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Nautical Pet Names
for Boating Enthusiasts and Water Loving Dogs
by Janice Jones |Last Updated 11-22-2021
Exploring nautical pet names is not only fun, it can be educational. Names on this list are perfect for those who love the water, sun and surf, enjoy fishing or boating, or maybe you are a Cruise Line enthusiast.
All the names on this page pertain to water, oceans, other bodies of water, fish and marine life, people who make a living on the sea, and of course, dog names with a distinctive nautical theme.
There are countless terms that refer to these topics, but we have narrowed them down to list only those that would make a great dog name.
From Our Small Dog Place Fans:
Jeanie Mitchel from Ohio wrote...
Boatswain
Benoit - Benoit LeComte swam across the Atlantic Ocean in 1998 and swam from Japan to Hawaii.
Brizo - Greek goddess of sailors. Brendan - the Irish monk, St. Brendan, is one of the patron saints of sailors.
Elmo and his alternate name, Erasmus.
Elizabeth from the U.S. suggested: Skipper, Captain, Minnow, Neptune (Roman name for Poseidon) Triton, Salty
Nautical Pet NamesOne and two syllable dog names are the best and easiest, however we have added a couple clever dog names that have 3 syllables. You be the judge.
Nautical Pet Names A- B
Admiral - A high ranking naval officer
Ahoy - A nautical term used to call out to someone
Anchor - A heavy object to keep a boat from drifting
Arctic - A cold place
Astern - Towards the back of the ship (Stern)
Bailer - Some thing that can remove water that has leaked into a boat
Bait - Small food used at the end of a fishing line
Baltic - as in the Baltic Sea
Baleen - A type of whale
Barnacle -
Bass - A type of fish
Bay - A broad inlet of ocean where the land curves around it.
Beach - Land area by the sea
Beacon - A fire or light source that acts as a signal or warning
Black Beard - legendary pirate
Bell - In nautical terms, a bell that is placed on a buoy. [Belle is a very popular girl dog name]
Berth- A sleeping area on a boat
Boomer - Slang term for a ballistic missile submarine
Breezy - Mild wind and popular female dog name
Buoy - A floating object used for navigation
Nautical Pet Names C - D
Cadet - A young student in training for a position in the police or armed forces
Canal - Narrow man-made water passageway as in the Panama Canal
Canoe - Small boat
Captain - Someone who commands a ship
Cargo - Goods or merchandise carried on a ship
Compass - An instrument with a magnet capable of locating the north pole
Convoy - A group of ships traveling together
Coral - Animals that make up a coral reef
Corporal - A low ranking noncommissioned officer
Crew - People who work on a ship
Cruiser -
Cutter - A small boat
Diver - Someone who goes deep in the water with scuba gear
Dory - A small shallow boat; Also a character in the movie Nemo and more
Nautical Pet Names E - G
Ensign - Lowest ranking commissioned officer in the US Navy
El Niños - "The little boy" Warm surface water as a result of changing weather patterns.
Ferry - A type of vessel that transports people and other items across bodies of water.
Fin - in the UK, this is the structure on the topside of a submarine. Finn is a very popular boy dog name
Fish - Type of animal living in water. In nautical terms, it means to secure an anchor on the side of a ship
Flounder - Type of fish
Frigate - A type of warship
Galley - The kitchen on a ship
Galleon - In the 16th to 18th centuries Europe, a multilevel sailing ship
Gunner - A person in the armed forces that operates a gun. This is a popular boy dog name
Gill - A part of a fish used for breathing in water
Guppy - A small fish; A good name for a small dog
Nautical Pet Names H - J
Harbor -A natural or man-made body of water adjacent to the mainland.
Helm - The mechanism that steers the ship
Henry (Morgan) - Pirate; You could use either Henry or Morgan as a great dog name
Hermit (Crab) - Type of crustacean; a great name for an independent puppy.
Herring - Type of Fish
Hitch - Type of rope knot
Hudson - as in Hudson Bay; A good name for a male dog
Hurricane - Severe storm; Great choice for a puppy whose personality suggests chaos wherever he goes.
Jack (Sparrow) - a Pirate
Jacques - as in Jacques Cousteau, a French naval officer, filmmaker, and researcher who studied the sea and sea life. Both first and last names make good dog names especially for a french dog breed.
Jaws - Mouth of a shark and Movie by the same name.
Jolly Roger - A Pirate ship flying a flag with the white skull and crossbones
Dan Adams from Chapin SC (USA) suggested the name Port.
