energetic dog.

Pattern-Related Names

• Stripes - Straightforward and descriptive.
• Marble - For dogs with swirled, marbled coat patterns.
• Patch - Highlighting patchy or irregular striped patterns.
• Taffy - A playful name for swirly or sweet-looking stripes.
• Lines - A minimalist name for a simple stripe pattern.

Nature-Inspired Names

• Tiger - Evoking the bold and majestic stripes of a tiger.
• Zebra - Perfect for dogs with high-contrast stripe patterns.
• Maple - Inspired by the natural streaks found in tree bark.
• Shadow - For dogs with subtle or dark brindling.
• Hyena - from the Striped Hyena
• Spider - From the Zebra Spider
• Chipmunk - Remember the stripes on the Chipmunk's back?
• Marlin - The striped marlin has distinct stripes on their bodies.

Brindle Coat Pattern: Explained

The term "brindle" refers to a unique and striking coat pattern often described as "tiger-striped." This pattern consists of streaks or swirls of darker pigment over a lighter base color. The base color is typically brown, tan, or fawn, while the stripes may appear black, dark brown, or even shades of gray.

Characteristics of Brindle Coats

The pattern can be subtle or dramatic, with some brindle dogs having faint streaks, while others boast bold, high-contrast stripes.

Some brindle coats are uniform, while others feature patchy or marbled patterns, adding to their visual appeal.
The pattern is caused by specific genetic factors that regulate melanin distribution in a dog’s coat.

What Causes the Brindle Color?

This next part is for all you geeks out there who are curious about the genetics behind the brindle color.

Warning, it’s a bit more complicated than your high school biology version of genetics.

So, please feel free to skip over this part.

In many breeds, brindling usually appears as black stripes on a lighter orange-red background. Think tiger stripes.
Another type is when the background is darker and the lighter color shows up on top. Other breeds show up as a more grey or blue looking color.

Sometimes a brindle dog coat color with black pigment can appear with silver-like stripes on a creamy background.

There are three K locus
• K^B: dominant black
• k^br: brindle
• k^y: non-solid black – allows A locus to be expressed

In order from most dominant is K^B > k^br >k^y
The K^B allele is dominant over the other two alleles and produces solid black color. k^br produces the brindle color pattern and is dominant over the ky allele. This means that dogs with the genotype k^brk^br or k^brk^y will have the brindle color pattern. Dogs with the genotype k^yk^y are yellow in color.

But, the extent of brindling also depends on the A locus which will affect the appearance of the brindle. Remember all brindle colors are not the same.

Brindle plus AyAy (sable) - dog will be solid brindle

Brindle plus atat (tan points) - dog will be black (or liver/blue/isabella) with brindle points

Brindle + awaw (agouti/wolf grey) - effect on dog is unclear as these genes rarely occur together, but the brindle would likely appear broken and patchy

Brindle + aa (recessive black) - dog will be solid black, liver, blue or isabella (recessive black does not allow the production of phaeomelanin in the coat)

If the A locus is aa (recessive black), the dog will appear solid black but will still be able to produce brindle-colored pups.

Rules for Choosing a Dog Name

It is so much fun naming your new dog, but keep these tips in mind for the best name for your new puppy.

• Keep it fairly short:  No more than three syllables
• Don't choose a name that you might use as a command.
• Don't name your dog after a family member - it could get confusing.
• It's fun to have nicknames, but your dog will learn best and quick if you use the same name repeatedly. 

Brindle Dog Names:  Pin for Future Reference