October 6, 2023

Halloween Dog Names: The Ultimate List of Seasonal Dog Names

By Janelle Leeson
Frighteningly cute and oozing with character, these monikers will make you scream with delight.

Alie Lengyelova / Stocksy
Choosing a spooky name for your newly adopted dog around Halloween can add a fun and festive touch to your pet’s identity. Whether you’re inspired by classic horror characters like Dracula or Frankenstein, eerie themes like Ghost or Phantom, or even playful nods to popular Halloween treats like Boo or Candy Corn, there’s a wide range of creative options to consider.

After all, why does Halloween fall on the last day of Adopt a Shelter Dog Month? Because there’s nothing better than fetching some spooky-good treats for your newly adopted shelter pup! It’s all the more reason to dedicate your new dog’s name to the spooky day. Here are the best Halloween dog names to consider.

Types of Halloween Dog Names

Looking for spooktacular Halloween pet name ideas? Check out this list of dog names associated with Halloween.

Halloween Food-Inspired Dog Names

These names are fit for Halloween pups as sweet as candy corn.

Pumpkin Spice
Candy
Snickers
Maple
Ruth
Musketeer
Cocoa
Taffy
Starburst
Reese
Milky
Skittles
Cinnamon
Peanut
Tootsie

Halloween Horror Flicks-Inspired Dog Names

Have a little Hellraiser on your hands? These spooky dog names are sure to suit them well.

Beetlejuice – Calling your dog three times is sure to summon them.
Blair – We recommend sticking to sniffing out treats, not witches in the woods.
Chucky – Aww, what a doll.
Annabelle – The other really spooky doll.
Cujo – You’ll never forget to schedule your dog’s rabies booster.
Jack Skellington – Jackie for girl pups and Skelli for short.
Zero – Any sidekick of Jack Skellington’s is a pet-worthy name.
Casper – Who doesn’t love a friendly ghost?
Samara – For the pooch always up for a movie night. Just keep an eye out for anything crawling out of the screen.
Fritz – The villain in the 1931 Frankenstein film who assists Henry Frankenstein in his experiments with life and death.
Frankenstein – Frankie, for short.
Frankenweenie – For the “resurrected” shelter dog who has a second chance at life.
Pennywise – A perfect name for the pup who likes to clown around.
Fester – Perhaps the kookiest member of The Addams Family, Uncle Fester proves that being different can be quite… electric.
Pugsley – A really cute Halloween-themed dog name also inspired by The Addams Family.
Annabelle – The perfect spooky name for a dog who’s more likely to conjure mischief than play fetch.
Rosemary – For the demon spawn (I mean fur baby) who just enrolled in obedience class.

Halloween Dog Names Inspired by Witches, Wizards, and their Familiars

It was believed that witches had “familiars,” or animals who were actually demons in disguise, explains Dr. Martha Bayless, professor and director of folklore and public culture at the University of Oregon College of Arts and Sciences. While we know there’s nothing spooky about a canine companion, these witch dog names are a fun way to pay homage to Halloween folklore.

Ursula, Flotsam, and Jetsam – A fitting trio of names for a spooky, water-loving pack.
Winifred – As the oldest Sanderson sister, Winifred is the most powerful of the three Hocus Pocus witches.
Jiji – Kiki and Jiji are an inseparable pair from Studio Ghibli’s Kiki’s Delivery Service who are on a witchy adventure.
Hedwig – Harry Potter would’ve been lost without his owl, Hedwig. Try” Expelliarmus!” in place of “drop it.”
Crookshanks – For the pet as clever as Hermione herself.
Elphaba – You might know her as the Wicked Witch of the West.
Salem – Some dogs are more cat-like than others, and should feel honored to be named after Sabrina the Teenage Witch’s talking cat Salem.
Endora – The chief antagonist and most powerful witch in the series Bewitched.
Pan – Okay, she’s not technically a witch. But Lyra of His Dark Materials lives in a universe filled with magic and has an uncanny ability to read a truth-telling device, all alongside her charming daemon Pantalaimon (Pan).

Halloween Dog Names Inspired by Spooky Authors and Filmmakers

These literary and cinematic pet names are perfect for ghoulish girls and bewitching boys.

R.L. Stine – Best known for the spooky Goosebumps series.
Egar Allen Poe – Or Raven.
Mary Shelley – She wrote Frankenstein in 1816 at the age of 18.
Tim Burton – The mastermind behind Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Sleepy Hollow, and more.
King (Stephen) – Literally the King of horror.
Lovecraft – Also goes by H.P.
Toro (Guillermo del Toro) – He’s known for his dark and whimsical films including Pan’s Labyrinth, Crimson Peak, Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, and Nightmare Alley.

Halloween Names for Black Dogs

Bayless says that the color black is often associated with evil because it’s the color of darkness, and darkness is traditionally seen as a time when evil creeps about. Unfortunately, this association has led to black cats and dogs being adopted at lower rates from animal shelters. If you adopted a black pooch on National Black Dog Day (October 1) — or any day of the year — these Halloween-themed names for black dogs will suit their personality and looks.

Layla
Noir
Inky
Ash
Nyx
Orpheus
Spooky
Onyx
Shadow
Midnight
Graphite
Bat

Why should I choose a Halloween-themed name for my dog?

Ultimately, deciding whether or not to choose a Halloween-themed name for your dog is up to you. But if you’re looking for a fun and unique name that will make your dog stand out from the crowd, if you really love spooky season, or if your dog was adopted during October, a Halloween-themed name makes a fitting choice.

Tips for Choosing the Perfect Halloween-Themed Dog Name

Use these tips for choosing a Halloween dog name (or any pet name!):

Choose a name with hard sounds. Names starting with letters such as “k,” “p,” and “d” are more likely to grab your dog’s attention.
Keep the name short and simple. Two-syllable names are ideal.
Pick a name that you like and that you’ll be comfortable using in public. That means all year round and not just during spooky season.

Commonly Asked Questions

Are there any gender-specific popular Halloween dog names?

There are lots of popular Halloween-themed names for girl dogs (Carrie, Annabelle, or Layla) and boy dog names (Freddie, Tim Burton, or Chucky). However, gender doesn’t need to be a limiting factor when choosing a Halloween-themed dog name. For instance, many gender-neutral Halloween dog names are both popular and fun, such as Inky, Boo, or Pennywise. You may even choose to ignore gender norms altogether — your pup won’t mind!

Should I consider my dog’s breed or size when choosing a Halloween name?

It’s up to you whether or not to consider your dog” breed or size when choosing a Halloween name. Some people believe that the name should match a dog’s physical appearance, while others believe that the name should be more personal and reflect a dog’s personality.

Janelle Leeson is a Portland, Oregon-based freelance writer. Her work has been featured in magazines such as Inside Your Dog’s Mind, Inside Your Cat’s Mind, and Paw Print, as well online at Insider Reviews, NBC Select, Shop Today, PetMD, and Daily Paws. She has two adventure cats, a flock of urban chickens, and a soon-to-be-husband who doesn’t mind housing the occasional foster cat — or five.

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