Best Dog Names Starting With M

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In this article, you will find lists of the best dog names that start with M to help you find the perfect name for your pooch.

Choosing the perfect name for a new dog can be challenging. There are so many names out there, and you can feel a lot of pressure to pick something that is just right.

To make the search a bit easier, it can be a good idea to narrow down your options; for example, choosing a name that starts with the same letter as your last name, or another member of the family.

In this article, we will share some of the best dog names starting with M. We will also share some top tips on choosing a good name for your dog.

Dog Names That Start With M - Little girl sitting on couch with black Lab

There is no secret method of choosing the right name, though. The best approach is simply to expose yourself to as much inspiration as possible until you stumble across something that feels right and just works.

Even if you don’t find the perfect name on our lists, we hope you will find some inspiration that points you in the right direction.

Male Dog Names Starting With M

If you are bringing home a male puppy, consider some of these names for boy dogs, all starting with the letter M.

Mac – like a delicious mac and cheese
Macho – this Spanish name is ideal for manly dogs
Magic – for pups with magic eyes (and for Magic Johnson)
Magnum – for the ice cream and the famous P.I.
Magoo – perfect for slightly goofy dogs
Major – for commanding pups
Malone – like Bugsy Malone
Marcel – a young warrior belonging to Mars
Marco – like the explorer Marco Polo
Marlin – means “lake fortress,” ideal for swimmers
Marlow – means “driftwood,” another for swimmers
Marron – Portuguese word for brown
Marshall – the name means “lover of horses” in Scottish, and pups tend to go wild when they see horses
Mason – like Perry Mason, and for dogs the color of stone
Mater – exotic Belgian name
Matt – Hebrew name for a “gift from God”
Maverick – after Tom Cruise’s character in Top Gun
Max – a classic dog name
Miles – for diminutive but intelligent dogs
Milo – like the drink and the film Milo and Otis
Mini – perfect for companion dogs that feel like Mini Mes
Moe – short and sweet, and like the Simpsons’ bartender
Mofo – a South African name for “rain dance,” and a modern word for cool and charisma
Monty – perhaps for Monty Python
MooMoo – for dogs that love to howl
Moose – for bigger dogs
Morty – like Rick and Morty
Muddy – ideal for black and dark dogs
Murphy – Gaelic for “sea warrior”
Murray – Gaelic name for your lord or master dog

Female Dog Names Starting With M

Is it a female puppy that you are bringing home? Check out our list of the best girls’ names starting with M.

Mabel – a name from the Middle Ages meaning “loveable”
Macy – like the famous retail store
Maddie – ideal for eternal maidens
Madison – like Madison Avenue
Mae – Portuguese word for mother often used as a diminutive for children
Maeve – Irish name meaning “intoxicating one”
Maggie – an English name meaning “pearl”
Maisy – for your child of light
Mandy – a Latin name meaning “loveable”
Mare – Portuguese word for the sea, ideal for swimmers
Marina – ideal for dogs that love the water
Margot – a French name for your little pearl
Marla – means “star of the sea”
Marley – a marshy meadow for dogs that love the great outdoors
Marnie – from the sea
Matilda – an excellent name for Australian breeds
Masie – a Greek origin name meaning “pearl”
Maya – a Sanskrit name meaning “magic” or “illusion”
Meg – like Meg Griffin
Melody – a musical name for dogs that love to bark
Mia – with ancient Egyptian origins, it means “mine”
Millie – name for industrious girls
Mindy – means “black and beautiful”
Misty – a dewy name for dogs with white fur
Molly – a cute name, also great for red dogs after Molly Weasley
Moxie – the name means “energetic” or “spirited”

Dog Names Based On Food Starting With M

New puppies are often scrumptiously cute and look good enough to eat. Why not name your dog after one of your favorite foods that also starts with M?

