101 Sheltie Names and Their Meanings

By Becky Casale, author, Shelties: The Complete Pet Owner's Guide

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Looking for a Sheltie name? Whether you want a name that's weird or traditional, cutesy or cool, here are 101 name ideas for your Sheltie puppy.

Breeders often give their Sheltie puppies nicknames, leaving the official naming of your puppy up to you. Know that you'll be hollering this name at the dog park for years to come, so rule out Mister Bigglesworth right off the bat.

It's a good idea to choose a name that your Sheltie can easily distinguish from other common words. Phonetically, the best dog names tend to:

Use hard letters - like K and T, as opposed to soft letters like F and N. Your Sheltie can more readily pick out hard letters in a sentence.
Have only one or two syllables - like Koko or Jock, as opposed to many syllables like Gemini or Houdini. Shorter names are simply easier for your Sheltie to recognize.
Stick to a single variation - like Daisy, as opposed to multiple nicknames like Dayday, Dazza, and Dilly Doggy Dandy. Everyone in the family should agree on the same name.

These guidelines will help your Sheltie puppy respond to you more often and in more contexts. Having said that, Shelties are intelligent dogs and understand a lot more words than we realize. Once you have your shortlist, the phonetic guidelines outlined above can help you make the best choice for your Sheltie's ear. Here are 101 Sheltie names suggested by our readers for inspiration. Let's get creative!

101 Sheltie Names

Fenton, Thiago, Gimli, Thorin, Ghost, Murphy and Jara by Kaylee Garrick.

Astro - From Greek, relating to the stars, celestial objects and outer space.
Arthur - From the Roman clan name Artorius, meaning noble and courageous.
Ariel - Adopted in masculine and feminine forms, Ariel stems from Hebrew, meaning lion of God.
Annie - The name Annie has English roots and means gracious and merciful.

Annie is a Puppy Mill Survivor by Karen L Smith.

Andris - Of Hungarian and Latvian origin, meaning strong, manly and brave.
Alfie - Sage or wise. From the Old English Aelfraed, meaning elf counsel.
Asha - Double header here. Either from the Sanskrit word for hope, or from the Swahili word for life.

A Sheltie Named Ariel by Keri Gratrix Hile.

Benji - Derived from the Hebrew Binyāmīn meaning son of the right hand.
Barney - Meaning strong as a bear. Short for Barnaby, which is Hebrew for son of comfort.
Bambi - In Italian, Bambi means little child (bambino).

Bailey The Sheltie by Nicole Walker.

Billy - From the Old High German Willehelm, meaning determined protector.
Bear - Named for the animal, bears symbolize strength and wisdom.
Bella - Related to the Italian, Spanish, Greek, Portuguese and Latin words for beautiful.

Meet Coco Sheltie.

Buttercup - Named for the yellow wildflower (admittedly often attributed to cows).
Charlie - Usually a boy's name of English origin meaning free man. Also short for Charlotte for a girl.
Coco - A nickname for the Spanish name Socorro, meaning help or relief.

Chi My Service Sheltie by Nancy Rutland.

Chi - The name Chi means younger energy and is of Chinese origin.
Cassie - In Greek, the meaning of the name Cassie is purity. In mythology, Cassie was an unheeded prophetess.
Daisy - Named for the wildflower, from the Old English word meaning day's eye.

This is Daisy Mae by Shirley Scott

Dylan - A Welsh name meaning son of the sea or born of the ocean.
Dawson - Linked to the medieval nickname for David, Dawson means son of David.
Duke - Derived from the Latin word dux meaning leader.

Dillon The Sheltie by Stephen Beams.

Dillon - Derived from the Old German name Dillo, which means like a son.
Dexter - An occupational surname in Old English: one who dyes. Also in Latin, dexter means skilled.
Ella - A short form of Eleanor and Ellen, from the Greek for bright, shining one.

Nessie The Sheltie by Elise Lysy.

Einstein - Named for the brilliant scientist and of course Doc's dog in Back to The Future.
Eddie - From the Old English name Eadwine, meaning prosperous friendship.
Fox - Named for the animal that is intelligent and cunning - and looking suspiciously like a Sheltie.

Eddie The Sheltie by Carolynne Paton.

