If you’re on the hunt for a unique and special name for your new dog, let’s embark on a journey to the heart of Europe – the Czech Republic. This post is going to be your map to some tail-wagging Czech dog names.
If you’re inspired by Czech heritage or a great vacation–or you have a Czech dog breed, have a look at this collection of Czech names for dogs inspired by popular girls’ and boys’ names in the Czech Republic, Czech foods, pet names and more.
You may not realize it, but Czechs settled a large part of Texas. John grew up in a Czech area so with visits to his hometown over the years (and eventually a visit to Prague!), I’ve finally learned to pronounce many of the beautiful Czech names that fill the street signs and mailboxes in that part of the state.
Popular Czech Girls’ Names
There’s a growing trend toward naming our dogs with baby names; many English baby names have Czech equivalents, too.
- Adéla – Noble, Kind (ah-DAY-lah)
- Alena – Torch or bright light (ah-LEN-ah)
- Alžběta – God is my oath (equivalent to Elizabeth) (alzh-BYEH-tah)
- Andrea – Brave (ahn-DREY-ah)
- Anna – Grace, favor (AHN-nah)
- Barbora – Foreign, strange (equivalent to Barbara) (bar-BOR-ah)
- Blanka – White, pure (BLAHN-kah)
- Božena – Divine, godly (bo-ZHEH-nah)
- Dagmar – Day’s glory (DAG-mar)
- Dana – God is my judge (DAH-nah)
- Daniela – God is my judge (dan-YEL-ah)
- Dominika – Belonging to the Lord (doh-MIN-ee-kah)
- Eliška – God’s promise (equivalent to Eliza) (eh-LEESH-kah)
- Ema – Universal or whole (EH-mah)
- Eva – Giver of life (EH-vah)
- Gabriela – God is my strength (gah-bree-EL-ah)
- Hana – Grace or favor (HAH-nah)
- Helena – Torch or moon (heh-LEH-nah)
- Ivana – God is gracious (ee-VAH-nah)
- Jana – God is gracious (YAH-nah)
- Jaroslava – Glory of spring (yah-roh-SLAH-vah)
- Jitka – From Judah, or praised (YEET-kah)
- Kamila – Perfect (kah-MEE-lah)
- Karolína – Free woman (kah-roh-LEE-nah)
- Kateřina – Pure (kah-ter-ZHEE-nah)
- Klára – Bright or clear (KLAR-ah)
- Kristýna – Follower of Christ (kris-TEEN-ah)
- Lenka – Torch or bright light (LEN-kah)
- Lucie – Light (loo-CIE). A different spelling from the usual Lucy, which is always one of the most popular dog names.
- Ludmila – Favor of the people (lood-MEE-lah)
- Magdalena – From Magdala or woman from Magdala (mag-dah-LEH-nah)
- Marcela – Young warrior (mar-CHEL-ah)
- Marie – Wished-for child, or bitterness (equivalent to Mary) (mah-REE)
- Markéta – Pearl (mar-KET-ah)
- Marta – Lady, mistress (MAR-tah)
- Michaela – Who is like God? (mee-khah-EL-ah)
- Milada – Love or grace (mee-LAH-dah)
- Milena – Gracious, dear (mee-LEH-nah)
- Miroslava – Glory of peace (meer-oh-SLAH-vah)
- Nikola – Victory of the people (nee-KOH-lah)
- Olga – Holy (OL-gah)
- Pavla – Small, humble (PAHV-lah)
- Petra – Stone, rock (PET-rah)
- Radka – Joyful, willing (RAD-kah)
- Renata – Reborn (reh-NAH-tah). A good name for an older rescue dog who has had a difficult start.
- Simona – He has heard (si-MOH-nah)
- Tereza – Harvester or guardian (teh-REZ-ah). A good name for a farm dog.
- Veronika – True image or victory bringer (veh-roh-NEE-kah)
- Věra – Faith, truth (VEH-rah)
- Zuzana – Lily (zoo-ZAH-nah)
Popular Czech Boys’ Names and Their Meanings
- Adam – Man, to make (AH-dam)
- Aleš – Defender of mankind (related to Alexander) (AH-lesh)
- Antonín – Priceless, invaluable (ahn-toh-NEEN)
- Bohuslav – God’s glory (BOH-hoo-slav)
- Dalibor – Distant battle (DAH-lee-bor)
- Daniel – God is my judge (DAN-yel)
- David – Beloved (DAH-veed)
- Dominik – Belonging to the Lord (DOH-mee-nik)
- Dušan – Soul or spirit (DOO-shan)
- Eduard – Guardian of riches (EH-doo-ard)
- Filip – Lover of horses (FEE-lip)
- František – Free man (FRAN-tee-shek). A good name for a rescue dog.
