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Are you welcoming a new Boerboel puppy into your life soon? You likely have a checklist of things you’ll need to buy for your new addition – food and water bowls, toys, beds, grooming necessities, and poop bags – but what you might not yet have is a name for your new little pup.
Choosing a name is much easier than it sounds. The last thing you want is to give your dog a name that you think is funny or cute now but might not find endearing in a few years. For example, Anita Bath was funny when Bart Simpson used it while prank-calling cranky barkeep Moe in The Simpsons, but much less cute when a grown adult uses it as their dog’s name.
If you’re stuck on what the perfect name will be for your Boerboel, let us help. Keep reading to find our comprehensive list of clever and thoughtful dog names you won’t regret down the line.
How to Choose the Perfect Name for Your Boerboel
Choosing the perfect dog name is challenging regardless of your pup’s breed. You probably want to steer clear of the most commonly used dog names like Bella, Luna, Charlie, and Max, and choose something a little more outside the box for your unique Boerboel pup. This is your dog’s name for the rest of its life, so…no pressure or anything.
One of the best places to start when searching for a pet name is using its personality traits. For example, your Boerboel is a natural hunting dog, but the breed is also known for its loving, playful, and intelligent personality. You might also consider its country of origin and bloodline to find the perfect name. We have ideas below that suit all of these categories.
Once you narrow your list of potential names to a select few, it’s time to take them for a test run. How do the names sound and feel coming out of your mouth? Are they easy to say, or do you fumble on some syllables? Short, sweet, and easy-to-recognize names are the best for getting your Boerboel to respond to its name.
Steer clear of names that sound like commands you might teach your dog at some point. For example, “Joe” sounds like “no,” Fay sounds like “stay,” and Kit sounds like “sit.”
Names Inspired by the Boerboel History
The Boerboel is a Mastiff-type dog initially bred as a family guard dog. They spent much of their time guarding homesteads and hunting big game like leopards and baboons. If you want the name of your Boerboel to reflect its hunting history, here are some great options to consider:
- Ace
- Ammo
- Apollo
- Arrow
- Bear
- Benelli
- Beretta
- Blaze
- Bolt
- Boomer
- Brutus
- Bow
- Buck
- Buckshot
- Bud
- Bullet
- Cam
- Chase
- Colt
- Dash
- Davy
- Diesel
- Dingo
- Fletch
- General
- Gunner
- Hammer
- Hunter
- Koda
- Magnum
- Major
- Musket
- Orion
- Pistol
- Powder
- Radar
- Rebel
- Remington
- Rocky
- Ruger
- Sarge
- Sauer
- Scout
- Smith
- Striker
- Wesson
- Wilder
- Winchester
- Xena
- Yukon
Names Inspired by the Country of Origin
The breed’s history began in South Africa when the founder of Cape Town, Jan van Riebeeck, brought a mastiff to the area in the mid-17th century. As more settlers began arriving in South Africa, they also brought large guard dogs with them for protection, resulting in a lot of inbreeding and the birth of the Boerboel breed. Here are some great South African-inspired names in the country’s official languages, as well as names inspired by the country itself:
isiZulu Names
isiZulu is one of the official languages of South Africa and the language of the Zulu people. It is the most spoken first language in the country.
- Amahle – beautiful
- Busisiwe – blessed
- Cebile – rich
- Delani – content
- Fanyana – little boy
- Ibubesi – lion
- Jabu – rejoice
- Kaya – restful
- Khethiwe – chosen
- Lwandle – ocean
- Mandla – power
- Mbali – flower
- Mhambi – traveler
- Mbhali – rose
- Msizi – helper
- Nhalahla – luck
- Njabulo – wisdom
- Nomathemba – hope
- Nonhlanhla – luck
- Phumlani – rest
- Sibusiso – blessing
- Simangele – surprise
- Sindiswa – saved
- Sipho – gift
- Thoko – happiness
- Tolakele – found
- Zama – try
- Zola – tranquil
Afrikaans Names
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language used by the Dutch, French, and German settlers and their slaves. It is spoken in South Africa and other African countries like Zambia and Zimbabwe.
- Ade – royal
- Amiri – prince
- Amore – love
- Aneke – grace
- Appel – apple
- Arno – eagle
- Aster – star
- Biskit – biscuit
- Blits – lightning
- Blom – flower
- Dian – divine
- Elna – beloved
- Engel – angel
- Flam – flame
- Gogga – bug
- Heidi – noble
- Heuning – honey
- Lente – spring
- Leeu – lion
- Liefie – love
- Meisie – girl
- Miela – sweet
- Riana – little queen
- Zonja – wisdom
South African Town and City Names
South Africa is the southernmost country in Africa, bound by over 1,700 miles of coastline that stretches along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Perhaps you’d like to name your Boerboel after one of the beautiful towns or cities of the country.
