Introduction
Officially known as the Commonwealth of Virginia, the state of Virginia is located in the southeastern and mid-Atlantic parts of the United States. The state has been nicknamed the “Old Dominion” as a result of it having been the first English colonial possession in mainland North America, as well as “Mother of Presidents” as a result of eight presidents of the United States having been born there. When seeking a name for your canine companion, a name inspired by Virginia may be just the fit. The state has a lot to offer, both past and present, leading to many options when seeking a name.
Virginia Dog Names in Pop Culture
A dog named Guinness made the Governor’s mansion in Virginia a tourist destination. The Yellow Labrador and First Dog regularly stood at the gate, greeting visitors in his own way. Always up for a game of fetch, First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe referred to him as a dog for the Commonwealth. The pooch would happily play fetch at the gate throughout the day and enjoyed plenty of attention. State employees would stop by regularly to see Guinness, who was popular among the locals as well as the tourists. Sadly, Guinness passed away at only one year of age, a loss for both his family and the community.
Freddy, a retired military dog, got attention when he was able to come home to Virginia in 2016 to live with his former handler, Chad. The sailor, based in Norfolk, was reunited with Freddy after a year apart. When Freddy, a German Shepherd, was retired, Chad contacted the American Humane Association for assistance in bringing Freddy home. The pair had worked together for two years in Italy though were separated when Chad was reassigned to Norfolk. Chad plans to let Freddy enjoy his retirement, with his pick of toys and plenty of time to lounge on the couch.
Alpha, a service dog of Fredericksburg, was included in his school’s yearbook. Alpha, a Black Labrador, accompanies his person, AJ Schalk, who is a junior at Stafford High School, to school every day. Schalk brought Alpha home in 2014, years after being diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. After significant training, Alpha is able to predict blood sugar highs and lows within 20 to 40 minutes before they occur. This keeps Schalk from having large blood sugar spikes and drops, improving his overall health. Other students were excited to see Alpha at school and wanted to include him in the yearbook. His picture is in the 2017 book, right next to Schalk’s. The pooch also has his own identification card.
A dog who was able to open doors with his mouth was able to escape a Stafford Kennel, gaining himself attention. General, a ten-year old Great Pyrenees was staying at the Aquia-Garrisonville Animal Hospital while his family was visiting relatives. As seen on surveillance video, the clever pooch used his nose and mouth to open doors and exit the building. Fortunately, General was found in a nearby neighborhood relaxing, after 15 hours on his own.
Virginia Dog Name Considerations
It can be quite the challenge to decide on the name for a new canine companion. After all, you will be calling your new friend’s name many times for years to come; it makes sense that you want it to be just right. This usually means seeking a name that suits your dog while also having some meaning to you. If you have positive feelings about the state of Virginia, it makes sense to turn to the state for some name ideas. The state is home to many possible naming options and with a name inspired by the state, you will be reminded of a place that is important to you each time you call the name of your dog.
Choosing a name inspired by Virginia is also a great choice if your pal reminds you of a particular dog from the state, whether in appearance, breed or personality. If your dog enjoys an activity that is popular in the state, a Virginia-inspired name may be something to consider. Regardless of why you are looking to Virginia for your pet’s name, you will have no trouble encountering a variety of naming possibilities from which to choose from.
Male Virginia Dog Names
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Franklin
A Virginia city in the southeast part of the state
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Fairfax
A city, as well as a county, in Northern Virginia
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Beatty
American actor and filmmaker Warren Beatty, born in Richmond
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Fred
For Fredericksburg, a Virginia city located 45 miles south of Washington D.C.
