275+ Black and White Dog Names: Cute, Clever and Unique Ideas

Some dogs arrive looking as though someone spent considerable time designing them.

A perfectly white chest.

One black ear.

Four white socks.

A dramatic patch over one eye.

Or enough spots to make you wonder whether somebody dropped the dog while the paint was still wet.

Black-and-white coats can be bold, elegant, funny, symmetrical or completely chaotic, which gives us plenty to work with when choosing a name.

There are the obvious classics — Oreo, Panda, Domino and Tux.

But look a little further and you get Banksy, Chaplin, Pixel, Magpie, Marble, Dice, Piano, Rorschach, Moo and Sharpie.

And sometimes the markings themselves make the decision for you.

If your dog appears to be wearing a tuxedo everywhere he goes, calling him Steve feels like a missed opportunity.

Here are more than 275 ideas inspired by spots, patches, food, animals, art, movies, patterns and everything else that happens when nature limits itself to two colors and still refuses to make two dogs look alike.

Our Favorite Names

These are the ones we’d put on the first shortlist.

• Banksy — Black, white, artistic and potentially responsible for unauthorized work on your walls.
• Bandit — Perfect for a dog with a dark mask across the eyes.
• Barcode — For stripes that didn’t quite follow the instructions.
• Checkers — A natural fit for a boldly patterned coat.
• Domino — Perhaps the perfect black-and-white dog name.
• Dot — Simple and excellent for a spotted dog.
• Freckles — Especially good when the spots are small.
• Ink — Short, sharp and perfect for dark markings.
• Magpie — Inspired by the striking black-and-white bird.
• Marble — Beautiful for a coat where the colors swirl together.
• Moo — Particularly good when your dog’s markings have accidentally made him look like livestock.
• Oreo — Obvious, yes. Still one of the classics.
• Panda — Hard to resist on a fluffy black-and-white dog.
• Patch — Straightforward and timeless.
• Pepper — Great when black dominates the coat.
• Piano — Black keys, white keys and a surprisingly good dog name.
• Pixel — Perfect for tiny blocks or speckles of color.
• Pongo — Disney’s famous Dalmatian dad.
• Rorschach — Brilliant for irregular inkblot-like markings.
• Sharpie — For the dog who appears to have been colored in afterward.
• Smudge — One of our favorites for an imperfect patch of black.
• Snoopy — One of the world’s most recognizable black-and-white dogs.
• Socks — Particularly appropriate when the feet are white.
• Speck — Tiny, cute and made for a spotted puppy.
• Spot — Sometimes the obvious answer is obvious for a reason.
• Tux — For the permanently overdressed dog.
• Ziggy — Great for markings that zig when they should have zagged.
• Zorro — Especially good with a black facial mask.

For the Boys

These aren’t all specifically color-related. They simply sound particularly good on a handsome black-and-white boy.

• Alfie — Friendly and full of charm.
• Archie — Great for an expressive face.
• Bandit — A natural for masked markings.
• Barney — Warm, old-fashioned fun.
• Baxter — Solid and cheerful.
• Beau — Handsome by definition.
• Benny — Friendly and easy to call.
• Bingo — Playful and perfect for spots.
• Boone — Rugged without being heavy.
• Bowie — Cool enough for a dramatic coat.
• Buster — Classic dog energy.
• Charlie — Works on almost anything.
• Chaplin — Especially clever with a little black mustache.
• Chester — Distinguished but approachable.
• Cooper — Easygoing and familiar.
• Dexter — Smart and slightly mischievous.
• Domino — Pattern-inspired without sounding gimmicky.
• Felix — A subtle nod to the famous black-and-white cartoon cat.
• Finn — Short and adventurous.
• Frank — Particularly good when the dog looks like a middle-aged accountant.
• Gus — Nearly impossible to dislike.
• Hank — Sturdy and straightforward.
• Jasper — Stylish without trying.
• Louie — Friendly and fun.
• Milo — Soft and cheerful.
• Monty — Wonderful on a dog with character.
• Murphy — Made for trouble.
• Oliver — Classic and warm.
• Otis — Another excellent old-fashioned choice.
• Panda — Better on a fluffy boy than it has any right to be.
• Patches — Classic coat inspiration.
• Pongo — Particularly appropriate for a Dalmatian.
• Scout — Excellent for an alert, adventurous dog.
• Stanley — Serious name, potentially ridiculous dog.
• Theo — Simple and modern.
• Tux — Sharp dresser.
• Walter — Because some black-and-white dogs look deeply concerned about your financial decisions.
• Winston — Dignified right up until dinner.

