175+ Dog Names For Your Independent Pooch

Dogs are known to be faithful and loyal companions, but every so often you get one of those pups that likes to march to the beat of their own drum. They are the dogs who do things their own way, breaking the mold of training principles and simply defying the rules of conventional. These pups are often the most fun to own, because really… who wants normal?

This article is to honor all those trailblazer dogs who stand out from the pack because their non-conformity is what makes them simply unforgettable.

If you are lucky enough to have one of these special dogs, then you definitely should pick one of these awesome independent dog names for him or her to perfectly capture their free-spirited nature.

👧 Dog Names Inspired by Independent Women

These women will forever be pioneers in their respective fields, having defied the societal norms of the time forging ahead with adventures or discoveries. These are some of the most iconic women figures in history and your lady friend would be proud to sport any of these names.

We would love a pup called “Vixen” or “Cleopatra”. If you have a truly mischievous little lady on your hands, then “Bonnie” is particularly well-suited.

• More girl dog names here

Amelia	Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic ocean
Bonnie	of Bonnie and Clyde fame – a pair of famous outlaws
Chanel	Coco Chanel was a French fashion designer who founded the Chanel brand and made casual chic an acceptable female style of dressing
Cleopatra	a powerful Egyptian Queen
Coco	Coco Chanel was a French fashion designer who founded the Chanel brand and made casual chic an acceptable female style of dressing
Elizabeth	Queen Elizabeth was a strong, independent woman
Florence	Florence Nightingale was the founder of nursing as we know it today
Frida	Frida Kahlo was a Mexican painter who has become a cultural icon and symbol of empowerment due to her depiction of the feminine form in her art
Indie	Indie music is produced independently from commercial record labels
Janis	Janis Joplin was an independent artist
Joan	Joan of Arc was a French peasant girl who led the French army to victory against the English in the Hundred Years War and effectively stopped the British from conquering France
Liberty	the Statue of Liberty honors the USA's independence – it was a gift from France
Ma Rainey	was considered the “Mother of Blues” because she influenced the development of the blues genre
Malala	Malala Yousafzai won a Nobel Peace Prize at the age of 17
Marie	Marie Curie conducted pioneering research into radioactivity and discovered polonium and radium
Nefertiti	a powerful Egyptian Queen
Nightingale	Florence Nightingale was the founder of nursing as we know it today
Queen	an independent ruler
Rosa	Rosa Parks was a pioneer of the civil rights movement in America when she refused to give up her seat on a bus to a white man
Vixen	a spirited and fierce woman

👦 Male Independent Dog Names

The men on this list shunned safety and braved huge obstacles to go on incredible adventures and expeditions. Their bravery is epic and their discoveries unforgettable.

We think it would be really cute to name a pair of dogs “Marco” and “Polo” – think of the laughs at the dog park! We also really love the name “Bandit” for a boy dog, especially if he has patches around his eyes that make him look a bit like the robbers from the old days. 

• More male dog name ideas here

Bandit	an outlaw
Blaze	if you blaze a trail, you prepare the path for others to follow
Captain	the leader of a team or person in command of a ship
Champ	short for champion
Champion	the ultimate winner
Charlie	means “free man”
Christopher	Christopher Columbus was a great explorer
Clark	Lewis and Clark were famous explorers
Clyde	of Bonnie and Clyde fame – a pair of famous outlaws
Columbus	Christopher Columbus was a great explorer
Davidson	for the Harley Davidson motorcycle, which is often associated with people who are rebellious
Gunner	a gunner is an ambitious person, an overachiever
Kesler	an American name that means “independent” and “energetic”
King	an independent ruler
Lewis	Lewis and Clark were famous explorers
Marco	Marco Polo was an independent explorer
Maverick	a person with an independent mind
Moses	he led the Jews out of Egypt
Pirate	a sea bandit/outlaw
Polo	Marco Polo was an independent explorer
Ponce de Leon	a famous explorer who made his first voyage with Christopher Columbus
Ranger	to become a ranger in the army is really hard and only a select few elite can manage it
Sarge	short for sergeant
Scout	someone who goes out ahead of the rest to gather information
Sergeant	a military leader

🚻 Unisex Ideas for Independent Dog Names

Here are some great ideas if you don’t want to tie your dog’s name to a specific gender. We adore the names “Rebel” and “Boho” for something a little different. If you are a bit of a badass, then how about “Harley” after the super cool motorbikes – extra points if you pull up to the dog park on your Harley Davidson with your pooch in the sidecar!