- Hynek – From an older Czech word meaning “child” (HEE-nyek)
- Igor – Warrior of peace (EE-gor)
- Jakub – Supplanter, held by the heel (YAH-kub)
- Jan – God is gracious (YAN)
- Jiří – Farmer (related to George) (YEER-zhee). Another good farm dog name.
- Josef – God will increase (YO-sef)
- Karel – Free man (related to Charles) (KAH-rel)
- Ladislav – Rule of glory (LAH-dee-slav)
- Leoš – Brave people (LEH-osh)
- Lubomír – Love and peace (LOO-boh-meer)
- Lukáš – From Lucania (related to Lucas) (LOO-kahsh)
- Marek – Warlike (related to Mark) (MAH-rek)
- Martin – Warlike, warrior (MAR-teen)
- Matěj – Gift of God (related to Matthew) (ma-TYAY)
- Matyáš – Gift of God (another form related to Matthew) (ma-TYAHSH)
- Michal – Who is like God? (MEE-khal)
- Milan – Gracious, dear (MEE-lahn)
- Miloš – Gracious, lover of glory (MEE-losh)
- Mirek – Peaceful glory (MEE-rek)
- Ondřej – Manly, brave (related to Andrew) (OHN-dzhray)
- Pavel – Small, humble (PAH-vel)
- Petr – Stone, rock (PETR)
- Radim – Happy peace (RAH-deem)
- Radek – Joyful, willing (RAH-dek)
- Roman – Citizen of Rome (ROH-man)
- Rudolf – Famous wolf (ROO-dolf)
- Šimon – He has heard (SHEE-mon)
- Stanislav – Glory of the camp or glory of the people (STAH-nee-slav)
- Štěpán – Crown, garland (related to Stephen) (SHTYEH-pahn)
- Tomáš – Twin (toh-MAHSH)
- Václav – More glory (VAHTS-lav)
- Viktor – Conqueror (VEEK-tor)
- Vladimír – Great power, rule (vlah-DEE-meer)
- Vlastimil – Fatherland lover (VLAS-tee-meel)
- Vojtěch – Consoling soldier (VOYT-khekh)
- Žan – God is gracious (variation of Jan) (ZHAN)
- Zbyněk – The distant one (ZBEE-nyek)
- Zdeněk – Built by God (ZDEH-nyek)
Pet Names in Czech
- Andílek – Little angel; (ahn-DEE-lek)
- Brouček – Little bug; (BROW-chek)
- Drahoušek – Little treasure; (DRAH-hooshek)
- Drahý/Drahá – Dear (male/female); (DRAH-hee/DRAH-hah)
- Kočička – Kitten; (ko-CHEECH-kah)
- Krásko – Beauty; (KRAH-sko)
- Lásko – Love; (LAHS-ko)
- Mazlíček – Cuddler, pet; (MAZ-leech-ek)
- Medvídek – Little bear; (MED-vee-dek)
- Miláček – Darling; (MEE-lah-chek)
- Mimi – Cutesy term without direct meaning; (MEE-mee)
- Motýlek – Little butterfly; (mo-TIL-ek)
- Růžička – Little rose; (ROO-zhich-kah)
- Sladký/Sladká – Sweet (male/female); (SLAD-kee/SLAD-kah)
- Sluníčko – Little sun; (SLOO-neech-ko)
- Šmudlík – Little smudger; (SHMOOD-leek)
- Zlatíčko – Little gold or golden one; (ZLAH-teech-ko)
Czech Names from Folklore and Mythology
Czech mythology, stemming from Slavic mythology and traditions, offers a rich array of names filled with meaning and history. However, it’s important to note that not all names in Slavic mythology are strictly Czech; many are shared with other Slavic nations. Here are some names from Czech and broader Slavic mythology:
- Belobog – White god, the god of the day and light. (BEH-loh-bog)
- Černobog – Black god, a deity of darkness and evil. (CHER-noh-bog)
- Dazhbog – Giving god, a sun deity. (DAZH-bog)
- Domovoi – Household deity, protector of the home. (doh-MOH-voy)
- Dobrozhe – Good god, deity of fortune. (DOH-bro-zheh)
- Dziewona – Virgin goddess, counterpart to Roman Diana. (dzyeh-VOH-nah)
- Hors – Sun deity. (hors)
- Jarilo – God of fertility and spring. (YAH-ree-loh)
- Koliada – Winter festival deity, associated with the winter solstice. (koh-LYAH-dah)
- Koschei – Immortal figure often featured in fairy tales, kidnapper of the hero’s wife. (KOSH-chay)
- Lada – Goddess of beauty and fertility. (LAH-dah)
- Lelia – Deity of love and harmony. (LEH-lya)
- Marzanna – Goddess of winter’s death and rebirth of nature. (mar-ZAHN-nah)
- Mokosh – Earth goddess, protector of women and fertility. (MOH-kosh)
- Morana – Goddess of death and winter. (MOH-rah-nah)
- Morena – Another name for Morana. (MOH-reh-nah)
- Nav – Spirit from the underworld. (nav)
- Pereplut – Deity of drinking and alcohol. (PEH-reh-plut)
