120+ Harry Potter Dog Names (& Their Meanings!)

We love the Harry Potter films but until we began to compile this list of potential Harry Potter dog names, we didn’t realize just how many characters, places, creatures, and spells are included! If you’re in search of dog names, we’ve got some magical names from Harry Potter for your new puppy or adopted dog–including their meanings!

Harry Potter Dog Names Starting with A

• Alastor — An appropriate first name for “Mad Eye” Moody, (and for a devoted dog), Alastor means “defender of mankind.”
• Albus—  the Latin word for “white”  is the first name of the Headmaster of Hogwarts Albus Dumbledore.
• Alohomora —  You’ve  been charmed by your new canine companion, so why not name your dog after one of the spells that JK Rowling conjured up for the Harry Potter universe? Alohomora, which unlocks doors, was inspired by a word which means “friendly to thieves.”
• Aragog —  If you are a Fido-loving arachnophile you might consider naming your new four-legged friend after the spider in the Harry Potter books and movies. 
• Argus — Mr. Filch’s first name means “all seeing.”
• Arthur — An old Celtic word for “bear,” Arthur was the first name of the Weasley family patriarch.
• Azkaban —  A prison for those charged as criminals in the wizarding world, the word Azkaban closely resembles Abaddon, a Hebrew word for “depths of hell.”

B

• Barty Crouch Jr. —  As Barty Crouch, Jr. in Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire he may have joined forces with villainous Voldemort in an attempt to defeat The Boy Who Lived, but in real life actor David Tennant harnessed his own special brand of magic for the forces of good when he spoke for those who have no voice in a PSA for the Scottish SPCA.
• Basilisk —  Known as The King of Serpents, the name derives from a Greek word which means “little king.”  
• Beauxbaton — The Beauxbatons Academy of Magic counts Nicolas Flamel, Fleur Delacour and Olympe Maxime among its former students.
• Bellatrix —  Meaning “female warrior,” the ruthless witch who escaped from Azkaban was portrayed by Helena Bonham-Carter, who is a supporter of Canine Partners for Independence.   
• Boggart — A creature that can take on the physical form of a person’s worst fear.
• Buckbeak — A Hippogriff whose life was saved thanks to Hermione, Harry and Ron.    
• Butterbeer —  A favorite beverage of Hogwarts’ students.

C

• Cedric Diggory —  Meaning “kindly” and “loved,” Cedric was the Hufflepuff who met his fate while competing for the Triwizard Cup.
• Centaur — A human/horse hybrid, fans were introduced to the mythological creatures in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. 
• Cho Chang — The name of Harry Potter’s first crush.
• Confundo —  If your new barking buddy’s behavior baffles you at times, you might want to choose the confundus charm’s incantation for your dog’s name.
• Cornelius (Fudge) — While his first name means “wise,” the Minister of Magic’s surname shows that he can stray from the truth. 
• Crabbe —  If you have adopted a pair of pooches whose personalities would make them candidates for Slytherin House, why not name them after Crabbe and Goyle?  
• Creevey —  A member of Gryffindor House, Colin Creevey was a fan of Harry Potter.
• Crookshanks — Hermione’s half-Kneazle cat was portrayed on screen by two red Persians — Crackerjack, a male, and Pumpkin, a female. Fun fact: Actress Evanna Lynch who portrayed Luna Lovegood, named one of her own cats Crookshanks! 

D

• Delacour — Meaning “of the court,” Fleur Delacour represented Beauxbatons in the Triwizard Tournament. 
• Dementor —  Pet parents who want an ironic name for a fur baby that brings so much happiness, a Dementor feeds off of a person’s hope and joy, leaving only despair in its wake.
• Diagon —  As a young Harry Potter found out, Diagon Alley (the passageway behind The Leaky Cauldron) sounds deceptively like “diagonally!”
• Diggory — A name meaning “lost one” or “astray,” Cedric Diggory was the ill-fated representative of Hufflepuff in the Triwizard Tournament.  
• Dobby —  JK Rowling turned to an Old English word for her house elf turned hero.
• Draco —  The sneakiest student wizard in Slytherin House was named after the ancient Greek word for “dragon.” Fun fact: In 2021 Tom Felton, who portrayed Hogwart’s head bully, helped several charities by taking part in online Harry Potter watch-alongs with fans. The actor raised close to $3,500 for the U.S.-based Best Friends Animal Society and almost $2,500 for Dogs Trust in the UK!    
• Dudley —  Both Dudley and Dursely are names of market towns in England.
• Dumbeldore —  A name which refers to the bumblebee, the Hogwarts Headmaster was the most revered wizard of all.  
• Durmstrang —  Author JK Rowling looked to the German language for inspiration for The Durmstrang Institute for Witches and Wizards, with the close-sounding Sturm and Drang meaning “turmoil.”