- Albert
- Alice
- Butterworth
- Benoni
- Clarens
- Constantia
- Cullinan
- Durban
- George
- Giyani
- Greyton
- Heremanus
- Jones
- Kimberley
- Knysna
- Montagu
- Musina
- Polokwane
- Rustenburg
- Seshego
- Sibasa
- Upingon
Names Inspired by the Boerboel Bloodlines
While the Boerboels bloodline originates in South Africa and Europe, its European origins can be traced back to the Roman Empire. You might consider using your dog’s Roman roots as inspiration for its name. Here are some great options to think about and their meaning:
Roman Dog Names
- Aelia – sun
- Aellai – whirlwinds
- Aemilia – rival
- Agathe – good
- Albus/Alba – white
- Ambrosia – immortal
- Aminta – defender
- Anemone – wind
- Augusta – venerable
- Caelia – heaven
- Caius – to rejoice
- Cassius – empty, vain
- Cato – wise
- Cesar – Hairy
- Decimus – tenth
- Ferox – ferocious
- Lucius/Lucia – light
- Maxima – greatest
- Morta – the lady
- Nero – strong
- Nerva – strength
- Octavius/Octavia – eighth
- Porcia – like a pig
- Rex – king
- Rhea – to flow
- Sergius – servant
- Theridamas – beast killer
- Theron – hunter
- Vita – life
God or Goddess Dog Names
- Apollo – God of Sun
- Aurora – Goddess of the Dawn
- Bacchus – God of Wine
- Bellona – Goddess of War
- Carmenta – Goddess of Childbirth
- Cybele – Earth Mother
- Cupid – God of Desire
- Diana – Goddess of Hunting
- Fauna – Goddess of Animals
- Fortuna – Goddess of Fortune
- Hercules – God of Strength
- Juno – Goddess of Marriage
- Jupiter – King of the Gods
- Luna – Goddess of the Moon
- Mercury – Messenger of the Gods
- Minerva – Goddess of Wisdom
- Neptune – God of the Sea
- Pluto – God of the Underworld
- Sage – Goddess of Wisdom
- Sancus – God of Loyalty
- Somnus – God of Sleep
- Spes – Goddess of Hope
- Venus – Goddess of Love and Beauty
- Vulcan – God of Fire
Names Inspired by Boerboel Traits
Though Boerboels are known for being a large and intimidating breed, they’re also family-friend dogs with a lot of love to give. You might wish to name your pup after its loving, playful, and intelligent personality traits.
Loving Names
- Adora (Latin or “loved child”)
- Aiko (Japanese for “love child”)
- Amicia (French for “dearly loved”)
- Anabelle (Latin for “easy to love”)
- Amor (Spanish for “love”)
- Asta (Norwegian for “love”)
- Aziz (Arabic for “beloved”)
- Cara (Italian for “dear” or “beloved”)
- Femi (Nigerian for “love me”)
- Hita (Hindi for “lovable”)
- Kama (Sanskrit for “love”)
- Lalasa (Hindi for “longing”)
- Mila (Russian for “dear one”)
- Minnie (German for “love”)
- Myrna (Gaelic for “love”)
- Philomena (Greek or “love”)
- Querida (Spanish for “beloved”)
Playful Names
- Beemer
- Birdie
- Bubbles
- Bronco
- Fizz
- Frisky
- Jet
- Lark
- Loki
- Merry
- Mischief
- Monkey
- Pixie
- Pounce
- Trouble
- Turbo
- Wilder
- Winnie
- Wolfie
- Zannie
- Zip
- Zippy
- Zorro
Intelligent Names
- Alcott (Louisa May Alcott – author of Little Women)
- Alexander (Alexander Graham Bell – inventor of the telephone)
- Archimedes (Greek mathematician)
- Aristotle (Greek philosopher)
- Beethoven (Ludwig van Beethoven – German composer and pianist)
- Coeus (in Greek Mythology – God of the Inquisitive Mind)
- Copernicus (Nicolaus Copernicus – mathematician and astronomer)
- Curie (Marie Curie – discovered radium and polonium)
- Dexter (of Dexter’s Laboratory fame)
- Einstein (Albert Einstein – developed the theory of relativity)
- Fleming (Alexander Fleming – invented penicillin)
- Freud (Sigmund Freud – founder of psychoanalysis)
- Galileo (Italian physicist and astronomer)
- Hal (fictional artificial intelligence character in Space Odyssey)
- Kepler (Johannes Kepler – German astronomer)
- Kubrick (Stanley Kubrick – filmmaker)
- Leonardo (Leonardo da Vinci – Renaissance painter and engineer)
- Mozart (Wolfgang Mozart – prodigy and musical genius)
- Newton (Sir Isaac Newton – discovered the laws of motion)
- Nikola (Nikola Tesla – developed the A/C power system)
- Plato (Athenian philosopher)
- Socrates (Greek philosopher)
Final Thoughts
Choosing the perfect name for your Boerboel puppy can feel overwhelming when there is a seemingly infinite sea of options at your fingertips. We hope our name guide above has come in handy and helped you narrow down your picks to a select few. You don’t need to pick the name your dog will have for the rest of its life the moment you welcome it home. Instead, give yourself a few days or weeks to find the name you both fall in love with.
Featured Image Credit: Anke van Wyk, Shutterstock
