179 Dog Names Inspired by The Lord of the Rings

If you’re a fan of The Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit, you’ve no doubt got favorite characters, whose courage, loyalty, and values you admire.

If you find yourself the new (or potential) owner of a dog or puppy, why not give them a dog name from these novels, or from author J.R.R. Tolkien’s other writings? These names have a place within “nerd” culture and culture at large, especially after Peter Jackson’s film adaptations. Plus, shouting your pup’s name at the dog park may attract other likeminded dog owners who appreciate your literary references.

There are well-known characters within the series, such as Frodo, Samwise, and Aragorn. But Tolkien was a prolific writer, inventing entire languages and back stories for his novels. Some might say Tolkien’s books were created to support his new languages and not the other way around.

Whatever the case may be, Tolkien’s focus on world-building (creating back stories, cultures, and myths to support his novels) provides a plethora of naming ideas, many of which make for great dog names.

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Tips for Picking a Great Dog Name

Your dog is wonderful no matter what you call them, but some names might be easier for them to understand than others. When picking a name, keep these tips in mind:

• Names that are shorter (1-2 syllables) may be easier for your dog to understand. If you pick a longer name, make sure you can shorten it to an understandable nickname.
• Likewise, names with hard consonant sounds will be easier for your pup.
• Try not to pick a name that rhymes with key words that you’ll use, for example “Lait” is a great coffee-themed dog name (as in, “cafe au lait”). But, it might cause confusion for your dog because it is pronounced “lay”.

Also, make sure that you’re comfortable with your dog’s name too! If you don’t feel comfortable yelling your dog’s name out the back door, or in a park, it’s probably a sign to choose a different name instead.

While these tips may be a bit difficult for some of the names in this post, many of these names can be shortened or have nicknames. For example, “Samwise” could be “Sammy” for short.

Female Dog Names Inspired by Lord of the Rings

First up are LOTR naming ideas for girl dogs. This list includes names of female humans, elves, hobbits, and demigod spirits from Tolkien’s novels. For each of these female dog names ideas, we’ve also included some background on the character.

Here are 45 female dog names inspired by The Lord of the Rings:

1. Amaranth: Amaranth Brandybuck is a Hobbit whose name means a flower that never withers. She is an aunt of Frodo Baggins.
2. Amarië: is an elf whose name either means “good” or “home”.
3. Angelica: a Hobbit and the grand-niece of Bilbo Baggins.
4. Aredhel: an elf whose name means “noble”.
5. Arien: Arien is a powerful fire spirit whose name means sunlight.
6. Arwen: the half-elf whose falls in love with Aragorn. Her name means “noble maiden” and brings peace to the worlds of elves and men.
7. Belladonna: a hobbit whose is the other of Bilbo Baggins, and is described as “remarkable”.
8. Berylla: a Hobbit and the wife of the first Baggins in the Shire.
9. Celebrían: the elven daughter of Galadriel and wife of Elrond. Her name means silver queen. The ending “Rían” by itself means queen.
10. Elanor: an ancient hobbit and also the name of a small yellow flower.
11. Elenwe: an elf whose name means “star”.
12. Elwing: a half-elf whose name means “star foam”.
13. Eowyn: after the brave niece of King Theoden, who (spoiler alert!) defeats the Witch King saying “I am no man”.
14. Esmerelda: a hobbit.
15. Estella: another hobbit whose name means “star”. (Brandybuck)
16. Findis: an elf.
17. Frea: actually the name of a king of Rohan, whose name sound a bit more feminine (and is thus on this list instead).
18. Galadriel: the famous elven queen played by Cate Blanchett in the movie adaptation.
19. Gilly: a hobbit of the Shire and the mom of Ponto, Porto and Peony.
20. Gilraen: Aragorn’s mother whose name means “netted star”.
21. Goldberry: the wife of Tom Bombadill and a spirit who loves the river.
22. Haleth: a female warrior.
23. Hild: a princess of Rohan. This name could be turned into a two syllable name (“Hilda”) to make it easier for your pup.
24. Idril: an elf who walked only in bare feet.
25. Írimë: an elf whose name means “laugh” or “desire”.
26. Lothiriel: a princess and eventual queen of Rohan whose name means “flower garland”.
27. Luthien: an elf maiden who was willing to risk her life for love. Her name means “daughter of the flowers” or “enchantress”.
28. Melian: a spirit whose name means “dear gift”.
29. Miriel: meaning “jewel daughter”.
30. Morwen: a dark-haired and majestic woman whose name means “dark”.
31. Narya: one of the rings of power
32. Nellas: an elf who preferred the forest over the city, and whose name means “the sound of bells”.
33. Nenya: another one of the elven rings of power
34. Nessa: a spirit known for her swift speed.
35. Nienna: a spirit known for her mercy and compassion.
36. Pansy: a hobbit of the Shire.
37. Pearl: another hobbit.
38. Poppy: after Poppy Proudfellow or Poppy Bolger, both hobbits.
39. Precious: what Gollum calls the One Ring, but out-of-context, a sweet name for a girl dog.
40. Rían: a Sindarin word meaning “queen”.
41. Rosie Cotton: the lovely wife of Samwise Gamgee.
42. Tauriel: an elf created for The Hobbit film trilogy whose name means “forest maiden”.
43. Vána: a spirit who has the ability to preserve youth.
44. Varda: a spirit and queen of the stars whose name means “lofty”.
45. Yavanna: a spirit known as the “giver of fruits”.