For the Girls

Black-and-white girls can carry everything from sweet flower names to sophisticated old-Hollywood choices.

• Audrey — Elegant and timeless.
• Betty — Delightfully vintage.
• Bonnie — Sweet with a little outlaw potential.
• Cleo — Short and confident.
• Coco — Chic and playful.
• Daisy — Cheerful against a bold coat.
• Dolly — Warm and lovable.
• Dot — Almost too perfect for a spotted girl.
• Dottie — Dot with a little more personality.
• Edie — Tiny and stylish.
• Elsie — Vintage charm — and perhaps a little cow association.
• Freya — Strong and beautiful.
• Gigi — Small name, plenty of character.
• Hazel — Warm and friendly.
• Ivy — Simple and elegant.
• Josie — Cheerful and easy to call.
• Lola — Full of personality.
• Lucy — A perennial favorite.
• Mabel — Fantastic on a sturdy little dog.
• Maisie — Bright and playful.
• Minnie — Especially good for a petite black-and-white dog.
• Olive — Charming and slightly quirky.
• Panda — Cute without apology.
• Pearl — Beautiful when white dominates the coat.
• Penny — Warm and familiar.
• Pepper — A natural for dark speckles.
• Perdita — Disney’s elegant Dalmatian mother.
• Piper — Energetic and bright.
• Poppy — Cheerful and colorful despite the monochrome coat.
• Ruby — A little color in the name never hurts.
• Sadie — Sweet and classic.
• Stella — Star.
• Sylvie — Soft and sophisticated.
• Tilly — Playful and easy.
• Violet — Elegant contrast.
• Winnie — Friendly and lovable.

Inspired by Spots

Some dogs don’t merely have spots.

They have committed to them.

• Blot — A splash of ink.
• Confetti — Particularly good for lots of tiny markings.
• Dapple — A patterned coat classic.
• Dash — For small streaks or marks.
• Dot — Minimalist perfection.
• Dottie — A little sweeter.
• Fleck — Tiny patch of contrasting color.
• Freckle — One spot deserves recognition too.
• Freckles — For many of them.
• Inkblot — Especially good for irregular patches.
• Mottle — Inspired by mottled coloring.
• Pepper — Tiny dark flecks.
• Pixel — Small blocks of black and white.
• Polka — Polka dots without needing the “dot.”
• Speck — A little mark.
• Speckles — When there are considerably more.
• Splatter — For the dog who looks like the final five minutes of an art project.
• Spot — The original.
• Sprinkle — Small scattered markings.
• Sprinkles — More festive than spots.
• Stipple — An art technique created from small dots.
• Tick — Inspired by ticking in a dog’s coat.

For Dogs With Patches

Patches create some of the most distinctive black-and-white dogs.

Sometimes there’s one.

Sometimes it looks as though the assembly instructions were lost halfway through.

• Bandit — Perfect for an eye patch or facial mask.
• Blotch — Not elegant. Often accurate.
• Harlequin — Inspired by dramatic contrasting patterns.
• Inkblot — Irregular and artistic.
• Jigsaw — For markings that seem to fit together.
• Mask — Simple and direct.
• Mosaic — Many pieces creating one pattern.
• Patch — The classic.
• Patches — When one simply isn’t enough.
• Pirate — Excellent with a single dark eye.
• Puzzle — For a coat assembled from contrasting pieces.
• Rorschach — Inkblot psychology meets dog.
• Smudge — The patch wasn’t quite finished.
• Splotch — A big irregular mark.
• Zorro — Dark mask included.

For a Dog Wearing a Tuxedo

Some dogs wake up formally dressed.

You stumble into the kitchen wearing sweatpants.

He arrives in black tie.

The judgment is obvious.