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Potomac
For the Potomac River, which flows through Virginia
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Mattox
Mattox Creek is a tributary of the Potomac River in Westmoreland County
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Skeet
Actor Skeet Ulrich was born in Lynchburg, Virginia
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Dogwood
The American Dogwood is the Virginia State Tree
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Hampton
A city in the eastern part of Virginia
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Carlyle
A well-known restaurant in Alexandria
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Harrison
For Harrisonburg, a city in the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia
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Lex
Lexington, a city in Virginia that is 50 miles north of Roanoke
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Norfolk
In the eastern part of the state, Norfolk has the second largest population of Virginia cities
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Martin
Martinsville, a city near Virginia’s southern border
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Norton
The city that is the farthest west in the state
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Richmond
Virginia’s capital city
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Lane
Lane Stadium is the home stadium of Virginia Tech football
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Roanoke
A city in Virginia in the Roanoke Valley
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Salem
A city next to Roanoke and included in its metropolitan area
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Henry
For the Cape Henry Memorial in Virginia Beach
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Ashe
Tennis player and activist Arthur Ashe was born in Richmond
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Robinson
The Robinson River is 34.2 miles long and is a tributary of the Rapidan River
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Monroe
Fort Monroe, a decommissioned military installation in Hampton
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Rawling
Rawlings is a small town and home of lake Phoenix
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Gaston
For Lake Gaston, a hydroelectric reservoir, part of which is in Virginia
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Grommet
Grommet Island Park is a beach park that is 100% handicap accessible
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Buckroe
For Buckroe Beach includes 8 acres in Hampton
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Scott
Scott Stadium (official name the Carl Smith Center, Home of David A. Harrison III Field at Scott Stadium) is the home of the Virginia Cavaliers Football team
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Jones
Jones Arena is the home of the Virginia Cavaliers basketball team
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Rapidan
A river that flows through north-central Virginia for 88 miles
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Female Virginia Dog Names
Votes | Name | Vote |
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Alexandria
About seven miles south of Washington D.C., Alexandria is on the western bank of the Potomac River
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Bristol
A city in the southwest part of Virginia
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Allegheny
The Allegheny Mountains in Virginia are part of the Appalachian Mountain Range
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Patsy
Patsy Cline, a country music singer, was born in Winchester
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Shenandoah
For the Shenandoah Mountain, located in Virginia and West Virginia, with a ridge of about 73 miles
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Anna
Lake Anna is one of Virginia’s largest freshwater inland reservoirs; covers 13,000 acres
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Elliott
Missy Elliott, a rapper, was born in Portsmouth
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Elizabeth
The Elizabeth River is a tidal estuary that is six miles long
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Charlotte
For Charlottesville, known as Cville by locals; located in the central part of Virginia
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Hope
For Hopewell, a city in the Richmond metropolitan area
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Aquia
Aquia Creek, a 27.6 mile tributary of the tidal segment of the Potomac River; located in northern Virginia
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Cardinal
For the Virginia State Bird
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Virginia
For the state itself
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Katie
Journalist and author Katie Couric was born in Arlington
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Liberty
For Liberty University, located in Lynchburg, Virginia
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Belle
For Belle Isle State Park, located on the Rappahannock River
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Rosslyn
For Rosslyn Metro Escalator, one of the longest in the world at up to 207 feet
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Sky
For Sky Meadows State Park, located in the northern part of Virginia
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Crozet
For the Crozet tunnel, a historic railroad tunnel
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Raven
For the Raven Room; the old dorm of Edgar Allan Poe
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Maggie
An African-American teacher and businesswoman, Maggie L. Walker, the first female bank president of any race to charter a bank in the United States; born in Richmond
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Zu
Mama Zu a famous restaurant in Richmond
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Clara
For Clara Barton, whose first nursing efforts in the Civil War were in Virginia
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Willa
Willa Cather, an American writer born in Gore, Virginia
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Wanda
Wanda Sykes, an actress, comedian and writer born in Portsmouth
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Gabby
Gabrielle Douglas, an Olympic gymnast, who was born in Newport News, Virginia
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Laurel
Laurel Fork is a 15.7-mile stream that flows from Virginia into West Virginia
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Hazel
The Hazel River is 47.8 miles long and a tributary of the Rappahannock River in northern Virginia
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Chessie
For Chesapeake Bay, some of which is located in Virginia
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Amelia
For Amelia county which is in central Virginia
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