Got a new pup and need the right name? Let’s look at names that start with R.
I put this list together to help you pick a name that feels good to say and has a real meaning. Some names sound strong, like Rex, which means king. Some feel soft and sweet, like Rosie, which means rose.
I know choosing a name can take time. So read slowly, say them out loud, and see which one feels just right for your furry friend.
Take a peek, take your time — the best name might be right here.
Male Dog names starting with the letter “R,” along with their meanings
| No | Name | Meaning |
| 1 | Rafael | God has healed (Hebrew) |
| 2 | Ralph | Wolf counsel (Old Norse/English) |
| 3 | Ramsey | Wild garlic island (English) |
| 4 | Randall | Shield wolf (English) |
| 5 | Raymond | Wise protector (German) |
| 6 | Remy | Oarsman, rower (French/Latin) |
| 7 | Reuben | Behold, a son (Hebrew) |
| 8 | Rex | King (Latin) |
| 9 | Riley | Courageous, valiant (Irish) |
| 10 | Rocco | Rest, rock (Italian) |
| 11 | Romeo | Pilgrim to Rome (Italian) |
| 12 | Ronan | Little seal (Irish) |
| 13 | Rowan | Little redhead (Irish) |
| 14 | Roy | King (French/Scottish) |
| 15 | Rudy | Famous wolf (German) |
| 16 | Rupert | Bright fame (German) |
| 17 | Russell | Little red one (French) |
| 18 | Rusty | Red-haired (English) |
| 19 | Ryder | Horseman, knight (English) |
| 20 | Raiden | Thunder and lightning (Japanese) |
| 21 | Raja | King (Sanskrit) |
| 22 | Rami | Loving (Arabic) |
| 23 | Rasheed | Rightly guided (Arabic) |
| 24 | Rasmus | Beloved (Scandinavian) |
| 25 | Raul | Wolf counsel (Spanish) |
| 26 | Reagan | Little ruler (Irish) |
| 27 | Reeve | Bailiff, steward (English) |
| 28 | Reggie | Ruler’s advisor (English) |
| 29 | Reid | Red-haired (Scottish) |
| 30 | Remus | Twin brother of Romulus (Latin) |
| 31 | Ren | Lotus, love (Japanese) |
| 32 | Reno | Reborn (French) |
| 33 | Rexford | King’s ford (English) |
| 34 | Rhett | Advice (Dutch/English) |
| 35 | Rhys | Enthusiasm (Welsh) |
| 36 | Ridley | Reed meadow (English) |
| 37 | Rigby | Ridge farm (English) |
| 38 | Rigel | Foot (star name, Arabic) |
| 39 | Riley | Valiant (Irish) |
| 40 | Ringo | Apple (Japanese) |
| 41 | Ripley | Strip of clearing in woods (English) |
| 42 | River | Flowing water (English) |
| 43 | Roan | Reddish-brown (English) |
| 44 | Roark | Famous ruler (Irish) |
| 45 | Robbie | Bright fame (English) |
| 46 | Robert | Bright fame (German) |
| 47 | Robin | Bright fame, bird name (English) |
| 48 | Rockwell | Rock spring (English) |
| 49 | Rodney | Island near the clearing (English) |
| 50 | Roger | Famous spear (German) |
| 51 | Roland | Famous land (German/French) |
| 52 | Romeo | Pilgrim to Rome (Italian) |
| 53 | Ronin | Masterless samurai (Japanese) |
| 54 | Ronnie | Ruler’s counselor (English) |
| 55 | Roosevelt | Rose field (Dutch) |
| 56 | Rory | Red king (Irish) |
| 57 | Roscoe | Deer forest (Norse) |
| 58 | Ross | Headland, promontory (Scottish) |
