When we picked up our Miniature Schnauzer, Livi, from the breeder’s home, we fell in love immediately. She was an energetic, beautiful black mini who was the last of the litter. She was the last to be chosen for a home because she was a little larger than her smaller siblings, but she was perfect for us.
Her sweet breeder had already named her “Daz” because she was, well, dazzling. It was a nice sentiment, but the sound of the name itself didn’t seem to fit her.
Against all recommendations, we decided to rename her and teach to answer to another name: Livi.
“Livi” is short for “Olivia” which holds a meaning of peace. Her name has become very meaningful to our family and has been a perfect fit for our mini. Fortunately, she learned her new name quickly and has answered to it eagerly ever since.
If you want to do a better job than we did of choosing the right name from the beginning, this article offers six naming tips and lists 210 cool, unique literary character names you might consider.
6 Tips for Choosing Your Puppy’s Name
Finding the right name for your puppy is an important decision, and, let’s be honest, it shouldn’t be a complicated process. In fact, it’s one of the many fun aspects of bringing a new puppy home.
However, deciding on just the right name can sometimes feel challenging.
Here are a few suggestions that might be helpful. Consider the six tips below when narrowing down your favorite naming options, then check out the 210 unique literary character name suggestions.
Here are some useful tips that may help you when choosing a name:
Tip #1: Keep the Name Short
Although some pet parents love long, grand-sounding names for their pets, your Schnauzer will not be able to master something with a lot of syllables. Therefore, it is essential to keep your Schnauzer’s name short and simple, so she will hear it well without getting confused.
One way you can balance the long name is to shorten it to a nickname. For instance, your Schnauzer’s full name can be “Westland Lynne” as long as you call her by “Westly”.
Tip #2: Consider Personality or Appearance
You can consider the personality or appearance of a Schnauzer to decide on a suitable name for your Schnauzer. Many people use looks to name their pets, but beyond appearances, personality is a significant indicator of what you may want to name your Schnauzer. For example, you could choose descriptive names such as “Blithe” or “Breezy” for a fun-loving, happy, jovial Schnauzer.
Tip #3: Hone in on the Meaning
When selecting the perfect name for your new Schnauzer, considering the meaning behind a name can lead you to some great options. As I mentioned above, we chose to name our Miniature Schnauzer “Livi” as a shortened version of “Olivia” which references the olive branch and the idea of peace. It just seemed to fit her.
You can use your favorite baby names website or other similar sites that identify the history and meaning behind first names. You could even consider a meaningful family surname as an option, for example, I would consider one of my family surnames of “Jarrett” as a nice, personally meaningful name for a male Schnauzer.
Tip #4: Use Your Thesaurus
If you’ve noticed that your Schnauzer has certain traits, or you want to name her after an idea, trait, or experience you find meaningful, use your Thesaurus (or an online version) to find related words. In fact, the names above (Blithe and Breezy) were suggestions in my Thesaurus for the word “jovial.”
Tip #5: Avoid Using Names That Sound Like Commands
Apart from her name, the other important things your Schnauzer will have to learn will be her commands. She must be able to understand the verbal cues that you’ll be giving her during training. Therefore, it would be best to avoid giving your Schnauzer a name that sounds something similar to any of her prospective verbal cues. Dog names that sound like “heel”, “stay,” “sit,” or “come” can make dog training more difficult and confusing.
Tip #6: Consider Sharp Sounds
Generally, dogs do not have the same hearing ability for human language as you do. Therefore, you need to select a name that’s pretty easy to distinguish. Your Schnauzer can understand harder sounds such as t’s and k’s more easily softer sounds such as s’s and f’s.
Our family clearly didn’t follow this guideline when we chose the name “Livi,” and I wouldn’t let this keep you from choosing a name you really love, but it’s a simple tip to keep in mind.
With some basic name-selecting tips covered, here’s a fun list of cool and unique names based on literary characters to help jumpstart your search.
Some names aren’t in even line with the tips above, but they represent the potentially most important tip of all: choose a name that you love and that just seems to “fit.”
The most important tip of all: choose a name that you love and that just seems to “fit.”