E

• Expelliarmus —  The disarming spell would be an appropriate name for a dog who has totally charmed his or her pet parent!

F

• Fang — Movie buffs and bibliophiles alike will recognize Fang as the name of Hagrid’s dog in the Harry Potter franchise. Described as a Boarhound in the books, on the big screen Fang was portrayed by several Neapolitan Mastiffs, including Bella, Bully, Hugo, Luigi and Vito.
• Filch — The surname of Hogwarts’ cranky caretaker means “to casually pilfer,”  which would be a cute name if your dog playfully sneaks away with socks or toys. 
• Filius Flitwick — If the sound of your dog’s bark is music to your ears, why not name your new four-pawed pal after Hogwart’s  choir conductor.  
• Fleur — Not only did author JK Rowling plant a virtual garden of flower names among her tale’s cast of characters (Lily, Lavender, Pansy among them) she also chose the French word for ‘flower’ as the name of Beauxbarons’ Academy of Magic’s representative in the Triwizard Tournament, Fleur Delacour.   
• Fluffy — The name of three-headed dog in Harry Potter who guarded the sorcerer’s stone.

G

• George —  Did you adopt a pair of four-pawed pranksters?  You might want to name them after the Weasley twins, Fred (which means “peaceful ruler”) and George (which means “farmer”).
• Gilderoy Lockhart — A Professor whose ego was far larger than his abilities.
• Ginny — A variation of the name Guinevere, which means “fair” and “soft,” Ginny is the Weasley who won the heart of Harry Potter.  Fun Fact:  actress Bonnie Wright, who portrayed Ginny Weasley, fostered a dog and adopted a rescue puppy she named Billy Blue.
• Godric —  One of the four founders of Hogwarts, Godric Gryffindor’s name means “god-ruler.”
• Goyle — Pet parents who adopt a pair of pups whose personalities would make them candidates for Slytherin house might want to  name them after Draco’s sinister sidekicks, Crabbe and Goyle.  
• Grawp —  If your new puppy is colossal you could name him after Hagrid’s half-brother.
• Gringott —  JK Rowling slightly altered the word “ingot” when she came up with the name for the bank in the wizarding world. 
• Griphook —  The Head Goblin at Gringotts. 
• Gryffindor — If your new canine companion displays such admirable traits as courage and loyalty you might want to name your pup after the Hogwarts House that includes Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger and Harry Potter among its members.

H

• Hagrid — According to JK Rowling, the name of Hogwarts’ kind-hearted Keeper of Keys and Grounds is “…a dialect word– you’d had a bad night.”
• Hannah —  A Hufflepuff, Hannah Abbott’s first name means “grace.”
• Harry –The Boy Who Lived’s name means “home or house protector.”
• Hedwig— A combination of words which translate as “battle” and “duel,” Hedwig (a snowy owl) was both a mail deliverer and trusted friend, and the first birthday present anyone had given to Harry Potter. 
• Hermione — A name meaning “well born,”  as a heroine in the Harry Potter saga Hermione Granger was the brightest witch of her age. 
• Hogsmeade —  An all-wizard village and hangout for Hogwarts students who have special permission.
• Hogwarts —  The school of witchcraft and wizardry that became Harry Potter’s first real home.
• Horcrux —  Fashioned from dark magic, in the Harry Potter series seven Horcruxes contained pieces of He Who Must Not Be Named’s soul.
• Hufflepuff — Does your dog exhibit such admirable traits as loyalty, patience, dedication and kindness?  Then you might want to name your puppy after Hufflepuff House, which includes such past members as Newt Scamander, Nymphadora Tonks, Pomona Sprout and Cedric Diggory.  

I

• Igor — Film fans will remember Professor Igor Karkaroff, the Headmaster of Durmstrang Institute.
• Imperius — A curse that takes away its victim’s free will, leaving the person under the control of the conjurer. 

K

• Kreacher — A house-elf who obeyed the commands of the Black family.

