Half the fun of bringing a new dog home is choosing a name. Many of us put a great deal of thought into the names we pick for our pets because they’re all individuals that are unique in looks, personality, and any quirks they may have. This can make the decision tough, as we want to choose something that really does them justice.
If you’ve recently brought home or are planning to bring home a Flat-Coated Retriever and are feeling a bit stuck for name ideas, check out our top recommendations.
How To Name Your Flat-Coated Retriever
Choosing a dog’s name isn’t always a quick process—unless you’re lucky enough to have a sudden brainwave of the perfect name—and that’s okay! As much as most of us want to be able to answer when someone asks, “what’s your new dog’s name, then?”, there’s nothing wrong with leaving them nameless for a bit while you mull over the options. Here are our top tips for choosing a name.
Personality
Getting to know your Flat-Coated Retriever’s personality is crucial if you want to find a name that really suits them. All dogs are different, but Flat-Coated Retrievers are described by the AKC as “cheerful”, “optimistic”, and “good-humored”.
If your Flat-Coated Retriever fits this description, you might choose a name that has happy, cheery connotations, like “Felix”, for example, which means “fortunate” or “happy”.
Image Credit: Sven Mewis, Shutterstock
Appearance
Flat-Coated Retrievers can be black, liver, or yellow, so you might take inspiration from their coat color. For example, you may choose “Sunny” for a yellow Flat-Coated Retriever or “Midnight” for a black Flat-Coated Retriever.
They also have shiny, wavy coats, and feathery tails and legs, from which you can also get inspiration. For example, their tails look almost like a fish fin or a bird’s wing, so you might choose a quirky name like “Wings”, “Finn”, or “Bird”.
Origins
Flat-Coated Retrievers originated in England, so you might want to choose a posh, traditionally English name or a name related to the U.K.
British Flat-Coated Retriever Dog Names
If you’ve chosen to reap inspiration from your Flat-Coated Retriever’s British origins, here are our top picks for British names with English, Scottish, Welsh, and Irish origins. Some are posh-sounding, and others are a little more down-to-earth.
Image Credit: H. B., Pixabay
Male British Flat-Coated Retriever Names
Theodore
Sheridan
Humphrey
Alfie
Freddie
Reginald
Bartholomew
George
Atticus
Leopold
Alastair
Dallas
Blane
Blake
Dylan
Clyde
Cosmo
Valentine
Finn
Arthur
Aeron
Gulliver
Sullivan
Digby
Jago
Quinn
Fraser
Rory
Rollo
Orlando
Female British Flat-Coated Retriever Names
Freya
Charlotte
Winifred
Isla
Amelia
Morgan
Cary
Niamh
Elodie
Harper
Orla
Scarlett
Grace
Aerona
Sophie
Camilla
Anastasia
Alba
Olivia
Tallulah
Holly
Ciara
Emily
Beatrix
Abigail
Harriet
Layla
Bonnie
Honor
Cecilia
Dog Names for Yellow Flat-Coated Retrievers
Though not accepted as a standard color by the AKC, some Flat-Coated Retrievers are yellow. If you’ve got a yellow Flat-Coated Retriever, try one of these dog names inspired by the colors yellow and gold.
In addition to yellow, Flat-Coated Retrievers’ coats can be a gorgeous, shiny black. The below names are all related to the color black.
Ebony
Raven
Midnight
Jet
Inky
Nyx
Oreo
Bear
Olive
Panther
Shadow
Treacle
Smoky
Licorice
Noir
Image Credit: Sven Mewis, Shutterstock
Dog Names for Liver-Colored Flat-Coated Retrievers
Liver is best described as a sort of rich, chocolatey-brown color. If you’ve got a gorgeous chocolate-colored Flat-Coated Retriever, here are some name ideas for you.
Chocolate
Cocoa
Cookie
Hazel
Peanut
Coconut
Syrup
Chestnut
Conker
Sugar
Mocca
Coffee
Biscuit
Brownie
Copper
Happy Flat-Coated Retriever Dog Names
Flat-Coated Retrievers are well-known for their merry, chirpy dispositions. Here are some names that give off instant happy vibes.
Joy
Felix
Happy
Merry
Smiley
Felicity
Delilah
Kiki
Teddy
Bliss
Sparky
Buzz
Image Credit: Abizova Elvira, Shutterstock
Nature-Inspired Flat-Coated Retriever Dog Names
Flat-Coated Retrievers were bred as water hunters, so they enjoy spending time adventuring outdoors. Here are our favorite water and nature-inspired names.
River
Ocean
Brook
Cliff
Splash
Autumn
Summer
Winter
Gaia
Aqua
Ivy
Ash
Daisy
Storm
Rain
Rocky
Hunter
Lynx
Sage
Iris
Snowy
Aurora
Misty
Stone
Bark
Moss
Herb
Jasper
Aspen
Image Credit: Phil stev, Shutterstock
Short & Sweet Flat-Coated Retriever Dog Names
If you’re not feeling something fancy, edgy, or nature-inspired, you might be looking for a short, sweet, and simple name like one of these.
Male Short & Sweet Flat-Coated Retriever Names
Duke
Beau
Bobby
Oscar
Buddy
Miki
Blue
Charlie
Chip
Gus
Jax
Jesse
Leo
Ollie
Ozzy
Rex
Toby
Thor
Archie
Joey
Female Short & Sweet Flat-Coated Retriever Names
Jessie
Lily
Mila
Maya
Luna
Chloe
Lucy
Ava
Bella
Sadie
Lola
Mika
Dora
Mitzi
Tami
Molly
Rosie
Lexi
Roxie
Missy
Final Thoughts
And there we have it—187 cute, posh, beautiful, and colorful Flat-Coated Retriever names to try on for size. We hope you’ve enjoyed perusing our top picks and can click away with the perfect name. If not, we hope we’ve at least been able to help you narrow down your options. Good luck!
Kit Copson is a freelance writer and lifelong animal lover with a strong interest in animal welfare. She has parented various furry beings over the years and is currently a proud cat mom of two—one very chilled (unless hungry) Siamese and a skittish but adorable Domestic Shorthair—and dog mom of one—an adopted Bichon Poodle cross. When not writing about or spending time with animals, Kit can be found doodling in her sketchpad, reading, or more often than not, drinking tea....Read more