Shih Tzus are happiest when they’re cuddled up and cozy with their favorite person—which isn’t a surprise considering that they were initially bred to warm the laps of Chinese emperors. The rest of the world didn’t discover this adorable breed until the 1930s, but they quickly became one of the most popular toy dogs in the United States and abroad.
According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), they are as sweet and charming as they appear, especially to children, making them an ideal family addition. Just remember to take special care of their coat which—though a bit demanding—is truly their crowning glory. We’ve rounded up the most popular Shih Tzu names of the year from our enormous Rover.com database of dog names nationwide. Yes, these are real names given by Shih Tzu owners, ranked in order of popularity. Did your dog’s name make the list?
Looking for a dog name for your new puppy or adopted family member? Have fun, use your imagination, and be sure to check out other ideas from our wide selection of dog name lists.
Via Pixabay/tookapic
The 141 Most Popular Shih Tzu Names
- Bella
- Teddy
- Charlie
- Max
- Lucy
- Gizmo
- Zoe
- Lily
- Chloe
- Daisy
- Lola
- Chewy
- Buddy
- Toby
- Coco
- Luna
- Milo
- Sophie
- Cooper
- Oreo
- Bentley
- Molly
- Rocky
- Oliver
- Bailey
- Maggie
- Lulu
- Leo
- Benji
- Mia
- Sadie
- Bear
- Oscar
- Tucker
- Louie
- Princess
- Rosie
- Coco
- Gracie
- Penny
- Jack
- Ollie
- Cookie
- Murphy
- Izzy
- Beau
- Bailey
- Stella
- Ellie
- Bandit
- Winston
- Lexi
- Theo
- Ruby
- Pepper
- Lucky
- Ginger
- Roxy
- Harley
- Dexter
- Bruno
- Buster
- Romeo
- Minnie
- Archie
- Gus
- Baxter
- Piper
- Jax
- Henry
- Nala
- Sasha
- Prince
- Sammy
- Chase
- Gigi
- Missy
- Ella
- Oreo
- Poppy
- Maya
- Abby
- Belle
- Marley
- Pebbles
- Loki
- Annie
- Ace
- Simba
- Duke
- Benny
- Roscoe
- Lacey
- Millie
- Honey
- Baby
- Riley
- Brody
- Zeus
- Walter
- Lady
- Willow
- Layla
- Pepper
- Snickers
- Jake
- Jasper
- Cosmo
- Miley
- Charlie
- Winnie
- Ziggy
- Jackson
- Koda
- Kobe
- Cody
- Joey
- Sassy
- Brady
- Finn
- Rocco
- Harley
- Mimi
- Callie
- Mocha
- Trixie
- Yoshi
- Fluffy
- Remi
- Otis
- Tank
- Phoebe
- Cocoa
- Khloe
- Pixie
- King
- Yogi
- Chance
- Sparky
- Shadow
- Scooter
Top 10 Female Shih Tzu Names
Names with an asterisk (*) are not in the top 10 for all dogs nationwide
- Bella
- Lucy
- Zoe*
- Lily*
- Chloe*
- Daisy
- Lola
- Coco*
- Luna
- Sophie*
Top 10 Male Shih Tzu Names
Names with an asterisk (*) are not in the top 10 for all dogs nationwide
- Teddy*
- Charlie
- Max
- Gizmo*
- Chewy*
- Buddy
- Toby*
- Milo
- Cooper
- Oreo*
Via Pixabay/Toberoon
Shih Tzu Name Trends
It seems that fun, food-inspired names are popular choices for Shih Tzu families when it comes to choosing a moniker. Maybe it’s because these pups are so small and sweet you just want to eat them up? As you can see, there are a plethora of names that seems to be cuisine-inspired, including Oreo, Cookie, Pepper, Ginger, and Snickers.
We also see a big influx of quirky and silly names, probably because this breed has such a fun-loving and charming personality, plus they’re super popular with kids (and we know how much they love silly names). The most popular ones include Chewy, Gizmo, Pebbles, Yogi, and Sassy.
Shih Tzu Name Advice
If you’re having trouble deciding, keep in mind that great Shih Tzu names can come from many different sources of inspiration, such as your favorite food, television shows, musicians, your heritage, or even dog breed history. For example, your puppy might sport a favorite dish’s name like Curry or a TV character-inspired moniker like Fonzie.
Another consideration when choosing your Shih Tzu’s name? Dog training. This is of particular importance for puppies. When you’re teaching your new dog to respond to commands like sit, stay, or come, you’ll want to be sure their name isn’t a source of confusion. In other words, avoid puppy names that sound like a common dog training cue, such as “Bit,” which could easily be misheard as “sit.”
Of course, what matters most is that the dog name you choose rolls off your tongue. The best Shih Tzu names will make you happy. We’re fans of the “backdoor test” for dog name selection. It’s pretty much what it sounds like: stand at the back door and call out your new dog‘s potential name. Saying “Poppy, it’s time for dinner!” or “Chance, leave it!” helps take the name out of your imagination and into reality.
Via Pixabay/BenjaminNelan
All Dog Names, All the Time
As dog lovers through and through here at Rover, we find dog names absolutely fascinating, and we love searching our data on the topic to discover hot trends, quirky choices, and unique twists on classics. Over the years, we’ve compiled plenty of names for you to peruse—and we keep our lists updated with new data each year.
To start, check out our list of the most popular names of 2020, and then jump over to unique dog names to see the contrast. But that’s only the beginning. We’ve got articles covering top geeky choices, Australian dog names, creative dog names, and popular names for red dogs, cute dogs, Bernese Mountain dogs and many more.