L

• Lavender — A former flame of Ron Weasley, in the language of flowers Lavender Brown’s name conveys royalty, elegance, purity and devotion.
• Lily —  In the language of flowers the name of Harry Potter’s mother signifies purity, passion, renewal and rebirth.
• Longbottom —  Neville’s surname.
• Lovegood — Luna’s surname.
• Lucius — Ironically given a name which means “light,” Lucius Malfoy was a Death Eater with the Dark Mark on his arm.
• Luna —  Meaning “moon,” Luna Lovegood was portrayed on the big screen by actress Evanna Lynch, an animal advocate who urged all animal lovers to summon their courage and raise their voices for companion animals in desperate need of guardians to protect them during the annual Yulin festival. One of the most popular Harry Potter dog names.
• Lupin —  If your new fur baby likes to bark at the moon, you might want to name him for Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts Remus Lupin, whose name, when transformed from Latin into English, means “wolf.”   

M

• Malfoy — A surname concocted from the French words for “evil” (mal) and “Faith” (foi).
• Marge — Meaning “pearl,” Marjorie “Marge” Dursley was a mean-spirited Muggle and Aunt of Dudley Dursley.  Fun Fact: The role of Marge was played by actress Pam Ferris, who is an ambassador for the British animal charity Blue Cross! 
• Marauder — If you solemnly swear that your new canine companion is up to no good, you might want to consider the name given to the Marauder’s Map by Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs!
• Marvolo —  The middle name of Tom Riddle, which would go on to help spell out his new evil moniker, means “to cause pain.”
• McGonagall —  Meaning ” the bravest”, the surname was a perfect fit for the Headmistress of Hogwarts.  
• Minerva —  The name of the Roman goddess of wisdom was also the first name of the wise witch Professor McGonagall. 
• Moaning Myrtle — A specter who has made the girls’ bathroom at Hogwarts her haunt.
• Molly — The first name of the Weasley family matriarch can mean “sea of bitterness,” “star of the sea” or “rebelliousness.”
• Moody — Mad Eye’s surname stands for mercurial behavior. 
• Mrs. Norris —  Five Maine Coon cats named Cornilusa, Tommy, Alanis and Maximus would at times portray Mr. Filch’s feline friend, but a cat called Pebbles enjoyed the most screen time.
• Muggle — A person not of the wizarding world.

N

• Nagini —  The name of Voldemort’s serpent sidekick was taken from a Sanskrit word meaning ‘snake.”   
• Narcissa — Is your new barking buddy just too beautiful for words?  You might want to name your pal with paws after Draco Malfoy’s mother. The name Narcissa was inspired by Narcissus, the mythological man who loved his own reflection and would not leave its sight upon staring at a river’s surface. As the Greek myth goes, upon his passing Narcissus was turned into the narcissus  flower, which to this day can be seen leaning over the water, gazing at its reflection.   
• Neville — Meaning “new town,” Neville Longbottom was a Hufflepuff who became a hero.
• Nimbus — Meaning “cloud,” the Nimbus was a coveted broomstick among Quidditch players.
• Norbert — The name of the Norwegian Ridgeback Dragon who was raised by Hagrid means “bright” and “shining.”
• Nymphadora — For an easier name that refers to the witch/Metamophmagus, pet parents might want to call their new canine companion Tonks.

O

• Ollivander — A name which literally means “he who owns an olive wand.” 
• Olympe Maxime — The Headmistress of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic’s full name translates as “the home of the gods” and “the greatest.” 

P

• Padfoot — The childhood nickname of Sirius Black, who could transform into a black dog. 
• Pansy — A symbol of platonic love in the language of flowers, Pansy (Parkinson) is an ironic name for the Slytherin who wanted to hand Harry Potter over to Lord Voldemort. 
• Patronus —  The perfect prenom for a pooch who protects their family, a patronus can be conjured to defend a wizard or witch. Ronald Weasley’s Patronus was a Jack Russell Terrier!
• Percy —  Percy Weasley was a Prefect and Head Boy at Hogwarts.
• Pettigrew — Thought to be a “pet name” for a man of small stature, Pettigrew was the surname of Peter Pettigrew, who is also known by fans of the franchise as Wormtail and Scabbers.
• Petunia —  There are many botanical names from Harry Potter, including mean Muggle Petunia Dursley. In the language of flowers, the petunia has opposing meanings, ranging from “resentment” and “anger” to the calming of these same emotions. 
• Pixie —  Tiny terrors who wreaked havoc in the classroom as Professor Guilderoy Lockhart attempted to teach during his days as a Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts.
• Pomfrey — Pet parents looking for flower dog names have a virtual bouquet from which to choose, including Poppy, the first name of Madam Pomfrey, the school’s matron.  
• Pomona Sprout —  Hogwarts’ Head of Herbology was portrayed by Miriam Margolyes.  The actress is a long-time supporter of The Mayhew Animal Home, taking part in the charity’s holiday fundraiser and “A Life, Shared” campaign to help companion animals of the homeless.
• Prongs —  The childhood nickname of Harry Potter’s father, whose Animagus was a stag.
• Protego —  A name for a pal with paws who has a protective nature, the word “protego” is a spell that safeguards.  

