Top 10 (or So) Halloween Dog Names

 

There’s always that one family in the neighborhood who goes all out every Halloween, kinda like the Dunphys on Modern Family. They start planning months in advance, spend an inordinate amount of time and money on pumpkins, dry ice and animated decorations, often turning their house into a walk-through attraction. Of course, they also coordinate their costumes, down to the ones worn by their dogs. It’s in honor of these dedicated Americans that DoggieNames.com has created this list of the Top 10 Halloween Dog Names.

 

These are great choices for the family who eats, sleeps and lives Halloween, but they’re also perfect for all-around pop-culture fans. That said, you’ll still want to make sure the name is something that you can live with the rest of the year. Most, if not all of these names meet that criteria, or have a nickname that addresses that issue.

 

Also, please think about adopting a black dog (or cat) this season. These guys are often passed over at the shelters, but they’re anything but evil and deserve good homes (and great names) as well.

 

1.  Pumpkin -- Pumpkin has been used as a term of endearment for at least a hundred years, so you wouldn’t be out of your gourd if you chose this sweet name for your best pal. It’s also pretty perfect for a pup whose coat has some orange in it or for one who’s a little bit round and plump. And who doesn’t love the classic Peanuts cartoon, with Linus’ unshakeable devotion to The Great Pumpkin? Of course, Jack O. Lantern’s pretty cute too, and he can go by Jack year-round.

 

2. Sparky -- The animated films of the legendary film director Tim Burton offer up several excellent choices. There’s the dog Zero from his movie The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Frankenweenie features the cute canine couple known as Sparky and Persephone.

Frankenweenie also happens to be a great dachshund name, which leads us to…

 

3. Frank -- From Frankenstein to Frank N. Furter of the Rocky Horror Picture Show, Frank (or Frankie for a girl) is a perfect Halloween name that also works for the rest of the year. It’s especially effective for long-bodied dogs, from dachshunds to corgis and beyond. 

 

4. Scooby Doo -- The greatest ghost-fighting Great Dane of all time, along with his cohorts Shaggy, Velma, Daphne and Fred, are well worth naming your dog after. And how cute are the names Shaggy and Scooby for a pair of pooches? All are fabulous monikers that meet the dog-name criteria of having one or two syllables, starting with a strong consonant sound.

 

5. Buffy -- Like good old Scoob and the gang, there are many fine names inspired by TV horror heroes to choose from: Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Mulder and Scully from The X-Files, Winchester (Sam and Dean from Supernatural), Kolchak (from the influential ‘70s series Night Stalker) and even current TV faves like Grimm or Ichabod (Icky) from Sleepy Hollow. And who could forget horror hostess with the mostest Elvira, The Mistress of the Dark? It’s a fabulous name for a dog with silky black hair.

 

6. Zuul -- One of the famed demons from Ghostbusters, Zuul is cool. The movie offers up plenty more possibilities, too, from the spirit wranglers themselves, Venkman, Stantz and Spengler, to the big baddie Gozer, ‘Buster (for Ghostbuster) or even the guys’ classic car -- The Ecto.

 

7. Casper -- This cute little friendly ghost character is an adorable moniker for a white dog. Just plain Ghost works as well.

 

8. Demon -- See also: Monster, R.I.P. (Ripper) or Satan. These names from the dark side may fit an intimidating, guard-dog breed like the Doberman or German Shepherd, but we prefer them as a more light-hearted choice for the tiniest or tamest dogs in town. You’ve just gotta love a Chihuahua named Monster or a Yorkie known as Ripper. In a similar vein, your little monster could go by Goblin, Zombie or Walker if you happen to be a fan of The Walking Dead.

 

9. Freddy --  Out of all the horror-movie murderers, Freddy Krueger of A Nightmare on Elm Street cuts it as the most logical dog name, with the evil Chucky of Child’s Play a close second. But if you prefer, there’s also Friday the 13th’s Jason Voorhees, Halloween’s Michael Myers, Damien of The Omen and the latest addition to the club, the evil doll Annabelle for inspiration.

 

10. Gizmo -- Gremlins is another great horror comedy that offers up several good choices. There’s Mogwai, which is the name of the fictional gremlin species in the movie, not to mention Gremlin itself. Then there's Gizmo, the adorable star of the film and one of DoggieNames.com's favorites monikers of all time. It's easy for most any pooch to hear and answer to, and it's different enough that you won't have 100 other dogs running to you when you call for him at the dog park. Gizmo's about as cute as it gets for any small pup, especially a brown-and-white snub-nosed breed or mix like a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel or a Papillon.

 

Would you name your dog after Halloween? Does he/she already have a Halloween-related name? Tell us about it!