We’ve got a list of Tolkien animal names (including dogs, horses, dragons, wolves, etc) later in this article.

Male Dog Names Inspired by Lord of the Rings

Next up are the names of male humans, elves, hobbits, wizards, and dwarves that might make a good name for your male puppy. These potential boy dog names each have some background so you have a better of idea of what Tolkien character you’re referencing.

Here are 64 different boy dog names for you, inspired by The Lord of the Rings, Silmarillion, and The Hobbit.

1. Aldor: a king of Rohan (Rohirrim)
2. Arador: a king whose name means “royal lord”.
3. Aragorn: the heir to the throne of Gondor and human who helps the Fellowship of the Ring. Played by Viggo Mortensen.
4. Baggins: after the hobbit family.
5. Balin: a dwarf found in the Mines of Moria.
6. Banazir: another name for Samwise, meaning “half wise”.
7. Barliman Butterbur: the owner of the Prancing Pony inn, and a funny name for a dog.
8. Beregond: whose name means “bold stone”.
9. Bilbo: the famous Bilbo Baggins, finder of the One Ring.
10. Bombur: a remarkably fat dwarf.
11. Boromir: a human member of the Fellowship of the Ring who struggled with the One Ring’s power.
12. Brandybuck: the last name of several hobbits.
13. Cirdan: an elf whose name means “shipmaker”, a great name for a water-loving dog.
14. Denethor: a steward of Gondor whose name means “strong and thin”.
15. Dunedain: as in Aragorn, the Dúnedain of Arnor.
16. Elrond: an elven leader whose name means “star dome”.
17. Dori: a strong dwarf.
18. Elros: a half-elf and king.
19. Eomer: Éomer is the brother of Eowyn, and his name means “one who is famous in terms of horses” in Old English. Many of Tolkien’s names have a basis in Old English or Norse naming.
20. Faramir: the younger brother of Boromir, who is fair-minded and just. Faramir was one of Tolkien’s favorite characters.
21. Fengel: a king of Rohan whose name means “king” or “prince”.
22. Filibert: a hobbit of the Shire and distant cousin of Frodo.
23. Finglas: an ent who loved to sleep. Also known as Leaflock.
24. Finwe: an ancient elf whose name means “skill”.
25. Fosco: a Baggins hobbit.
26. Frodo: the hobbit hero of The Lord of the Rings.
27. Galdor: a tall lord.
28. Gamgee: the hobbit Samwise’s last name.
29. Gandalf: the mysterious, good wizard who guides Frodo.
30. Gimli: the dwarf in the Fellowship of the Ring.
31. Gloin: another dwarf.
32. Gollum: a hobbit corrupted by the One Ring.
33. Grima: Wormtongue’s first name.
34. Haldir: an elf who guards Lothlorien and catches the Fellowship of the Ring.
35. Hayward: a hobbit family.
36. Isildur: a king of Gondor who couldn’t bring himself to destroy the One Ring.
37. Legolas: the elf in the Fellowship of the Ring, played by Orlando Bloom.
38. Madoc: a hobbit.
39. Melkor or Morgoth: an ancient dark lord.