THE SCHNAUZER COLLECTIVE
210 Cool, Unique Male and Female Dog Names Based on Literary Characters
This list of books and characters draws from classic literature, beloved books, and some of my personal favorites.
Consider checking your own ideal reading list, childhood favorites, and current bedside books for inspiration as well!
- Aurelian, One Hundred Years of Solitude
- Santa, One Hundred Years of Solitude
- Caddie, The Sound and the Fury
- Quentin, The Sound and the Fury
- Guy, Fahrenheit 451
- Faber, Fahrenheit 451
- Rinehart, The Invisible Man
- Tod, The Invisible Man
- Samsa, The Metamorphosis
- Greet, The Metamorphosis
- Walt, The World According to Garp
- Duncan, The World According to Garp
- Celie, The Color Purple
- Harpo, The Color Purple
- Jekyll, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
- Poole, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
- Elinor, Sense and Sensibility
- Brandon, Sense and Sensibility
- Rhett, Gone with the Wind
- Belle, Gone with the Wind
- Blanche, A Streetcar Named Desire
- Stanley, A Streetcar Named Desire
- Meg, A Wrinkle in Time
- Calvin, A Wrinkle in Time
- Moriarty, On the Road
- Sal, On the Road
- Portia, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter
- Singer, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter
- Santiago, The Old Man and the Sea
- Manolin, The Old Man and the Sea
- Sebastian, Brideshead Revisited
- Beryl, Brideshead Revisited
- Darcy, Pride and Prejudice
- Bennett, Pride and Prejudice
- Sethe, Beloved
- Denver, Beloved
- Bessie, Jane Eyre
- Edward, Jane Eyre
- Lolita, Lolita
- Farlow, Lolita
- Spade, The Maltese Falcon
- Archer, The Maltese Falcon
- Lena, My Antonia
- Josiah, My Antonia
- Winston, 1984
- Julia, 1984
- Dantes, The Count of Monte Christo
- Mercedes, The Count of Monte Christo
- Pippi, Pippi Longstocking
- Annika, Pippi Longstocking
- Arwen, The Lord of the Rings
- Gandalf, The Lord of the Ring
- Golightly, Breakfast at Tiffany’s
- Sapphia, Breakfast at Tiffany’s
- Archer, The Age of Innocence
- Welland, The Age of Innocence
- Sherlock, A Study in Scarlet
- Morstan, A Study in Scarlet
- Ursula, Women in Love
- Gerald, Women in Love
- Marlow, Heart of Darkness
- Kurtz, Heart of Darkness
- Adele, The Awakening
- Alcee, The Awakening
- Antonia, Don Quixote
- Ricote, Don Quixote
- Lou, On the Road
- Sal, On the Road
- Adela, Passage to India
- Aziz, Passage to India
- Atticus, To Kill a Mockingbird
- Scout, To Kill a Mockingbird
- Athena, The Odyssey
- Zeus, The Odyssey
- McMurphy, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
- Candy, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
- Pip, Great Expectations
- Estella, Great Expectations
- Wentworth, Persuasion
- Alliot, Persuasion
- Pasha, Dr. Zhivago
- Lara, Dr. Zhivago
- Fern, Charlotte’s web
- Templeton, Charlotte’s Web
- Hester, The Scarlet Letter
- Pearl, The Scarlet Letter
- Willison, The Last Gentleman
- Rita, The Last Gentleman
- Vergil, Babbitt
- Tanis, Babbitt
- Romeo, Romeo and Juliet
- Rosaline, Romeo and Juliet
- Dorian, The Picture of Dorian Gray
- Victoria, The Picture of Dorian Gray
- Caspar, The Portrait of a Lady
- Gilbert, The Portrait of a Lady
- Gatsby, The Great Gatsby
- Jordan, The Great Gatsby
- Jewel, As I Lay Dying
- Blunden, As I Lay Dying
- Duchess, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
- Gryphon, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
- Maurice, The End of the Affair
- Lance, The End of the Affair
- Dabney, Delta Wedding
- Troy, Delta Wedding
- Friday, Robinson Crusoe
- Robinson, Robinson Crusoe
- Constance, Lady Chatterley’s Lover
- Oliver, Lady Chatterley’s Lover