Nautical Dog Names K - R
Kayak - A small canoe with opening in the top for a person to sit and row
Lagoon - A small strip of salt water separated from the sea by a coral reef or sandbar
Laker- A ship that carries cargo on the Great Lakes; A great name for a mid-western USA puppy
Mackerel - A type of Fish
Manatee - A marine mammal that lives in the water
Mariner - Also known as a sailor
Marlin - A type of Fish
Master - in Nautical terms, a ship with a specified number of sails; In dog terms, a good name for an alpha male or female.
Mate - Fellow seaman or friend; Great name for either a boy or a girl puppy.
Moby (Dick) - Famous Whale and name of a book; A great dog name for one that loves the water.
Motor - An engine that powers a boat
Nemo - A famous fish and star of a movie of the same name
Orca - Type of whale; killer whale; Good name for a black and white puppy.
Otter - A medium sized marine mammal
Pearl - A hard object found in the shell of an oyster; A great country girl dog name for one that is cream colored,
Pirate - In nautical terms, a person who attacks and robs ships at sea: Is your dog a great thief when it comes to stealing treats and hiding them?
Pier - See definition of dock
Pilot - A helmsman or person who takes charge of a ship as it enters a narrow or finfined waterway such as the Panama Canal.
Pontoon - A flat bottom boat that relies on pontoons to float; A great name for a dog that loves to sail
Poseidon - God of the Sea
Puddle - A small amount of water remaining on a hard surface. What puppy wouldn't want the name puddles?
Puffer - As in Puffer Fish; A great name for a small dog that thinks he is larger than he is.
Radar - A system for detecting the presence, direction, distance and speed of another craft; Here's a name for a puppy that doesn't miss a thing.
Rudder - A flat object used to steer a ship
Caitlyn Syndergaard from Idaho USA suggested the name Minnow
A great name a by itself and also for a very small (teacup dog)
Nautical Dog Names S - Y
Sailor - Someone who works on a boat
Sandy - The land that is covered with sand and adjacent to the sea. Sandy is a popular girl dog name for one that has a tan coat
Sardine - A type of Fish
Scuba - Term used by Scuba Divers
Shrimp - A type of crustacean
Sinbad - a dog serving aboard the cutter USCGC Campbell in WWII,
Sinker - A weight added to a fishing line
Skipjack - A type of sailboat
Sonar - A system for detecting objects underwater; A great dog name for an above-average watchdog.
Starboard - The right side of a ship when the ship is facing forward.
Tanker - A ship carrying liquids. Choose Tank for short.
Tender - A boat used to carry people to and from a larger ship
Titanic - An unlucky large ship that sunk in the north Atlantic: A great name for a large dog or a small dog that thinks he's a big dog
Torpedo - An underwater missile fired from a ship, submarine or aircraft; A great dog name choice for a very fast puppy
Tug - A small boat used in harbours
Typhoon - A bad storm at sea near the Indian or Pacific Oceans
Vessel - A ship or large boat
Walrus - A large marine mammal
Whaler - A bat used to fish whales
Wharf - see Dock
Yacht - Medium to large sized sailboat
Diane Brennan from the United States
added these additional great nautical pet names:
"Fathom", "Drifter", "Spinnaker", "Keel","Tack", "Jibe" and "Jib".
Thanks, Diane
Did We Forget a Great Nautical Pet Name
We've tried hard to research great nautical pet names, but admit, there are probably many more that we missed. Want to help?
If you think you have another great name to add to this list, please submit it below. We will add it the next time we update the page with your name and location, so that you get all the credit.
About Janice (author and voice behind this site)
Having lived with dogs and cats most of her life, Janice served as a veterinary technician for ten years in Maryland and twelve years as a Shih Tzu dog breeder in Ohio.
Her education includes undergraduate degrees in Psychology with a minor in biology, Early Childhood Education, and Nursing, and a master's in Mental Health Counseling.
She is a lifelong learner, a dog lover, and passionate about the welfare of animals. Her favorite breed for over 50 years has been the Shih Tzu, but she has also lived with Poodles, Maltese, Yorkshire Terriers, Beagles, English Bulldogs, Carin Terriers, and a Cocker Spaniel.
When not writing, reading, and researching dog-related topics, she likes to spend time with her eight Shih Tzu dogs, husband, and family, as well as knitting and crocheting. She is also the voice behind Miracle Shih Tzu and Smart-Knit-Crocheting
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