• More unisex dog names here

Adventurer	adventurers are often free spirits who love to go explore new and exciting things
Boho	boho is short for bohemian which refers to a person who is socially unconventional
Daredevil	someone who doesn't follow the rules, a risk-taker
Explorer	these are the ultimate adventure seekers who are pioneers of discovery
Freedom	being free is the epitome of independence
Freewheel	freewheeling means a disregard for the rules and following an unconventional path
Harley	for the badass motorcycles often associated with people who are considered rebels
Hippie	hippies traditionally reject societal norms and live lives of freedom
Lawless	someone who doesn't follow the law
Leader	the head of a group
Odyssey	a long and wandering journey (which you can undertake alone)
Pioneer	a leader in a particular field
President	the leader of a country
Rebel	refers to someone who doesn't follow the rules and does things their own way
Roamer	a person who doesn't stay long enough in one place to put down roots
Rogue	going rogue means going off on your own to pursue something outside of the rules
Rolling Stone	refers to a person who doesn't like to stay in one place – they're independent
Solo	a person who undertakes things solo is often an independent spirit
Spunky	means courageous and determined
Trailblazer	a person who is the first to do something
Vagabond	a person who wanders around never settling in a home or job
Wanderer	a person who doesn't stay long enough in one place to put down roots
Wayfarer	a person who travels on foot from place to place

🐕 Name Your Puppy After Real Life Dogs Famous for Their Independent and Heroic Feats

These real life incredible dogs are all the proof you’ll ever need that dogs are THE best animals ever. The selfless bravery, complete disregard for their own safety and amazing endurance these pups showed makes them eternal heroes.

We got rather misty eyed compiling this list (thanks brave Gander!) and would love to have met these incredible four-legged souls. We love the name “Cosmo” and have to say “Just Nuisance” is an unforgettable moniker.

Balto	was the dog leading the sled team as it entered Nome with the diptheria serum. Although Togo ran further and through harsher conditions Balto got more glory as he was the dog who entered the town
Bamse	a Norwegian St. Bernard who became a symbol of Norwegian freedom during WW2
Ban	during a tsunami in Japan, Ban survived 3 weeks at sea before being reunited with her owner
Barry	the most famous rescue dog in the world saved over 40 people who got lost in the mountains
Bobbie	Bobbie the Wonder dog walked 2551 miles alone to return home to his owners after being seperated when his owners took him to visit family
Cairo	a navy seal dog who helped to take down Osama Bin Laden
Chips	was the most decorated war dog from WW2 – he took down a machine gun nest and forced its occupants to surrender on his own
Cosmo	spent 10 days alone in the Australian outback after wandering off
Endal	was a famous service dog – service dogs guide and help people with disabilities to live their lives with some degree of independence
Gander	a Newfoundland who saved several soldiers by grabbing a thrown grenade and running with it towards the enemy – he died in the explosion
Judy	survived the sinking of the HMS Grasshopper and was marooned on a desert island with some of the sailors who would have died if she didnt find an underground freshwater spring and save everybody
Just Nuisance	the only dog to ever be officially enlisted in the Royal Navy – he was a Great Dane
Kabang	saved 2 children from what would have been a fatal motorbike crash – she lost her snout in the process
Laika	the Soviet Space dog – she went up into space alone and pioneered modern space travel as we know it – sadly she died a horrific death all alone too
Lucca	a military pup trained to sniff out explosives – she was deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan – she participated in over 400 missions and had zero human fatalities – good dog!
Maggie	Maggie the Boxer survived 8 days in the Australian outback after running off on a family vacation
Nemo	a military dog during the Vietnam war who alerted his handler to enemies so they would not be ambushed
Patsy Ann	a deaf Bull Terrier who somehow knew when ships were arriving before anyone else – she was dubbed the Official Greeter of Juneau, Alaska
Rags	was a WW1 dog hero – he led the medics to the wounded soldiers through fog and gunfire
Ricochet	the original pioneer of dog surfing – she now surfs with children with special needs
Roselle	a guide dog who led her owner down 78 flights of stairs to safety after the Trade Center attacks
Sallie	served in the American Civil War – she followed the soldiers into battle and stood with them on the front lines barking at the enemy. She nearly made it through the whole war but was killed in action in 1865
Sergeant Stubby	was the first dog to be given rank in the US army and was a decorated war hero
Smoky	was a war hero – she was awarded 8 battle stars and went on 12 combat missions, she survived a typhoon and 150 air raids and even parachuted in a specially made device, she helped to run communications wires too, saving hundreds of soldiers and 40 planes – not bad for a tiny Yorkie
Smudge	a Springer Spaniel who ran to get help when his owner fell into a freezing river
Togo	the lead sled dog hero for the 1925 diptheria serum run to Nome Alaska – he ran over 260 miles to deliver the livesaving serum – he was 12 years old
Wilbur	a Rhodesian Ridgeback who saved his family from a house fire