Freddie - Derived from the Germanic name Friedrich meaning peaceful ruler.
Frankie - Stems from Franco which is from the Frankish Empire, meaning a type of spear or javelin.
Freya - Meaning goddess or noblewoman. In Norse mythology, Freya was the goddess of fertility.

Floki The Sheltie Named from The Vikings by Michelle Maurer.

Flo - The mythological Roman goddess of flowers, short for Florence, meaning flourishing.
Floki - A Viking born around 830AD, thought to be the first Norseman to sail to Iceland and settle.
Gonzo - Not just a Muppet Baby. Gonzo comes from the Medieval Latin and Germanic name Gundisalvus, meaning to battle well.

Our Litter of Sheltie Puppies: Woody, Tressa, Herbie and Love Bug by Star West.

George - This classic name comes from the Greek georgos, meaning tiller of the soil or farmer.
Gizmo - A small gadget or device. Also your favorite furry character from Gremlins.
Herbie - A short form of Herbert, which means illustrious warrior in German. Introduced to Britain during the Norman Conquest.

Meet Harris The Sheltie by Karen Watson.

Heidi - A Germanic name, short for Adelheid, which means nobility or of noble birth.
Harris - A baptismal name meaning son of Harry, also taking the form Harrison.
Honey - A term of endearment for a loved one or sweetheart, recently repurposed as a first name.

Valentino by Jessica Morris.

Hank - Dating back to the 17th century, Hank is a boy's name meaning estate ruler.
Ivy - An English word named for the climbing evergreen plant. In Ancient Greece, Ivy represented fidelity.
Jack - A very popular name from the Middle Ages, meaning God is gracious.

A Sheltie Named IndyCar by Tammy Otto.

Jade - A Spanish name derived from the ornamental stone piedra de la ijada, which means stone of the colic.
Jet - You might name your bi-black Sheltie Jet, for his likeness to the black gemstone.
Kermit - Originally a variant of the Irish surname MacDermott, now Jim Henson's iconic frog puppet.

Lacy and Riley are named after sports stars by Camilla P Lindholm.

Kiki - A bohemian style girl's name of French origin, meaning double happiness.
Lucy - The feminine version of the Latin name Lucius, meaning of the light (either born at daylight or of light complexion).
Lacy - Derived from several French place-names and brought to England by companions of William during the Norman Conquest.

A Foster Sheltie Named Leo by Kristi Murray.

Leo - Latin for lion. In German, it's a short form of Leon or Leopold, meaning brave people.
Louie - An English name that derives from the root names Louis or Louise, meaning famous warrior.
Leia - Originates from a Latin name meaning lioness. Princess Leia popularized the name in Star Wars.

Milly The Sheltie by Amy Masters.

Ludo - An Italian name meaning light. Also a shaggy monster from The Labyrinth that mildly resembles a mutant Sheltie.
Merlin - The magician helper of King Arthur, Merlin derives from Celtic words meaning sea fortress.
Minnie - A pet form of Miryam, Minnie is a Hebrew name of debated meaning, possibly sea of sorrow.

Maggie The Sheltie by Samantha Bell.

Maggie - Short for Margaret, its origins trace to the Old Persian word for pearl or cluster of blossoms.
Mack - The name Mack is a boy's name of Scottish and Irish origin meaning son.
Morty - In French, Morty stems from the name Mortimer which translates to dead sea or stagnant lake.

Lucky Was a Wonderful Dog by Carolynne Paton.

Nibbler - An adorable alien critter featured in Matt Groening's sci-fi cartoon, Futurama.
Neo - The Latin word for new, popularized by Keanu Reeves' character reborn outside the simulation, The Matrix.
Nelly - Short for Eleanor which derives from the Greek name Helen, meaning shining light.

My Sheltie Champ by June Elliott.

Niko - Short for Nikodemos, a Greek name meaning victory of the people.
Nahla - An Arabic name meaning first drink of water, or water in the desert. Famously the lioness from The Lion King.
Oscar - Of Irish and Norse roots, Osgar means deer lover.

Athena The Sheltie by Christina Hamilton.

Ollie - Short for Oliver, Ollie has peaceful associations derived from the Latin olivarius meaning olive tree.
Peanut - A cute nickname for little kids and pets, it is of course a delicious legume.
Pickle - Another cute nickname. As a surname, derived from the Old English Pightel, reserved for those living near hills.

