I am about to register my mixed breed puppy with the county in the next month. Any info on how to name him? I am going to register him with the akc to be able to participate in mixed breed competitions.

I'm brand new to the dog world and I've heard different things about naming dogs. Sometimes surnames come before and sometimes after? I know this is goofy but I'm obsessed with my dog! haha

No info on naming him, but what do you want to train him in? There may be better venues than AKC to compete if you want to pursue something like agility

avoid names that suggest aggressiveness or evilness. My wife's friend's husband wanted to name thier black German Shepherd "Satan". I told her if the dog even nipped somebody and they had to go to court they wouldn't have a "prayer".

So "Killer" "Dillinger" "Dahmer" or "Ripper" would be poor choices as well.

What kind of dog is it? ie mostly Lab or Shepherd?

https://www.akc.org/mixedbreeds/listing/faq.cfm

Here's the mixed breed naming rules.

Most people do a possessive or kennel identifier at the beginning of the name. So something like Melissa's or Inari's is a common starter. The rest of the name is whatever you want it to be within the naming rules. Usually with mine it has call name component but it doesn't always, some have a seasonal reference, etc.

When you deal with certain breeds there are naming traditions of moving identifiers to the beginning or end also if the dog is a purchase to a well known kennel there is often an identifier added so breeder an owner are identified.

Here are some examples I just made up:
Inari's Fluffy at Woodhaven
Woodhaven's Fluffy Inari
Fluffy von Inari
Fluffy at Inari
Inari's Fluffy
Or for fun you can come up with your own original:
Mister Fluffy Wuffy

 Quote: Dennis Jones

avoid names that suggest aggressiveness or evilness.

I've been noticing more and more in show catalogs that there are some names that are getting a little dirty/surly. I frown on it a little since these names will be on the pedigrees of their puppies for a long time.

I will admit though the bulldog I saw with Baby Got Back as her reg name did make me chuckle.

Well I guess I should have been more specific. His name is already Nero. I just don't know what exactly to do with that. He isn't from any kennel. He's a mixed breed and he's from my wife's parents' accident litter.

I was trying to figure out a way of naming him something really cool like he was bred to be important but he has no lineage and he will be neutered in two months.

Thanks everyone.

Nero is a cute name. Got a pic? we can come up with something. ^.^

Aaah,
Pick a name.
Used it.


M&M Enterprises

You really can name however you want in your circumstances. Follow the AKC rule if there is some but then be as creative as you want. There is an approval process.

My son has a Beagle he called Lou....akc name was That Last Step is a LouLou.

Our Westie was Tag Along Fourth called Tag

Sis has water dogs....Clipper is Driftwoods Scheming Calypso. In the purebred world often the breeder wants some say in it and Clipper was a theme litter of ships I think and the kennel at the beginning.

Nero has several possibilities.

I love naming dogs. I have names picked out for my next few dogs already :-) I tend to name my dogs after literary quotes/figures.

Frost is WayOut's Fox in Speckled Socks (Suess' Fox in Socks)
Sinjin is Ayre's Pride Envy N Avarice (from Dante's Inferno)
Poe is Broken Circle BucksKgdmByTheC (From Poe's poem Annabel Lee)

Sinjin is the british nickname for St. John and so I call Sinjin my pergatory puppy - a little of heaven and a little of hell ;-)

Perhaps do a play on Nero quotes? For example there is a quote attribute to Nero that says:

To Rome said Nero: "If to smoke you turn I shall not cease to fiddle while you burn."

So you could name him Fiddle While Burning

Or use the John Wesley quote of:

My cool judgement is, that if all the other doctrines of devils which have been committed to writing since letters were in the world were collected together in one volume, it would fall short of this; and that, should a Prince form himself by this book, so calmly recommending hypocrisy, treachery, lying, robbery, oppression, adultery, whoredom, and murder of all kinds, Domitian or Nero would be an angel of light compared to that man.

And perhaps name Angel of Light (that is a bit girly though :-p)

Anyway, pick a name that you will be proud of when your pup achieves great heights in dog activities :-)