🐊 Name Your Dog After Other Independent Animals

The Animal Kingdom is full of examples of animals that prefer to maintain their single status rather than hooking up. This list is a great source of inspiration if you have a pup that prefers their space rather than tolerating your Elmyra-style cuddles. Our top name pick is “Kinkajou” – utterly adorable!

• More animal-inspired dog names here

Aardvark	a nocturnal and solitary creature
Armadillo	these are solitary creatures
Badger	Honey Badgers live alone outside of breeding
Bear	bears are solitary animals and do not live in groups other than when a mother is raising her cubs
Birdie	birds are free to fly
Croc	saltwater crocodiles are extremely territorial and prefer to live alone (there are of course some species of crocodiles that do live in groups too)
Devil	Tasmanian Devils do not form packs
Honey	Honey Badgers live alone outside of breeding
Jaguar	are territorial apex predators that only come together during mating season
Kinkajou	while they sleep together in family units and groom each other they go foraging for food independently
Koala	these are solitary animals that do not live in social groups
Lionfish	fiercely defend their territory from unwanted guests
Mole	moles are small burrowing mammals that live underground – finding 3 moles together is considered a LOT
Monk	the Hawaiian Monk Seal lives and hunts alone, hence the name Monk
Orangutans	are the most solitary of the apes, preferring to stay alone outside of mating season
Panda	Pandas only come together to mate, preferring to live alone
Platypus	these animals live mostly alone
Polar Bear	they live alone generally with the exception of mother and cub groups
Raccoon	raccoons live and travel alone
Rhino	the black rhino is a solitary creature (their calves will stay with their mom for 3 years before seeking their own solitary existance)
Skunk	their powerful stink spray is enough to ward off predators and so don't live in groups
Sloth	sloths sleep their lives away at the tops of trees and spend most of their time alone
Snow Leopard	“Snowy” or “Leo” are great names – snow leopards live and hunt alone and are notoriously elusive – the only time they live in a group is as the mother cares for her cubs until they are independent enough to go off on their own
Tas	Tasmanian Devils do not form packs
Tiger	tigers are solitary animals except for mothers and cubs
Tiger Shark	is a solitary hunter
Turtle	sea turtles have been around for millions of years and have evolved to thrive independently
Wolverine	the ultimate loners – they live a free-roaming and independent lifestyle and are fiercely solitary

🎬 Independent Dog Names Inspired by Characters Who Did Things Their Own Way in Movies, TV Shows and Books

There is no better plot line than one where a character defies all odds, does things their own way and still comes out on top. This list is full of examples of free-spirited characters who didn’t follow the rules but still somehow won the day. We love “Braveheart” for a boy and “Katniss” for a girl.

