Dog Names that Start with O

Introduction

You've finally found him/her, the perfect dog of your dreams. The dog you've been dreaming about going on adventures with for years. His eyes are as expressive as you always hoped they'd be. The only issue? He still doesn't have a name! Not to worry, it happens. It's perfectly fine. In fact, it's better to take your time and find the perfect name, than to rush and let the ticking clock pressure you into making a really bad choice. Your dog deserves more, so here are some name ideas that start with the letter "O," to get those ideas flowing.

Dog Names That Start With O in Pop Culture

Featured Famous Dog With a Name that Starts with O

Old Yeller

Before the Disney movie, there was the 1956 children's novel by Fred Gipson. In this Newberry Medal nominated book, the yellow dog tags along with a boy - Travis, eventually earning the name Old Yeller, due to his yellow coat and a bark that sounds like a yell.

But staying with the family wasn't easy. Initially, the little dog was unwanted, more of a burden, until he proves his worth. He saves the family not once, not twice, but several times. Rescues them from a bear, wild dogs, and wolves. But alas, it's not a happy ending. Old Yeller gets bit by one of the wolves with rabies, and Travis needs to put him down for risk of what might occur. Eventually, the family takes in a new dog and give themselves a fresh start.

The film paints a slightly different turn of events at the end, where Old Yeller does turn due to rabies, and attacks, prompting Travis to put him down unwillingly. Upon that event, Travis is heartbroken, unwilling to take any new dogs in, until he discovers that one of Old Yeller's own puppies also has the same quirk as his father: stealing meat. In honor of Old Yeller, he calls the puppy "Young Yeller."

Another famous dog with a name that starts with an "O" is Otis, from The Adventures of Milo and Otis, a film from 1986. This lovable Pug and his adorable orange tabby feline companion are proof that cats and dogs are perfectly capable of getting along. More so, they're capable of being great friends! In the film, Milo accidentally drifts down a stream, prompting Otis to rescue him. Little does he realize that this is their dynamic: a curious Milo getting himself into trouble, and Otis having to constantly save him from his own insatiable interest.

On their adventures, they encounter bears, muskrats, deer, owls, pigs and fish, and even snakes. Together, Milo and Otis discover what the world holds, what to avoid, and what to look into more closely. The original story comes from Japan, but was later adapted to English for American audiences as well.

If there's anything to learn about both Old Yeller and Otis, it's that dogs are willing to do anything for their loved ones, even put themselves in the line of fire. Their love is loyal and fierce, always unwavering and unconditional. Even if they're completely taken for granted.

Dog Names that Start with O Considerations

When selecting a dog name, it's always helpful to keep a few things in mind, like his appearance, his attitude, even the way he carries himself. For instance, if a dog is always jittery and shy, it's a good idea to use that as inspiration for a name, rather than force a name that doesn't make much sense. You wouldn't name this dog something that sounds outgoing and take-charge, like Champ, because it wouldn't reflect the dog's identity.

Of course, that's all thinking inside the box. If you want to take things a step farther, think about specific events or incidents where your dog was involved. Maybe the weekend you adopted him, you both went to the beach and you realized he loved to dig holes in the sand. A name reflective of the surroundings, including the sand, would serve as a reminder of your pleasant trip with your new puppy. Maybe it's a female dog, and she could be named Sandy. Or maybe his favorite spot in all the trip was the dock or pier, so you could name him Dock.

Whatever your source of inspiration, consider all the options. No detail is too small or insignificant when selecting a dog name. The best option is always the one that celebrates your dog's individuality.