• Armani — Designer sophistication.
• Astaire — Fred Astaire knew his way around formalwear.
• Bond — James Bond. Tuxedo practically mandatory.
• Butler — He’s dressed for the position.
• Chaplin — Black-and-white film and iconic formal style.
• Dapper — Because he is.
• Dior — Fashion-house polish.
• Gatsby — Parties, elegance and impeccable presentation.
• Gentleman — Perhaps Gent for everyday use.
• Jeeves — The quintessential gentleman’s gentleman.
• Penguin — Nature’s original tuxedo.
• Porter — Formal and useful.
• Sinatra — Old-school cool.
• Tails — As in formal tailcoat.
• Tux — Still the winner.
• Tuxedo — Use the full name when he’s in trouble.
• Winston — He looks like he owns the club.

Food-Inspired Ideas

Black-and-white food is surprisingly productive naming territory.

• Cannoli — Light filling, dark possibilities and a terrific little name.
• Chip — Chocolate chip, naturally.
• Cookie — Particularly good for a sweet dog.
• Cookies — Plural if one cookie could never contain the personality.
• Cream — Better when the white coat dominates.
• Cupcake — No explanation required.
• Espresso — For a mostly dark dog with considerable energy.
• Fudge — Rich and dark.
• Licorice — Excellent for predominantly black coloring.
• Macaron — Stylish little treat.
• Mocha — Dark, warm and familiar.
• Mousse — Soft and fluffy.
• Oreo — The heavyweight champion of black-and-white food names.
• Pepper — Dark speckles and plenty of personality.
• Sesame — Black and white sesame seeds make this surprisingly appropriate.
• S’more — Multiple colors, multiple layers.
• Sundae — Particularly good when the markings look poured on.
• Truffle — Sophisticated food name.
• Vanilla — For a mostly white dog.
• Whoopie — Inspired by the dark-and-light whoopie pie.

Black and White Animals

Your dog isn’t the only creature making monochrome work.

• Badger — Bold facial markings.
• Holstein — The classic black-and-white dairy cow.
• Magpie — One of our favorites.
• Moo — Subtlety has left the building.
• Orca — Strong and sleek.
• Panda — Cute, fluffy and internationally understood.
• Penguin — Permanently formal.
• Puffin — Fantastic on a compact little dog.
• Skunk — Perhaps don’t shout this one during an actual skunk encounter.
• Tuxbird — Okay, perhaps Penguin already handled this category.
• Zebra — Better for striped markings than spots.

And yes, Moo is technically the sound rather than the cow.

We know.

We’re naming dogs, not defending dissertations.

From Movies, Television and Cartoons

Black-and-white characters, famous dogs and monochrome cinema give us some excellent choices.

• Betty — Betty Boop began in the black-and-white era.
• Bolt — Mostly white Disney dog with strong markings.
• Chaplin — Black-and-white cinema legend.
• Cruella — Black and white is essentially her entire brand.
• Felix — Felix the Cat.
• Figaro — Disney’s black-and-white cat from Pinocchio.
• Mickey — One of animation’s most recognizable black-and-white beginnings.
• Minnie — Works beautifully for a female dog.
• Perdita — From 101 Dalmatians.
• Pongo — Also from 101 Dalmatians.
• Snoopy — Perhaps the greatest black-and-white dog name already field-tested by popular culture.
• Sylvester — The black-and-white Looney Tunes cat.
• Wednesday — Black, white and wonderfully deadpan.
• Zorro — Black mask, dramatic entrance.

Art, Ink and Photography

A black-and-white dog is essentially a walking exercise in contrast.

That opens an entire art studio.

• Ansel — Inspired by photographer Ansel Adams and his iconic black-and-white work.
• Banksy — Art with mischief built in.
• Canvas — Especially good when the dog is mostly white with dark marks.
• Charcoal — Dark, artistic and textured.
• Doodle — For a coat that looks casually drawn.
• Graphite — Sleek gray-black inspiration.
• Ink — One of the simplest and strongest.
• Inky — Softer and more playful.
• Monet — Not known for monochrome work, but wonderful for an artistic-looking coat.
• Mosaic — Pattern made from pieces.
• Negative — Photography-inspired and wonderfully odd.
• Picasso — Particularly appropriate if the face looks assembled from several different angles.
• Pixel — Digital art inspiration.
• Sketch — Excellent for irregular lines.
• Sharpie — Somebody clearly found the marker.
• Silhouette — Elegant and dramatic.
• Smudge — Artistic accident.
• Splatter — Jackson Pollock energy.
• Stipple — Tiny marks creating the larger image.