- Perun – God of thunder and war, top deity similar to Thor in Norse mythology. (PEH-run)
- Pizamar – Goddess who helps in childbirth. (PEE-zah-mar)
- Polelun – Moon god. (poh-LEH-loon)
- Porvata – Forest god. (por-VAH-tah)
- Radegast – God of war, fertility, and abundance. (RAH-deh-gahst)
- Rod – Creator god, god of fate. (rod)
- Rozhanitsy – Fate goddesses. (roz-HAHN-it-sy)
- Rusalka – Water nymph. (roo-SAL-kah)
- Stribog – God of winds, air, and sky. (STREE-bog)
- Svarog – God of the celestial fire and blacksmithing. (SVAR-og)
- Svetovid – God of war, fertility, and abundance. (SVEH-toh-vid)
- Triglav – Three-headed god representing the realms of heaven, earth, and the underworld. (TREE-glav)
- Veles – God of cattle, commerce, magic, and the underworld. (VEH-les) A fun name for a ranch dog!
- Vesna – Goddess of spring. (VES-nah)
- Volos – Another name for Veles. (VOH-los)
- Zaria – Goddess of beauty. (ZAR-yah)
- Zorya – Morning and evening star goddesses. (ZOR-yah)
- Ziva – Goddess of life and fertility. (ZEE-vah)
- Zizilia – Goddess of love. (zee-ZIL-yah)
- Zlatorog – Golden-horned deer from Slavic tales. (ZLAH-toh-rog)
- Zvezda – Morning star. (ZVEZ-dah)
- Živa – Another name for Ziva. (ZHIV-ah)
- Žrinje – Place of worship. (ZHRIN-yeh)
Geography
- Beroun (A town west of Prague) – [bair-OWN]
- Bohemia (The historical country that constitutes a major part of the Czech Republic) – [bo-HEE-mee-uh]
- Brno (The second largest city in the Czech Republic) – [BURR-no]
- Cesky (Inspired by Český Krumlov, a picturesque town in South Bohemia) – [CHES-kee]
- Danube (Although this river doesn’t flow through the Czech Republic, its basin covers a part of it) – [DAN-yoob]
- Děčín (A town in the north of the Czech Republic) – [DYE-chin]
- Elbe (One of the major rivers) – [EL-buh]
- Hradec (Inspired by Hradec Králové, an important city) – [HRAD-ets]
- Jesenik (A mountain range in the northeast) – [YES-eh-nik]
- Karlovy (From Karlovy Vary, a famous spa town) – [KAR-loh-vee]
- Kutná (Inspired by Kutná Hora, a city known for its historic architecture) – [KOOT-na]
- Liberec (A city in northern Czech Republic) – [LEE-bair-ets]
- Mácha (After Mácha’s Lake, named for the poet Karel Hynek Mácha) – [MAH-khah]
- Moravia (A historical country in the eastern part of the Czech Republic) – [mo-RAH-vee-uh]
- Olomouc (A city known for its ancient history and architecture) – [OH-loh-moats]
- Ostrava (A city in the northeast of the Czech Republic) – [os-TRAH-vah]
- Pardubice (A city in eastern Bohemia) – [par-DOO-bee-tseh]
- Plzen (Or Pilsen, a city known for its beer) – [PLEE-zehn]
I “petted” the dog plaque on Prague’s scenic Charles Bridge.
- Prague (The capital city) – [PRAHG]
- Rokytnice (Inspired by Rokytnice nad Jizerou, a town in the Liberec Region) – [roh-KIT-nee-tseh]
- Sumava (A national park and mountain range along the German border) – [SOO-mah-vah]
- Tabor (A city in the South Bohemian Region) – [TAH-bor]
- Telč (A town known for its Renaissance architecture) – [TELSH]
- Vltava (The longest river in the country) – [VLTAH-vah]
- Vyšehrad (A historic fort in Prague) – [VEE-sheh-rad]
- Zlín (A city in southeastern Moravia) – [ZLEEN]
- Znojmo (A major town in the South Moravian Region) – [ZNOY-mo]
Inspired by Food and Drink
- Brambora – Potato (Bram-bor-ah)
- Buchtička – Little sweet bun often filled with jam or poppy seeds (Boohk-tee-chka)
- Černé – Dark beer (Chair-ne)
- Chlebíček – Open-faced sandwich (Khle-bee-check)
- Guláš – Goulash, a thick stew (Goo-lahsh)
- Houska – Type of bread roll (How-skah)
- Knedlík – Dumpling (Knedge-leek)
- Kobliha – Doughnut (Kob-lee-ha)
- Koláč – A traditional pastry filled with fruits or poppy seeds (Ko-lahch). The Americanized version of this word — Kolache — is probably the most popular Czech dog name in Texas!