| 59 | Rowe | Famous wolf (English) |
| 60 | Rowan | Little redhead (Irish) |
| 61 | Royce | Son of the king (English) |
| 62 | Ruben | Behold, a son (Hebrew) |
| 63 | Rudy | Famous wolf (German) |
| 64 | Rufus | Red-haired (Latin) |
| 65 | Ruger | Famous spear (German) |
| 66 | Rune | Secret (Old Norse) |
| 67 | Rush | Moving fast (English) |
| 68 | Rustin | Red-haired (English) |
| 69 | Rutger | Famous spear (Dutch) |
| 70 | Ryder | Knight, horseman (English) |
| 71 | Ryker | Rich (Danish) |
| 72 | Rylan | Island meadow (English) |
| 73 | Ryo | Refreshing, distant (Japanese) |
| 74 | Ryuu | Dragon (Japanese) |
| 75 | Rael | God is my shepherd (Hebrew) |
| 76 | Radley | Red meadow (English) |
| 77 | Raleigh | Deer meadow (English) |
| 78 | Raoul | Wolf counsel (French) |
| 79 | Rashad | Wise, good sense (Arabic) |
| 80 | Ray | Wise protector (German) |
| 81 | Raymond | Wise protector (German) |
| 82 | Reeves | Steward (English) |
| 83 | Renzo | Third link, third son (Italian) |
| 84 | Rian | Little king (Irish) |
| 85 | Ridwan | Pleasure, satisfaction (Arabic) |
| 86 | Riyad | Gardens (Arabic) |
| 87 | Riku | Land (Japanese) |
| 88 | Rizwan | Paradise, garden (Arabic) |
| 89 | Roderick | Famous ruler (German) |
| 90 | Roel | Famous wolf (Dutch) |
| 91 | Rogan | Red-haired (Irish) |
| 92 | Rolf | Famous wolf (German) |
| 93 | Romano | From Rome (Italian) |
| 94 | Romulus | Founder of Rome (Latin) |
| 95 | Roshan | Bright, shining (Persian) |
| 96 | Rowan | Little red one (Irish) |
| 97 | Rourke | Champion (Irish) |
| 98 | Rowan | Red-haired (Irish) |
| 99 | Rudra | Roaring storm, Lord Shiva (Sanskrit) |
| 100 | Rupert | Bright fame (German) |
Female Dog names starting with the letter “R,” along with their meanings
| No | Name | Meaning |
| 1 | Rachel | Ewe, female sheep (Hebrew) |
| 2 | Raquel | Ewe, female sheep (Spanish/Portuguese) |
| 3 | Rebecca | To bind, to tie (Hebrew) |
| 4 | Rebekah | To bind, to tie (Hebrew) |
| 5 | Regina | Queen (Latin) |
| 6 | Renee | Reborn (French) |
| 7 | Renata | Reborn (Latin) |
| 8 | Riley | Valiant, courageous (Irish) |
| 9 | Rina | Joyful song (Hebrew) |
| 10 | Rita | Pearl (Spanish, short for Margarita) |
| 11 | Riva | To bind (Hebrew) |
| 12 | Rivka | To bind (Hebrew) |
| 13 | Roberta | Bright fame (Germanic) |
| 14 | Robin | Bright fame; little bird (English) |
| 15 | Rochelle | Little rock (French) |
| 16 | Rosa | Rose (Latin) |
| 17 | Rosalie | Rose (French) |
| 18 | Rosalind | Gentle horse; pretty rose (Germanic) |
| 19 | Rosalyn | Pretty rose (Germanic/Latin) |
| 20 | Rose | Rose flower (English/Latin) |
| 21 | Rosemary | Dew of the sea (Latin) |
| 22 | Rosie | Rose (English, diminutive) |
| 23 | Rowena | Fame and happiness (Welsh) |
| 24 | Roxana | Dawn, bright (Persian) |
| 25 | Roxanne | Dawn, bright (Persian/Greek) |
| 26 | Ruby | Red gemstone (Latin) |
| 27 | Ruth | Companion, friend (Hebrew) |
| 28 | Rachael | Ewe (Hebrew) |
| 29 | Raina | Queen (Slavic) |