Music-Inspired Names

Black and white also gives us piano keys, album photography and a few musical legends.

• Bowie — Stylish and unconventional.
• Cash — Johnny Cash and all that black.
• Keys — Piano keys.
• Lennon — Cool and recognizable.
• Piano — Surprisingly charming.
• Prince — Stylish regardless of coat color.
• Stevie — Stevie Wonder.
• Stripes — A little White Stripes inspiration.
• Tempo — Short and energetic.
• Treble — Musical and unusual.
• Vinyl — Black records, retro style.
• White — A nod to Jack White for music fans.

Chess, Cards and Games

When the dog already looks like a game board, embrace it.

• Ace — Particularly the ace of spades.
• Bishop — Strong chess-inspired name.
• Checkers — Obvious and excellent.
• Chess — Short and unusual.
• Club — Card-suit inspiration.
• Dice — One of the strongest choices here.
• Domino — Still difficult to beat.
• Joker — For the household comedian.
• King — Chess or cards.
• Knight — Strong and elegant.
• Pawn — Particularly funny for a tiny dog who actually controls everything.
• Queen — Regal and bold.
• Spade — Excellent for a mostly black dog.
• Uno — Game-inspired and easy to call.

Night, Day and Everything Between

Two colors.

Two sides.

Plenty of contrast.

• Dawn — When darkness gives way to light.
• Dusk — The opposite transition.
• Eclipse — Light and darkness together.
• Luna — Moon.
• Midnight — Great when black dominates.
• Moon — Simple and celestial.
• Nova — Bright against darkness.
• Shadow — Dark and familiar.
• Sol — Sun.
• Star — Bright against the night.
• Twilight — Between light and darkness.
• Yin — One half of the familiar symbol.
• Yang — The other half.

And yes, it’s Yin and Yang, not “Ying-Yang.”

The old article had been getting away with that one long enough.

Elegant Names

A dramatic black-and-white coat can look exceptionally polished.

• Audrey — Timeless elegance.
• Beau — Handsome.
• Coco — Fashionable and compact.
• Dior — Sleek and stylish.
• Gatsby — Old-school glamour.
• Grace — Simple elegance.
• Jasper — Refined but friendly.
• Lola — Sophisticated with personality.
• Margot — Effortlessly stylish.
• Monroe — Classic Hollywood.
• Pearl — Particularly good for a white-faced dog.
• Porter — Distinguished.
• Sinatra — Black-tie cool.
• Stella — Elegant and bright.
• Tux — Formalwear in three letters.
• Winston — Dignity included.
• Zara — Sleek and modern.

Cute Names

Not every dog needs to sound like he belongs in a private club.

Sometimes he’s just adorable.

• Bean — Tiny and cheerful.
• Biscuit — Works regardless of color.
• Boo — Short and sweet.
• Button — Especially for little round markings.
• Cookie — Classic.
• Dot — Tiny perfection.
• Dottie — Even cuter.
• Freckles — Friendly and visual.
• Mochi — Soft and round.
• Moo — Impossible to say angrily.
• Noodle — Great for a long, silly dog.
• Oreo — Cute because it works.
• Panda — Fluff encouraged.
• Peanut — Small dog classic.
• Pickles — No connection to the coat whatsoever. Still excellent.
• Pip — Tiny and crisp.
• Puffin — Cute bird, cute dog.
• Speck — Perfect for a little one.
• Sprout — For the puppy who hasn’t finished growing.
• Tater — Because sometimes dignity is overrated.

Funny Names

A black-and-white coat gives you visual material.

Use it.