A Sheltie Named Toby by Deborah Jarvis.

Panda - A lovely creature named by the Nepalese as nigalya ponya which means eater of bamboo.
Queenie - An affectionate use of the word queen, which comes from the Old English word cwen, meaning woman.
Ruby - The name of this gemstone comes from the Latin ruber, meaning red.

A Sheltie Named Trixie by Brenda Albert.

Rex - A Latin word meaning king, most often attributed to the mighty Tyrannosaurus Rex, which translates to tyrant lizard king.
Rio - A double header. In Spanish and Portuguese, rio means river. In Japanese, it means place of the cherry blossoms.
Rose - From the Latin word rosa which itself originates from the Middle East where this striking flower was named.

Cooper The Sheltie by Nicole Maher.

Robbie - Short for Robert, from the Germanic name Hrodebert, meaning bright fame.
Rocco - The Italian form of an Old Germanic name Rochus, meaning to roar (as in a battle cry).
Raven - Named for the bird with jet black plumage and a history of other-worldly symbolism in literature.

Rebel The Sheltie by Ted E Dendinger.

Simba - A boy's name of Swahili origin, meaning lion. As seen in The Lion King.
Sunny - A cheerful nickname for someone happy and content. The word sun comes from Latin (sol) and Old English (sunne).
Shia - A boy's name of Hebrew origin, meaning praise God. As per Shia LaBeouf (French for beef).

Riverbend Hero aka Leo The Sheltie by Louise Johanny.

Sammy - Short for Samuel, from the Hebrew name Shemu'el, which means name of God, or God has heard.
Stewie - Short for Stewart, originating from the 7th century Old English word stigeweard meaning hall guardian.
Sadie - A girl's name of Hebrew origin meaning princess, stemming from the name Sarah.

Meet Archie and King.

Sandy - As a boy's name, Sandy stems from the Greek name Alexander, meaning defender of man.
Solo - Derived from Solomon, which comes from the Hebrew name Shelomo meaning peace. Also Hans Solo of Star Wars fame.
Shadow - Classic dog's name, especially a Sheltie who's inclined to follow you around like your shadow.

Meet Tanner by Jenn Franco

Tanner - An occupational surname from Germany, also spelled Danner, is likely topographic from tan meaning forest.
Toro - Stems from Spanish which literally means bull.
Trixie - The name Trixie is a girl's name of Latin origin meaning she who brings happiness.

A Blue Merle Sheltie Named Hogan by Dorothy Blackwell.

Timmy - Short for Timothy, rooted in the Greek name Timotheos meaning to honor God.
Taco - A Spanish term for the paper wrapped around gunpowder, used to blow up rocks in Mexican silver mines.
Tilly - Short for Matilda in English and Mahthildis in German, meaning mighty in battle.

Beau at 4 Months Old by Justine Harrison.

Theodore - From the Greek Theodoros, meaning God's gift. Often shortened to Theo and Teddy.
Tammy - Short for Tamsin: the feminine version of Thomas, a Greek form of the Aramaic name Te'oma, meaning twin.
Victor - A medieval French name stemming from the Latin word for conqueror.

Margarita is 1 Year Old by Victor Hugo Reyes Benet.

Woofie - The sound that a dog makes, and undeniably exactly what a dog hears when you talk.
Willow - From the Middle English wilwe, willow trees are uniquely flexible and graceful in appearance.
Woody - The pet form of Woodrow, originally an English surname attributed to keepers or guardians of the woods.

Willow The Sheltie by Eyespy Shetland Sheepdogs.

Xena - Derives from the ancient Greek xenos, meaning stranger, and popularized by the Warrior Princess franchise.
Zorro - Literally the Spanish word for fox, Zorro is a famous fictional character created by Johnston McCulley.
Zac - Short for Zachary, from the Latin Zacharias and the Hebrew Zekharyahu meaning Yahweh has remembered.
Zuko - In African it translates as harmony and with a good heart. In Chinese, it means loved one.

Zuko The Sheltie by Brad Vokey.

To learn more about the wonderful world of Shetland Sheepdogs, download my 160-page PDF ebook, Shelties: The Complete Pet Owner's Guide, now in its fifth edition.

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