80 Japanese Dog Names: Male & Female

Just like people, dogs come from many different places and countries all over the world, but rather than referring to them as nationalities like people, we categorize them by breed. No matter what country you choose, there’s likely a breed that originated there, and likely for more useful purposes other than being a terrific companion.

If you have one of the breeds who came from Japan, or even if you are Japanese yourself, you might be on the lookout for some good Japanese dog names, and you should be! There is something about the Japanese tongue that just has a nice ring within the English ear. Japanese dog names are both exotic-sounding and desirable, and roll off the tongue nicely!

If you are in need of a few Japanese dog names, here is an entire list broken down by male and female names, also including the meanings behind the names. Meanings are important because many Japanese words may sound really cool, but have a crude or silly meaning.

It is like someone from another country naming their English Bulldog “Hotdog” which is a processed meat product encased in intestines consumed on a bun. It doesn’t sound so good when it’s put that way, does it? Nope. So, here’s the list and meanings!

There’s plenty of Japanese dog names out there that both sound beautiful have have an equally beautiful meaning behind them. Although many Japanese words loosely translate into English, you can get the gist of the meanings by breaking the names down in most instances. You can’t go wrong with any of these names, that’s for sure!

Mostly bred for hunting way back when, Japan has many breeds that originated from various parts of Japan. Often times, because of the names, the Japanese Chin, Japanese Spitz, and Japanese Terrier are thought to have originated in Japan, but this is not true. I can see why it would be an easy misconception, though! The dogs who did originate in Japan, however, still have unmistakable Japanese-sounding breed names which leads them to being correctly associated with the country. Those breeds include:

• Akita Inu

• American Akita (aka Great Japanese Dog)

• Hokkaido Inu

• Kai Inu

• Kisha Inu

• Shiba Inu

• Shikoku Inu

• Tosa Inu (aka Japanese Mastiff)

As you can see, many of the Japanese breeds names have “inu” at the end, which actually translates to “dog” in English. Many of the breeds area also named after the area in which they came from in Japan which makes it pinpoint their specific point of origin.

Most of the breeds from Japan are known for being rather well-behaved and quiet dogs, only making a fuss when necessary for them. As with most any breed from any other country, these dogs fare the best when raised indoors in a loving environment, and can develop behavioral issues when left to their own devices outdoors. It is not clear why it is like this, but perhaps it has something to do with their innate hunting abilities.