• Barcode — Especially good for stripes.
• Cow — Direct. Possibly too direct.
• Dalmatian — Very funny if the dog is absolutely not a Dalmatian.
• Dice — Better if the markings accidentally resemble numbers.
• Formal — He’s dressed for dinner.
• Holstein — For serious cow markings.
• Inkjet — Printer-inspired chaos.
• Moo — Still excellent.
• Newsprint — Black, white and read all over. Sorry.
• Oreo — Call him Double Stuff if he’s chunky.
• Panda — Particularly funny on a very lean dog.
• Penguin — For the tuxedo look.
• Photocopy — Best for two nearly identical dogs.
• Piano — The dog has become an instrument.
• Sharpie — Marker accident.
• Skunk — Risky but memorable.
• Tuxedo — Formal name for informal behavior.
• Zebra — Particularly good when the stripes are questionable.

For Border Collies

The classic black-and-white Border Collie gives us some of the most beautiful coat patterns around.

For a smart, athletic dog, we’d lean toward names with a little movement and character.

• Ace — Sharp and fast.
• Dash — For speed.
• Finn — Outdoorsy and friendly.
• Fly — A classic-feeling working-dog name.
• Jet — Fast and dark.
• Pixel — Great for intricate markings.
• Ranger — Made for open country.
• Scout — Alert and adventurous.
• Sketch — Artistic coat inspiration.
• Sweep — A traditional-feeling working name.
• Tess — Crisp and classic.
• Ziggy — For the dog changing direction every three seconds.

For Dalmatians

There may be no breed more closely associated with black and white.

And yes, Spot is allowed.

• Blot — Slightly less predictable.
• Cruella — For the dog with a sense of irony.
• Dice — Spots built in.
• Dot — Simple and perfect.
• Dottie — Sweet and obvious.
• Freckles — Especially good for lighter spotting.
• Patches — For larger markings.
• Pepper — Speckled and energetic.
• Perdita — Disney classic.
• Pixel — Tiny spots.
• Pongo — Perhaps the definitive male Dalmatian name.
• Speckles — Accurate.
• Spot — We aren’t going to pretend it doesn’t work.
• Sprinkles — The cheerful version of spots.

For Boston Terriers

Boston Terriers often arrive looking ready for a formal event.

Then they behave like Boston Terriers.

The contrast is part of the appeal.

• Bean — A little Boston baked-bean joke.
• Bogie — Old-Hollywood cool.
• Boss — Small dog, executive authority.
• Bowtie — The coat practically supplies one.
• Buster — Classic and lively.
• Chaplin — Formal black-and-white character.
• Dapper — Accurate visually, perhaps less so behaviorally.
• Frank — Wonderful on that expressive face.
• Gus — Compact and cheerful.
• Tux — Obvious for a reason.
• Walter — Especially if he looks 72 years old at six months.
• Winston — Very serious little gentleman.

For Black and White Huskies

A Husky can carry something a little more dramatic.

They’re unlikely to object.

• Alaska — Northern classic.
• Aurora — Northern lights.
• Bandit — Great for a dark facial mask.
• Blizzard — Snow and energy.
• Echo — Strong and atmospheric.
• Ghost — Great when white dominates.
• Kodiak — Rugged northern character.
• Loki — We have met Huskies. This seems fair.
• Luna — Moonlit and elegant.
• Nova — Bright and celestial.
• Orca — Bold black-and-white contrast.
• Storm — Dramatic enough.
• Tundra — Northern landscape.
• Yukon — Rugged and unmistakable.

For Little Black and White Dogs

Small dogs give us permission to get a little cuter.

Not that they asked.

• Bean — Tiny classic.
• Bitsy — Size acknowledged.
• Button — Especially good for round markings.
• Dice — Tiny cubes, tiny dog.
• Dot — Minimal.
• Minnie — Small by definition.
• Moo — Tiny cow.
• Oreo — Snack-sized.
• Panda — Particularly funny if the dog weighs seven pounds.
• Peanut — Reliable little-dog territory.
• Pepper — Tiny but spicy.
• Pip — Excellent short name.
• Pixel — A very small piece of the picture.
• Speck — Barely there.
• Tux — Pocket-sized formalwear.

Unusual Names You Don’t Hear Everywhere

If Oreo, Panda and Spot aren’t quite doing it for you, go a little further.