40. Meriadoc Brandybuck: the hobbit Merry’s full name.
41. Merry: one of the hobbits in the Fellowship of the Ring, known for his, well, merriness.
42. Mungo: a hobbit.
43. Nori: a dwarf whose name means “little scrap”.
44. Ori: one of Thorin’s dwarves.
45. Ostler: someone who looks after horses.
46. Peregrin: the hobbit Pippin’s “real” name.
47. Pippin: one of the hobbit members of the Fellowship of the Ring, known for his cheerfulness and love of food.
48. Ponto: a hobbit from the Shire.
49. Porto: another hobbit.
50. Ranger: a guardian and wanderer. Aragorn is a ranger.
51. Rowan: a hobbit of the Shire.
52. Samwise Gamgee or Sam: the friend and protector of Frodo, known for his enduring loyalty and steadfast companionship.
53. Saruman: the evil wizard who helps Sauron, and is known for his cunning.
54. Sauron: an evil force who tricks the rulers of Middle Earth into accepting the rings of power. He is the “lord of the rings”.
55. Silvan: a type of elf.
56. Steward: a name for an advisor or guardian.
57. Strider: a nickname for Aragorn.
58. Theoden: king of Rohan.
59. Tolkien: after the novels’ author, J.R.R. Tolkien.
60. Tom Bombadil: a nature spirit or wizard known for his oddity and whimsy. His nickname is Orald.
61. Took: the name of a hobbit family.
62. Treebeard: an ent who helps Merry and Pippin.
63. Turin: a tragic warrior whose name means “he who desires mastery”.
64. Wormtongue: the evil advisor of King Theoden.

Keep reading to see a list of Tolkien animal names (including dogs, horses, dragons, wolves, etc) later in this article.

Names of Dogs and Wolves in Lord of the Rings Novels

There are a handful of dogs and wolves in Tolkien’s novels, including Grip, Fang and Wolf from the Shire, and the great wolfhound Huan. But Middle Earth has many other notable creatures with great names, including horses, dragons, and eagles.

• Beorn: not technically the name of a dog, but the name of the owner of four large gray dogs that could walk on their hind legs and communicate with their owner. This could be a good name for a smart and vocal dog, like a husky.
• Draugluin is a werewolf previously owned by Sauron. His name means “blue wolf” in the Sindarin language.
• Gorgumoth is a hound that guarded the dark lord Melkor, way back in history of Middle Earth.
• Grip, Fang, and Wolf are the wolf-like guard dogs of Farmer Maggot, back in the Shire. These dogs were likely the scariest part of the hobbits’ lives before they left the Shire.
• Huan is a wolfhound from The Silmarillon, said to be as large as a small horse (this would be a great name for a big dog!) He was also given the ability to speak three times in his life, a power that most, if not all, dog owners wish their pup had.

Additionally, we’ve found 29 names of other animals in Tolkien’s novels:

1. Ancalagon: a dragon whose name means “rushing jaws” in Sindarin.
2. Arod: a beautiful white horse whose name means “swift” or “noble”.
3. Asfaloth: an incredibly fast horse ridden by the elf Glorfindel.
4. Badger: after the Badger-folk mentioned in old hobbit tales.
5. Bill is a pony owned by Samwise.
6. Bumpkin is another pony owned by the hobbit Merry.
7. Brego is a horse that appears in the films but is not mentioned in the books.
8. Carc: a wise and famous raven.
9. Fatty Lumpkin: a not-very-nice name of one of Tom Bombadil’s ponies.
10. Firefoot: a horse from Rohan with a great name.
11. Glaurung: one of the first fire-breathing dragons in Middle Earth.
12. Gwaihir: another Eagle king, with gold eyes, whose name means “wind lord”
13. Kelvar: which is essentially a Middle Earth word for “fauna”, or a living creature that can move around on its own.
14. Landroval: another eagle whose name means “broad wing”.
15. Meneldor: one of the Great Eagles that rescued Frodo and Sam from Mount Doom.
16. Nahar: a horse described to be as brilliant as freshly fallen snow.
17. Oikeroi: a “fierce warrior-cat” who fought Huan (and lost)
18. Roäc: a raven who lived to be at least 153 years old.
19. Rochallor: a horse whose name simply means “horse”.
20. Roheryn: a horse owned by Aragorn.
21. Scatha: a dragon with a name that means thief or assassin.
22. Shadowfax: Gandalf’s beautiful silvery-gray horse
23. Smaug: the famous dragon from The Hobbit. Smaug hoards treasure and his name means something like “to burrow”.
24. Snowmane: the horse of King Theoden, another name for a dog with a white or light-colored coat. Snowmane is described as a “faithful servant yet master’s bane”
25. Strider is the name of a pony that Frodo Baggins rides home to the Shire.
26. Stybba: a pony with shaggy gray hair, lent to Merry.
27. Tevildo: the name of a mighty but evil cat.
28. Thorondor: was king of the Great Eagles during the First Age. Maybe “Thor” for short?
29. Windfola: Eowyn’s gray horse, whose name means “wind foal”.

Names Inspired by Locations in The Lord of the Rings

Not only did Tolkien invent languages, he also put a ton of work into creating the world that his characters live in, down to maps, trees, mountains, and more.

Here are 33 names inspired by places and things within The Lord of the Rings “universe” that don’t fit into the other categories:

1. Aman: a continent to the west of Middle Earth.
2. Andúril: the sword of Aragorn, forged from the old broken sword Narsil.
3. Anduin: a great river.
4. Angmar: the realm of the Nazgul.
5. Arda: the name for Earth.
6. Arnor: the northern kingdom.
7. Bree: a village where both humans and hobbits live, east of the Shire.
8. Buckler: a small shield.
9. Cairn: a stacked set of stones.
10. Elevenses: the cute name for an additional meal at 11am, a good name for a dog that’s always hungry.
11. Elfstone: meaning “jewel”.
12. Erebor: the lonely mountain.
13. Eyot: a small island.
14. Fangorn: home to the ents.
15. Gladden: a river and surrounding marshland area.
16. Gondor: a kingdom in Middle earth.
17. Helm: after Helm’s Deep.
18. Hithlain: a type of Elvish rope.
19. Isengard: where Sauron rules from.
20. Lissuin: a type of small flower in Middle Earth.
21. Lothlórien: or Lórien for short. The elven home to Galadriel. Its name means “dream flower”.
22. Minas: after Minas Tirith.
23. Mirkwood: the great forest of Middle Earth.
24. Misty: as in the Misty Mountains
25. Mordor: the evil land that the Fellowship of the Ring travel to.
26. Palantiri: seeing stones used by Sauron.
27. Quenya: one of the Elven languages created by J.R.R. Tolkien. Learn a few words here!
28. Rivendell: another Elven city.
29. Rohan: a kingdom of horsemen.
30. Shire: the cozy home of the hobbits.
31. Sindarin: another Elven language created by Tolkien, and the basis of many of the dog names in this article. Check out this video to learn a few words in Sindarin.
32. Sting: the sword that famously glows blue when orcs are nearby.
33. Tirith: Minas Tirith, the capitol of Gondor.
34. Valinor: a land across the sea.

Conclusion

We hope you’ve enjoyed this post all about boy and girl dog names inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, and his many other works. Which ones were your favorites?

For more naming options, check out our dog name generator tool.