Aragorn	The Lord of the Rings – he led the march on the black gate and then embraced his destiny as a king and leader
Arya	Arya Stark from Game of Thrones survived alone and became a skilled assassin
Atticus	Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird stood up for justice and morality in a racially divided society
Bennet	Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice defied societal norms by refusing to get married
Bolt	from the movie Bolt – Bolt goes on a mission to save his human
Braveheart	William Wallce led a rebellion against English oppression in the movie Braveheart
Bridget	Bridget Jones is an imperfect but independent woman navigating life and love in both the books and the movies of the same name
Captain Jack Sparrow	any 3 of those names make great dog names or all 3 combined – he was a free spirited pirate who lives by his own code in the Pirates of the caribbean franchise of movies
Daenerys	Daenerys Targaryen from Game of Thrones was determined to reclaim her throne
Dharma	from the TV Show Dharma and Greg – she was a total free spirit
Gandalf	Gandalf refused to be the head of the white council in favor of his independence and most certainly will not let just anybody pass- Lord of the Rings
Han Solo	a smuggler and a rogue with a strong sense of individualism from Star Wars
Harry	Harry Potter was always independently going off where he shouldn't and getting into trouble
Hermione	Hermione Granger from Harry Potter was Harry's sidekick but she often independently went off to the library to research things that kept Harry and Ron alive
Hondo	Hondo Ohnaka from Star Wars is described by many fans in 3 words as “Jack Freaking Sparrow” – he is a pirate and pillager who plays by his own rules and takes what he sees
Huckleberry Finn	was a young boy who rebelled against societal norms in the book The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Indiana Jones	a brave adventurer in the Indiana Jones movies
Jane	Jane Eyre – an orphaned governess who values her independence
Jasmine	Aladdin – she did not want to follow conventions and get married for the sake of it
Jo	Jo March from Little Women challenged gender norms and aspired to be a writer
Jock	Jock of the Bushveld – Jock was a brave hunting dog
Katniss	Katniss Everdeen from the Hunger Games – she fought against a dystopian regime and became a symbol of resistance often breaking the rules
Lara Croft	an adventurous archaeologist who explores ancient ruins in Tomb Raider
Lisbeth	Lisbeth Salander from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was a brilliant and rebellious hacker
Mad Max	he survives the wastelands in solitude in the Mad Max series
Matilda	Matilda is a book about a brilliant and independent young girl
Merida	Merida from Brave defied tradition and her mother in refusing to get married – she was fiercely independent and a brilliant archer and loved adventure
Mulan	Mulan – she joined the army disguised as a man to protect her family – she was fiercely independent and determined to do things her way
Rambo	John Rambo was a combat veteran who becomes a self-reliant survivalist
Rey	Star Wars – she survived as a scavenger and later became a Jedi
Robin Hood	a legendary outlaw who robs the rich to give to the poor
Rocky	Rocky Balboa was a fictional boxing champion
Ron	Ron Weasley was Harry's partner in crime
Ryder	Ryder from Paw Patrol has no parents and lives independently with his pack of pups
Tiana	The Princess and the Frog – she ran her own business – in fact she is the only Disney princess with a proper job
Vader	Darth Vader/Anakin Skywalker from Star Wars was a slave boy destined to become the Jedi's chosen one

😃 Dog Names Inspired by “Independent in Other Languages

Foreign languages are a treasure trove of epic dog names and we have gathered up all the best independent ones for you right here. These names are alluring and mysterious and are sure to be great conversation starters whenever you introduce your dog to someone. We adore the name “Isa” for a girl dog and “Azad” for a boy.

Avasa	a name of Indian origin that means “independent”
Azad	a Muslim boy name that means independent and free
Azadi	means freedom and liberty in Persian
Azat	is an Armenian name that means free and loyal
Bebas	means free in Malay
Edrei	Edrei is a Hebrew name that means “woman of great strength” – a great name to give to a free spirited individual
Fainiche	an Irish name that means “free”
Isa	Isa is a name with Arabic and German origins that means “strong-willed”
Lenna	is a German name that mean's “lion's strength” – Lions are known for their courage and fierceness
Libertad	means freedom in Spanish
Motuhake	the Maori word for independent
Sloboda	a Slavic term that means freedom or liberty
Svatantra	self-dependence, independence and self-will in Sanskrit
Swatantra	means autonomous in Hindi – someone who is free and not controlled or limited by rules
Trudy	a name with German origins that is the pet form of Gertrude and means “universal strength”
Valerie	this name has French and Latin origins and means “strong”, “brave”, “fierce” and “valiant”
Vapaus	means freedom in Finnish

Last Thoughts

We hope you have enjoyed our free-spirited article on independent dog names. Let us know which name you chose for your pup in the comments below.