- Kroupy – Pearl barley (Kroo-pee)
- Lívance – Czech pancakes (Lee-van-tse)
- Medovník – Honey cake (Med-ov-neek)
- Moravský – From Moravian wine region, referring to wines (Mor-av-skee)
- Nakládaný – Pickled sausages (Nak-lah-da-nee). A different twist on the usual sausage dog names!
- Ovocné – Fruit dumplings (O-voch-ne)
- Párek – Sausage (Paah-rek)
- Perník – Gingerbread (Per-neek)
- Pilsner – From Pilsner Urquell, the world-renowned Czech beer (Pilz-ner)
- Pivko – Inspired by “pivo” meaning beer; “pivko” is a cute dog name in diminutive form (Piv-ko)
- Plumkovice – From Slivovice, a plum brandy (Plum-ko-vee-tse)
- Pražma – Roasted pork belly (Praazh-mah)
- Radegast – A well-known Czech beer brand (Rah-deh-gahst)
- Staropramen – A popular beer brand from Prague (Sta-roh-pra-men)
- Trdelník – A traditional rolled pastry sprinkled with sugar and nuts (Trdel-neek)
- Vepřo – From “vepřo-knedlo-zelo”, which is roasted pork with dumplings and sauerkraut (Vep-zho)
- Zelí – Cabbage (Zeh-lee)
Greetings
- Ahoj – Hi/Hello (Informal, similar to “Hey” in English) – Pronunciation: Ah-hoy
- Čau – Bye (Informal) – Pronunciation: Chao (similar to the Italian “ciao”)
- Dobrý den – Good day/Hello (Formal, used often throughout the day) – Pronunciation: Dob-ree den. Dobrý makes a good nickname.
- Jak (pronounced yok): “Jak se máš?” is pretty close in tone and informality to “how’s it going?” in English.
Dog Terms in Czech
- Aport (Fetch) – Pronunciation: Ah-port
- Haf (Woof) – Pronunciation: Hahf
- K noze (Come here/To heel) – Pronunciation: K no-zeh
- Lehni (Lie down) – Pronunciation: Leh-khnee
- Pes (Dog) – Pronunciation: Pess
- Sedni (Sit) – Pronunciation: Sed-nee
- Štěně (Puppy) – Pronunciation: Shtyeh-nyeh
- Zůstaň (Stay) – Pronunciation: Zoo-stahn
How to Use Diminutives to Make Czech Puppy Names
In Czech, diminutives are often formed by adding specific suffixes to the root of a word, which usually makes the word sound more affectionate or denotes something smaller or younger. Common diminutive suffixes include “-ka”, “-ko”, “-ek”, “-ík”, and others.
Here are 10 dog names in their original form, followed by their diminutive form, along with their meanings and pronunciation:
- Filip (Philip) -> Filípek (Little Filip). Pronunciation: Fee-lip -> Fee-lee-pek
- Kája (derived from Karel) -> Kájík (Little Kája). Pronunciation: Kaa-ya -> Kaa-yik
- Lukáš (Lucas) -> Lukášek (Little Lukáš). Pronunciation: Loo-kahsh -> Loo-kah-shek
- Max (a common dog name) -> Maxík (Little Max). Pronunciation: Max -> Max-eek
- Medvěd (Bear) -> Medvídek (Little bear). Pronunciation: Med-vyed -> Med-vee-dek
- Míša (derived from Michal) -> Míšek (Little Míša). Pronunciation: Mee-sha -> Mee-shek
- Růže (Rose) -> Růžička (Little rose). Pronunciation: Roo-zhe -> Roo-zhee-chka
- Tonda (derived from Antonín) -> Tondík (Little Tonda). Pronunciation: Ton-da -> Ton-deek
- Vojta (derived from Vojtěch) -> Vojtík (Little Vojta). Pronunciation: Voy-ta -> Voy-teek
- Zuzka (derived from Zuzana) -> Zuzička (Little Zuzka). Pronunciation: Zooz-ka -> Zooz-eetch-ka
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Paris Permenter is the award-winning co-author, with John Bigley, of over 30 pet and travel books including The Healthy Hound Cookbook and Texas with Dogs, both available through Simon and Schuster. Paris is also a member of the Dog Writers Association of America.
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