- Ishmael, Moby Dick
- Starbuck, Moby Dick
- Isabella, Northanger Abbey
- Thorpe, Northanger Abbey
- Emerson, A Room with a View
- Eleanora, A Room with a View
- Marlowe, The Big Sleep
- Hawks, The Big Sleep
- Josi, Anne of the Green Gables
- Gilbert, Anne of the Green Gables
- Emma, Madame Bovary
- Lagarty, Madame Bovary
- Phoebe, Catcher in the Rye
- Holden, Catcher in the Rye
- Ichabod, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
- Katrina, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
- Jo, Little Women
- Laurence, Little Women
- Copperfield, David Copperfield
- Agnes, David Copperfield
- Karenina, Anna Karenina
- Dolly, Anna Karenina
- Helmholtz, Brave New World
- Lenina, Brave New World
- Agnes, Oliver Twist
- Fagin, Oliver Twist
- Montana, Slaughterhouse-Five
- Werner, Slaughterhouse-Five
- Casy, The Grapes of Wrath
- Muley, The Grapes of Wrath
- Orr, Catch-22
- Nately, Catch-22
- Logan, Their Eyes Were Watching God
- Pheoby, Their Eyes Were Watching God
- Jean, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
- Lowther, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
- Binx, The Moviegoer
- Nell, The Moviegoer
- Hazel, Wise Blood
- Hawks, Wise Blood
- Zillah, Wuthering Heights
- Hindley, Wuthering Heights
- Brett, The Sun Also Rises
- Jakes, The Sun Also Rises
- Ramsey, To the Lighthouse
- Lily, To the Lighthouse
- Jarvis, The Member of the Wedding
- Porter, The Member of the Wedding
- Rezia, Mrs, Dalloway
- Hugh, Mrs. Dalloway
- Casaubon, Middlemarch
- Dorothea, Middlemarch
- Stryver, A Tale of Two Cities
- Darnay, A Tale of Two Cities
- Maribelle, Sweet Bird of the Youth
- Alexander, Sweet Bird of the Youth
- Rodion, Crime and Punishment
- Sonia, Crime and Punishment
- Macbeth, Macbeth
- Duncan, Macbeth
- Francie, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
- Neely, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
- Amory, This Side of Paradise
- Beatrice, This Side of Paradise
- Heywood, 2001 A Space Odyssey
- Miller, 2001 A Space Odyssey
- Flemming, Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man
- Emma, Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man
- Sadie, All the King’s Men
- Ellis, All the King’s Men
- Huck, The Adventures of Huckleberry Film
- Polly, The Adventures of Huckleberry Film
- Becky, Vanity Fair
- Jos, Vanity Fair
- Tess, Tess of the d’Urbervilles
- Parson, Tess of the d’Urbervilles
- Lane, The Importance of Being Earnest
- Hugo, The Importance of Being Earnest
- Lorenzo, Love in the Time of Cholera
- Fermina, Love in the time of Cholera
- Jadis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
- Digory, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
- Marcel, Remembrance of Things Past
- Oriane, Remembrance of Things Past
- Renfield, Dracula
- Mina, Dracula
- Aladdin, A Thousand and One Nights
- Sinbad, A Thousand and One Nights
- Minny, The Help
- Aibileen, The Help
- Liesel, The Book Thief
- Hans, The Book Thief
- August, Station Eleven
- Kirsten, Station Eleven
- Venus, The Aeneid
- Dido, The Aeneid
- Fantine, Les Misérables
- Cosette, Les Misérables
- Napoleon, Animal Farm
- Clover, Animal Farm
And finally, from one pet parent to another, discover my all-time favorite resources designed to cover your every Schnauzer need. I’ve done the legwork for you so you can spend more time with the people and fur friends in your life.
A portion of all profit earned on this site is donated to Pet Partners
whose mission is to improve human health and
well-being through the human-animal bond.
They train and register pets to become therapy animals,
and have local chapters in many states.