Macadamia – for the delicious nut
Macaroon – for the tasty little dessert
Mackerel – for the smelly but tasty fish
Mahi-Mahi – another tropical fish
Malt – for your favorite pure malt whiskey
Mandarin – the snackable fruit
Mango – like the sweet tropical fruit
Maple – like the sweet syrup
Marmalade – the tasty preserve
Marshmallow – ideal for squidgy dogs
Martini – shaken not stirred, of course
Meatball – for a tasty little treat
Menu – for pups that eat everything
Meringue – ideal for fluffy white dogs
Mel – Portuguese word for honey
Mint – for dogs with fresh characters
Miso – like the Japanese soup
Mocha – after your favorite sweet coffee
Molasses – the thick and sweet syrup
Momo – delicious Tibetan dumplings
Mousse – the fluffy dessert
Mozzarella – for the delicious cheese
Muffin – the delicious little cake
Muscat – a delicious sweet wine
Mustard – the yellow sauce with a tangy taste

M Dog Names Based On Celebrities & Characters

Popular culture is often a source of inspiration, and it might also hold the key to finding the perfect name for your dog. These M names are based on celebrities and characters.

Macbeth – after the tragic Shakespearean hero
Machiavelli – for the famous Italian strategist
Mad Hatter – for the delightful Alice in Wonderland character
Magneto – after the X-Men villain
Magrid – the kind witch invented by Terry Pratchett
Maleficent – the villain from Sleeping Beauty
Mandarin – the Marvel supervillain
Mantis – the empathetic alien from Guardians of the Galaxy
Marian – as in Robin Hood’s Maid Marian
Marlin – the father from Finding Nemo
Marlowe – after the famous playwright
Marple – for the intrepid investigator
Marvel – after the popular comic book universe
Mattel – after the famous toy line
Maximus – the star of Gladiator
Maxine – as in Madame Maxine from Harry Potter, nice for large dogs
Medusa – for the Greek monster with hair of snakes and whose eyes can kill
Merlin – after the famous Druidic wizard
Meryl – for actress Meryl Streep
Messi – after the famous Argentinian football player
Mickey – like the famous mouse
Mila – for That 70’s Show actress Mila Kunis
Miley – like Miley Cyrus
Millie – for Stranger Things actress Millie Bobby Brown
Minnie – for smaller pups
Mim – for Madam Mim from The Sword in the Stone
Mischa – like Mischa Barton from The O.C.
Moana – for the famous Hawaiian Disney cartoon
Monroe – after Marilyn Monroe
Morgan/Morgana – after the villain in the Arthurian legend
Moriarty – for the Sherlock Holmes villain
Mozart – for the German composer
Mowgli – after the Jungle Book character
Mulan – the Japanese heroine
Munchausen – after the famous baron
Mustafa – Simba’s father in The Lion King
Myrtle – after Harry Potter’s Moaning Myrtle

M Names Based On Places & Nature

Just looking at the world around us can be a great source of inspiration when looking for an interesting name. Consider these places, names, and things in nature that start with M.

Macao – Vegas in the east
Macedon – after the Greek state of Alexander
Machu – for the famous site of Machu Picchu
Madagascar – the African island nation
Madeira – the Portuguese word for wood
Madrid – the Spanish capital
Magnet – for pups with magnetic personalities
Maine – the American state
Malaga – the Spanish resort city
Malawi – the exotic African nation
Maldives – the beach paradise
Malta – the Mediterranean island nation
Manchester – the English city and football team
Manhattan – the borough in New York City
Manila – the capital of the Philippines
Mansfield – English name made popular by Jane Austin
Massif – a group of mountains, for very big dogs
Maui – after the attractive holiday island
Meadow – for dogs that love to run
Mecca – after the Arabic holy city
Melbourne – for the large Australian city
Meso – for the ancient civilization of Mesopotamia
Meteor – celestial bodies that fall from the sky
Mexico – after the country “south of the border”
Midnight – great for black dogs and night howlers
Milan – the Italian capital of fashion
Minsk – for the Russian city
Molokai – a Hawaiian island
Monaco – for the exotic city-state
Monte – as in Monte Carlo
Morocco – for the tropical African island
Moscow – the Russian capital
Motown – for the home of jazz and blues (find the 100 greatest Motown songs here)
Mumbai – the Indian megacity
Munich – the German city

How To Choose A Dog Name

There are no rules for what you should call your dog, but there are a few things to bear in mind when assessing a name for your dog to ensure that it will work and that the name is not something that you will regret in the future.