Q

• Quidditch —  The name of the game that JK Rowling concocted was based on the name of the location where the first game ever to be officially recorded was played: Queerditch Marsh. 
• Quirrell —  A Professor Against The Dark Arts who turned out to be two-faced.
• Quietus — If Spot is a bit sonorous, you might want to encourage your dog’s “inner voice” by naming him or her after the quietus charm.

R

• Ravenclaw—  Is your tail-wagging chum intelligent and talented?  You might want to name your new four-legged friend after the Hogwarts House that counts Luna Lovegood, Cho Chang and Filius Flitwick among its past members.  
• Reducio — Perfect for a pint-sized pup, reducio is a shrinking spell!
• Remus —  Turning to ancient mythology for the name of  Professor Lupin/lycanthrope, Remus was one of two brothers who were raised by a wolf.
• Reparo —  An apt moniker for a dog who, (until being adopted by a loving pet parent), had had a hard life, reparo is a mending charm.
• Riddikulus —   This spell would be a cute name for a comical puppy who can make you forget about your cares!   
• Riddle —  An enigmatic surname for the boy who would become He Who Shall Not Be Named.
• Rowena — The name of Ravenclaw House’s founder means “fame and happiness.”
• Rowling — A name for the canine companion of a true Potterhead!
• Rubeus —  The Latin word for “red,” Rubeus was Hagrid’s first name.

S

• Scabbers — Ron Weasley’s rodent, who was revealed to actually be a rat of the two-legged variety. 
• Skeeter (Rita)– As  The Daily Prophet reporter, the purple prose she produced with her Quick Quotes Quill  caused tongues to wag, but thanks to her philanthropic efforts the actress who portrayed Rita Skeeter has caused tails to wag.  Miranda Richardson has shown her support for several animal charities, among them The World Society for the Protection of Animals, Blue Paw Trust and Cruelty Free International.
• Seamus —  meaning “one who supplants,” Seamus Finnigan was a student from the Gryffindor house.
• Severus —  Meaning “stern” or “harsh,” the name Severus, at least initially, painted a mental picture of Professor Snape’s character.
• Sirius — Known as the Dogstar (Alpha Canis Majoris) in the night sky, Sirius was an apt appellation for a wizard whose Animagnus was a dog.
• Slytherin —  Does your dog show signs of being a born commander? Is he or she astute, can look out for him or herself,  yet have an eagerness to please? Then you might consider choosing a Harry Potter dog name honoring Slytherin House, which counts Merlin and Severus Snape among its former students.  
• Snape — Meaning “to disgrace,” Snape was the surname of Defense Against The Dark arts professor Snape, who only showed his true colors as the tale reached its end.  
• Sorcerer — A synonym for the word “wizard.”
• Sybill — A predestined prenom for Hogwarts’ Professor of Divination, Sybill means “prophetess” or “oracle.”

T

• Thestral — A breed of winged horse seen only by those whose lives have been touched by death.
• Trelawney — The surname of the Professor of Divination.

U

• Umbridge —  JK Rowling used wordplay to convey a sense of “annoyance” and “offense” in the character of Dolores Umbridge (whose first name translates as “sorrow” or “pain). Fun Fact:  Actress Imelda Staunton, who portrayed the malevolent Professor, is a benevolent force for dogs and cats in need as a long-time supporter of the Mayhew Animal Home.   

V

• Viktor Krum —  Although his first name means “winner,” the Durmstrang Institute’s representative in the Triwizard Tournament’s last name is a slight variation of the German word Krumm, which means “crooked. 
• Voldemort — He Who Must Not Be Named’s malicious moniker is a conjuring of French words:  “vol” for “flight” or “theft”, “de” for “of” and “mort” for “death.”

W

• Weasley —  The surname of Harry Potter’s favorite family.
• Wormtail — The childhood nickname of Peter Pettigrew (aka Scabbers).

Z

• Zonko —  If your pup’s sense of play gives you a case of the giggles, why not name your new fur baby after Zonko’s Joke Shop, one of playful pranksters Fred and George Weasley’s favorite haunts. 

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