Male Dog Names that Start With O

Votes	Name	Vote
6	Odie English name meaning "woad hill," but also it's the dog from Garfield
6	Ollen In Norse the meaning of the name is "relic"
6	Orry The name of a king who lived on the Isle Of Man, a self-governing British Crown isle between Ireland, and Great Britain
5	Onyx A type of gemstone with little bands of color, but the name itself is Greek, meaning "claw, or fingernail"
4	Oscar English in origin, it means "divine spear," but it is also the name of Oscar Mayer
3	Oliver After The Green Arrow from DC Comics, but also it's from the English meaning "the olive tree"
3	Oslo Norwegian for "ridge, hill" it is also the capital of Norway
2	Otis After the Pug from the 1986 film The Adventures of Milo and Otis
2	Old Yeller After the famous yellow dog from the beloved 1957 film
2	Octavius The first Roman emperor, Augustus, was born Gaius Octavius
2	Oats Whole-grain cereal, scientifically known as Avena Sativa, primarily grown in North America and Europe
2	Ox Perfect if he's the Babe to your Paul Bunyan, the word "ox" refers to a domesticated cow, and holds religious meaning in Sanskrit and Hindu
1	Overturn Perfect if he's always flipping things over, the word comes from the description of a wheel, meaning "to rotate, roll over"
1	Olaf A Norse name referring to ancestral heritage, so many Scandinavian kings were named Olaf
0	Oatmeal Perfect if he loves oatmeal, or is the color of the food, which originated in 7,000 B.C. China, but it has been said ancient Greece also had porridge
0	Opie If you love Sons of Anarchy, and want your pet's name to be derived from the Cornish, medieval name of Oppy, Obby or Osborn
0	Odin The Old Norse mythology god associated with wisdom, healing, death, royalty, battle, sorcery, poetry, but he's best known for being Thor's father
0	Oak Comes from the Middle English "oke" and refers to the strong tree
0	Ocelot Comes from the Nahuatl word for jaguar, but also the Latin for "little eyes," this is the name of a wild cat native to the southwest U.S., Mexico, Central and South America
0	Oisin Hails from Ireland and it means "little dear"
-1	Oswald From the Anglo-Saxon Osweald, meaning "God" or "rule"
-1	Otto Of German origin, derived from Audo or Odo, meaning "wealth, fortune"
-1	Olav It means "ancestor, heirloom, descendant" and comes from Scandinavia, Germany and the Netherlands
-1	Orin The Anglicised spelling of the Irish "Odran," which unmagestically refers to otters
-2	Oi An expression in Canada, Australia and New Zealand
-2	Odion Egyptian for "Born of Twins"
-2	Otso Finnish in origin, this name means "bear"
-3	Osmo Nordic in origin, especially Finnish, meaning "a young man"
-4	Oldies If he's an old soul and loves your jukebox
-4	Obed "Worshipper" in Hebrew, and holds its place in the Old Testament

Female Dog Names that Start With O

Votes	Name	Vote
7	Olesea Hebrew in origin, this name refers to a tree which bears bitter tasting fruit
6	Oki This Japanese name means "ocean centered"
6	Oleta English for "winged"
5	Oprah The Hebrew name for "fawn"
5	Ozella It's a Greek name with Old Testament roots, and means "my power is God"
5	Okimi This Japanese name means "bright shining light"
4	Ofelia Spanish and Italian in origin, this name means "help, aid"
3	Ocie Originated in America for both men and women, but in Latin the name means "eighth"
3	Oxana Sometimes translated as Aksana, this Ukrainian name means "hospitality toward strangers"
3	Odyssey A word that means "epic journey," it is perhaps best known as the title of Homer's epic poem
3	Olena This is the Ukrainian version of Helen, which means "sun ray"
2	Olivia In Latin it means "olive branch," but the name was first used in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night
2	Onika African in origin, this name means "warrior"
2	Oyku Turkish name meaning "story"
2	Oaklyn Unknown origin, but this name has sprung up in America and is quickly becoming one of the most popular
2	Olan From Spain and Holland, it refers to this delicate white fabric with frilling detail, usually used for women's skirts
2	Oa'si This English/French name means "belonging to Lacy or Lassy"
1	Ocean Comes from the Greek "Okeanos," a river that circled the planet (at least that was the old belief)
1	Octaviana Latin in origin, this is the feminine name of Octavius
0	Ora The Hebrew name for "light"
0	Oudia English and Old German in origin, this name means "famous warrior"
0	Ossie Native American, named after the village of the same name, it's no wonder there's an Ozette Lake in Washington State
0	Odette The female version of Otto, this name comes from Old High German words like "otho, odo," which when traced to French, it means "rich"
0	Okera Iroquoian word for "snowflake"
-1	Ona The Hebrew name meaning "graceful"
-1	Oda A Japanese name meaning "small rice paddy"
-2	Oana Hebrew name derived from the Christian Ioana (Joanna), meaning "favorite grace"
-2	Otha Anglo-Saxon, meaning "little wealthy one"
-3	Oline This Hawaiian name means "joyous"
-3	Oddny Norse for "new point"