Choose something short, ideally only one or two syllables long, or at least something that can be shortened in an easily understandable way. This is because it’s easier for dogs to learn shorter names, which means they will be responding when you call sooner than if you chose a longer and more complicated name for them.
Avoid names that sound too much like commands that you will use regularly, as this can just confuse your pup. Remember, while dogs are very intelligent, they don’t actually understand language in the more complex way that humans do; they are just recognizing familiar sounds. If their name sounds too much like a command that you use regularly, such as sit or stay, they may confuse the two words. Fortunately, there aren’t too many common commands starting with M, so you shouldn’t have too much trouble in this area.
Remember that you will often need to use your dog’s name in public, sometimes shouting it loudly, and sometimes using it in front of children and strangers. This is why it is rarely a good idea to choose something rude or potentially offensive. All too often, people give their dogs names that they thought were funny at the time and then find that they are embarrassed to use them later. Remember, everyone in your family who is responsible for your dog will also need to be able to use their name with ease.
Remember that you don’t have to give your dog a name the moment you bring them home. There is nothing wrong with taking a week or so to get to know your dog’s personality a little bit better first and then choosing something that suits them.

You can read our full guide to puppy names here.

How To Teach Your Dog Their Name

Once you have chosen a name for your dog, you will need to teach them to recognize it. This is not complicated and is much like teaching them any other command, except that in this case, they need to learn that their name represents them.

You can’t just say your dog’s name and then point to them or give them attention; this will leave them confused about what it means. The best thing you can do is show them that when you say their name, you want their attention.

Use basic reinforcement training, getting them to respond to their name and then rewarding them when they do. Start with them in a captive state, so that they start to get the idea that this new word means something.

Once you can get their attention in this situation, try in a situation where you don’t have their attention already.

Putting them on the leash and taking them into the backyard can be a good choice. If they don’t respond to their name immediately, you can give a light tug on the leash to help them understand what is wanted from them.

With this kind of training, your dog will learn to associate their name with good things, and they will always want to give you their attention. For this reason, avoid using your dog’s name in negative situations.

For example, don’t say “No, Rover;” just say “No” in order to avoid associating your dog’s name with negativity.

FAQs About Dog Names

What should you not name your dog?

It is best to avoid dog names that sound too much like other words that you will want your dog to recognize and respond to such as “sit,” “stay,” “heel,” and “no.”

This is because your dog can confuse the sounds and may be unsure whether you are just trying to get their attention or give a command.

While it is fun to come up with clever names for dogs, try not to be too clever. Remember, you will also need to use the name in public, and other people may also need to use the name to bring your dog under control.

Avoid anything too complicated to pronounce or anything that could potentially be offensive or controversial.

Do dogs respond better to certain names?

Yes, dogs do respond better to some names than others. To be clear, they do not actually understand the name itself but instead are responding to a familiar and recognizable sound.

For this reason, names with two syllables are often best as they are long enough not to be confused with other words but are still short enough to grab their attention.

Names that start with consonants such as S, SH, C, and K are also easier for your dog to distinguish from the background noise of life.

Should you use your dog’s name a lot?

While your dog’s name is not exactly a command, they will still respond to it in the same way, treating it as a command for attention.

For this reason, you should avoid using it out of context. For example, you should not combine the name with other commands, especially negative commands. This way, the name will not develop negative connotations.

For similar reasons, it is best to say your dog’s name once when you want to get their attention rather than repeating it multiple times.

Want to learn more about dog training? Check out these common hand signals for dogs.

The Verdict

Sometimes you meet a dog and you know within minutes exactly what you should be calling him. Other times, choosing a name for a puppy or adopted dog can be a struggle, with nothing feeling quite right.

While there are good guidelines to bear in mind when choosing a name, there are no rules that can help you solve the problem. Your best approach is to expose yourself to as much inspiration as possible until you stumble across something that seems right.

It can also help to narrow down your choices in some way so that you know where to focus your energy. If you have decided to go with an M name, hopefully, you will find some useful inspiration on our lists of the best M dog names.

Do you have any recommendations for great M dog names?

Share them with the community in the comments section below.

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Best Dog Names Starting With Letter "M" - little girl sitting next to black lab puppy on couch

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