| 30 | Raisa | Easy-going; rose (Hebrew/Russian) |
| 31 | Ramona | Wise protector (Spanish) |
| 32 | Rana | Joyful, eye-catching (Arabic) |
| 33 | Ranya | Gazing (Arabic) |
| 34 | Raphaela | God heals (Hebrew) |
| 35 | Rasha | Young gazelle (Arabic) |
| 36 | Rashida | Righteous, wise (Arabic) |
| 37 | Raida | Leader (Arabic) |
| 38 | Reina | Queen (Spanish) |
| 39 | Reva | Star (Hindi) |
| 40 | Reyna | Queen (Spanish variant) |
| 41 | Rhea | Flowing stream; mother of gods (Greek) |
| 42 | Rika | Ruler (German, Japanese variant) |
| 43 | Rima | White antelope (Arabic) |
| 44 | Romina | From Rome (Italian) |
| 45 | Roma | From Rome (Latin) |
| 46 | Romy | Short for Rosemary or Romana (Latin) |
| 47 | Rosetta | Little rose (Italian) |
| 48 | Rosina | Little rose (Italian) |
| 49 | Rosine | Little rose (French) |
| 50 | Roxie | Dawn, bright (Persian diminutive) |
| 51 | Rozalia | Rose (Hungarian/Polish) |
| 52 | Ruba | Hills, mounds (Arabic) |
| 53 | Rubina | Ruby (Latin) |
| 54 | Rubie | Ruby (English spelling variant) |
| 55 | Ruchi | Interest, desire (Hindi) |
| 56 | Rudina | Field, meadow (Albanian) |
| 57 | Ruhi | Soul, spiritual (Arabic) |
| 58 | Rukmini | Wife of Krishna (Sanskrit) |
| 59 | Rumaisa | Bunch of flowers (Arabic) |
| 60 | Rumina | Goddess of nursing mothers (Roman) |
| 61 | Runa | Secret, whisper (Old Norse) |
| 62 | Rune | Secret, mystery (Old Norse) |
| 63 | Ruqayya | Gentle, rising (Arabic) |
| 64 | Ruthie | Friend, companion (Hebrew diminutive) |
| 65 | Ruzena | Rose (Czech) |
| 66 | Ryoko | Good child (Japanese) |
| 67 | Rysa | Laughter (Slavic root) |
| 68 | Rihana | Sweet basil (Arabic) |
| 69 | Rosetta | Little rose (Italian) |
| 70 | Roswitha | Strong fame (Germanic) |
| 71 | Rafaela | God has healed (Hebrew) |
| 72 | Reham | Light rain (Arabic) |
| 73 | Roohi | Soul (Arabic) |
| 74 | Roshni | Light (Hindi/Urdu) |
| 75 | Rumi | Beauty, lapis stone (Japanese); poet |
| 76 | Runako | Handsome, pretty (African, Shona) |
| 77 | Ryaan | Little king (Irish variant) |
| 78 | Ryo | Refreshing (Japanese) |
| 79 | Ryoko | Child of good (Japanese) |
| 80 | Rysa | Flowing (Slavic) |
| 81 | Rukia | Rise, ascend (Arabic/Swahili) |
| 82 | Ruri | Emerald, lapis lazuli (Japanese) |
| 83 | Ruzha | Rose (Bulgarian) |
| 84 | Ruza | Rose (Slavic) |
| 85 | Reyhana | Sweet basil (Arabic) |
| 86 | Reet | Tradition, custom (Hindi) |
| 87 | Rachna | Creation (Hindi/Sanskrit) |
| 88 | Rajni | Night (Hindi) |
| 89 | Rajiya | Hopeful (Arabic) |
| 90 | Raahi | Traveler (Hindi) |
| 91 | Rakhi | Thread of protection (Hindi) |
| 92 | Rangoli | Decorative art (Hindi) |
| 93 | Rasika | Connoisseur, one who enjoys (Sanskrit) |
| 94 | Rekha | Line, limit (Sanskrit) |
| 95 | Reshma | Silk (Persian/Hindi) |
| 96 | Rohini | Ascending, star name (Sanskrit) |
| 97 | Romila | Heartfelt (Hindi) |
| 98 | Rosabel | Beautiful rose (Latin) |
| 99 | Rosetta | Little rose (Italian) |
| 100 | Roxelana | Bright dawn (Ottoman/Turkish) |