• Ansel — Black-and-white photography inspiration.
• Barcode — Graphic and funny.
• Basalt — Dark volcanic rock.
• Canvas — White background waiting for markings.
• Chess — Clean and unusual.
• Domino — Familiar concept, still uncommon enough as a dog name.
• Graphite — Artistic and dark.
• Harlequin — Dramatic pattern inspiration.
• Jigsaw — Pieces fitting together.
• Magpie — Beautiful and distinctive.
• Mosaic — Patterned and artistic.
• Negative — Photography nerds, this one’s yours.
• Orca — Powerful and sleek.
• Rorschach — For the truly irregular coat.
• Stipple — Art-inspired spotting.
• Vignette — Dark edges, photographic character.
• Zigzag — Pattern in motion.

When Your Dog Is Mostly Black

A mostly black dog with white markings gives us a slightly different direction.

Think dark names with a flash of light.

• Ash
• Cash
• Coal
• Domino
• Ebony
• Eclipse
• Ink
• Jet
• Midnight
• Noir
• Onyx
• Pepper
• Raven
• Shadow
• Soot
• Spade
• Tux

A white chest can make Tux particularly effective because the dog genuinely appears to be wearing a shirt beneath a black jacket.

Nature has already done most of the styling.

When Your Dog Is Mostly White

For a predominantly white dog with black patches, reverse the logic.

• Blot
• Canvas
• Cloud
• Dice
• Domino
• Dot
• Freckles
• Inkblot
• Marble
• Panda
• Patch
• Pixel
• Smudge
• Speck
• Spot
• Splatter

Canvas is particularly good here.

The dog arrived white.

Then apparently someone started painting.

What If the Markings Change as Your Puppy Grows?

Don’t panic if your puppy’s coat doesn’t remain exactly as it looked at eight weeks.

Coat appearance can change as puppies mature. Markings may become more or less prominent, ticking can become easier to see, and the overall balance of dark and light can look different as the adult coat develops.

That’s one reason we wouldn’t choose something too precise unless the marking is especially distinctive.

A puppy named One Spot may eventually challenge the accuracy of the historical record.

Domino, Tux, Pixel, Pepper or Smudge give you a little more room.

Should You Name Your Dog After the Coat?

Only if you want to.

A black-and-white dog doesn’t need a black-and-white name any more than a brown-haired person needs to be called Brownie.

Color is simply one source of inspiration.

Sometimes it’s a very good one.

A dog with a perfect dark patch over one eye almost seems to be campaigning for Bandit.

A Dalmatian practically hands you Dot, Dice, Pongo and Freckles.

A Boston Terrier in his permanent dinner jacket makes Tux difficult to resist.

But if you look at your dramatically patterned black-and-white puppy and immediately think Kevin, then perhaps his name is Kevin.

We respect Kevin.

How to Choose the Right Name

Make a shortlist of five or ten favorites.

Then say them aloud.

A name needs to work beyond the screen.

Imagine introducing your dog at the veterinarian.

Imagine calling him across the park.

Imagine saying the name fifteen times because he has discovered something extremely interesting beneath the hedge and has temporarily forgotten your relationship.

Short, distinctive names are often easier to use.

Also think about what makes your particular dog different.

Is it the coat?

The spots?

The giant ears?

The tiny body?

The serious expression?

The complete absence of good judgment?

The best name doesn’t merely describe a black-and-white dog.

It describes your black-and-white dog.

What Is the Best Name for a Black and White Dog?

We’d put Domino very close to the top.

It instantly suggests black and white, sounds like a real name and works for almost any breed.

Tux is hard to beat for a dog with a white chest.

Pixel is fantastic for speckles.

Bandit belongs on a dog with a facial mask.

Panda works beautifully for something fluffy.

Rorschach is clever for wild, irregular patches.

Snoopy brings a little history with it.

And Moo?

Moo is standing in the kitchen.

Moo has four legs.

Moo is black and white.

Moo is staring at you because you’ve just opened the refrigerator.

Technically, you’ve named the wrong animal.

Nobody cares.

Sometimes the right dog makes the wrong name perfect.