200+ Dog Names for Your New Blue Heeler

The Blue Heeler, also known as an Australian Cattle Dog (as well as the Queensland Heeler), is a tightly built, medium-sized pup who frequently channels their natural smarts into a predilection for herding. That intelligence also makes them star pupils when it comes to training. When you adopt this cattle dog, you’ll surely be calling out their name often on your adventures. Here’s a list of every name you can imagine for your new Blue Heeler.

Naming inspo can come from anywhere — their unique personality, their speckled good looks, even their roots. This breed’s name derives from the fact that they herd by nipping at heels, and are born with white coats that become blue-gray or reddish as they age. (This is why you may likewise hear them being referred to as a Red Heeler.) These speckle-coated dogs come with playful dispositions and endless reserves of energy. Couch-potato pet parents need not apply: This is a breed who loves activity in the fresh air, making them amazing companions for people with active, outdoorsy lifestyles. 

Male dog names for a Blue Heeler

With their rugged build and ready-for-anything energy, male Australian Cattle Dogs wear bold, classic, or effortlessly cool names well.

• Angus

• Apollo

• Bandit

• Banjo

• Buck

• Butch

• Chief

• Clint

• Cormac

• Cosmo

• Django

• Finn

• Hank

• Jasper

• Levi

• Loki

• Ranger

• Rocky

• Silas

• Wes

Female dog names for a Blue Heeler

Female Australian Cattle Dogs are strong, smart, and not here for nonsense. And their names can be just as bold, take a look:

• Arwen

• Bella

• Billie

• Carolina (Lina)

• Cassidy

• Clementine (Clem)

• Dakota

• Ellie

• Hailey

• Jolene

• Juliet

• Pepper

• Piper

• Poppy

• Remi

• Ruby

• Sadie

• Sienna

• Stevie

• Zoe

Blue Heeler names that are unique

No two ACDs are exactly the same — and their names don’t have to be, either. Here are unique name picks for standing out in the best way.

• Atticus

• Avery

• Barley

• Blitz

• Busy

• Caspian (Cassie)

• Checkers

• Cider

• Clover

• Dusty

• Enzo

• Granger

• Harper

• Indiana (Indy)

• Mojo

• Parker

• Rory

• Sputnik

• Sterling

• Toby

Cute Blue Heeler names

They might be tough working dogs, but have you seen those pointy ears and speckled markings? Blue Heelers are cute — and these names lean into it.

• Bingo

• Biscuit

• Buzz

• Calvin

• Comet

• Cookie

• Dizzy

• Lilo

• Lucky

• Ollie

• Peaches

• Peanut

• Presto

• Puck

• Rocket

• Scout

• Skippy

• Slugger

• Sodapop (Pops)

• Stix

• Trouble

• Tuesday

• Waffle

• Winnie

• Ziggy

Blue Heeler names celebrating their blue or red hues

The Australian Cattle Dog’s fur is like a work of impressionistic art. Their mottled blend of colors has inspired the nicknames Blue Heeler and Red Heeler.

“Blue” names

• Azure

• Cobalt

• Cyan

• Kai — or “sea” in Hawaiian

• Indigo

• Lake

• Laz — short for lapis lazuli, a bright-blue semiprecious stone

• Marina

• Misty

• Sapphire

• Skye

• Slater

“Red” names

• Apple

• Auburn

• Blaze

• Cinnamon

• Copper

• Ginger

• Paprika

• Red

• Rusty

• Saffron

• Twizzler

Blue Heeler names that nod to Australia

Also called Queensland Heeler, this breed hails from, of course, Down Under. Their presence there dates back to the 19th century, when they were trained to help out at cattle ranches. Below, naming ideas that celebrate their heritage.

• Adelaide — an Australian city

• Bizzo — “nonsense” in Australian slang

• Bonzer — “great” in Australian slang

• ​​Brizzy — slang for the city of Brisbane

• Coogee — a beach town outside of Sydney

• Darwin — after the Australian city, for your smart pup

• Dingo — a feral dog native to Australia

• Dundee — as in the movie Crocodile Dundee

• Euroa — an Aboriginal word meaning “joyful”

• Grommet — Australian slang for a young surfer 

• Jack — after the marsupial-caper movie Kangaroo Jack 

• Kooka — as in Kookaburra, the so-called laughing bird native to Oz

• Miki — an Aboriginal word meaning “moon”

• Norin —  an Aboriginal word meaning “honorable”

• Ozzie — as in Oz, the country’s nickname

• Quokka — a small marsupial found in an isle near Perth

• Roo — short for “kangaroo”

• Taz — as in the Tasmanian devil, a marsupial

• Tim Tam — a nod to the Aussie chocolate biscuit brand

• Uluru — a mystical sandstone monolith in northern Australia

Blue Heeler names inspired by pop culture

Australian Cattle Dogs are related to dingoes, made meme-worthy by the TV comedy Seinfeld. These days, they’re more associated with the kid’s animated series, Bluey, about a Heeler family. Here are names inspired by those shows, as well as other ACDs in pop culture.

• Bluey — the adventurous puppy at the heart of the Bluey cartoon series

• Chico — beloved dog of Johnny Depp’s character in the movie Secret Window

• Chilli — Bluey’s loveable mother

• Coltrane — the lead detective’s pup from the streaming-TV drama Bosch

• Elaine — Seinfeld’s ex-girlfriend turned bestie, who made dingos Internet famous

• Ennis — Heath Ledger’s cowboy in Brokeback Mountain, fond of Blue Heelers 

• Kramer — Seinfeld’s hyper, eccentric neighbor

• Max — as in antihero Mad Max, often accompanied by his Heeler named Dog

• Puddy — Elaine's quirky boyfriend on Seinfeld

• Stripe — Bluey’s fun-loving uncle

Blue Heeler names inspired by cowboy culture

A moniker that summons the old west, country music, and other markers of dusty, lawless towns immediately suits Australian Cattle Dogs, who visually evoke that frontier spirit.

• Alamo — a poplar tree found in the southwest

• Angel — a mercenary in the Spaghetti Western The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

• Billy — as in Billy the Kid, an old west outlaw

• Boots

• Bronson — as in actor Charles, notably in the movie Once Upon a Time in the West 

• Cash — as in country-music rebel Johnny 

• Doc — as in Doc Holliday, an old west gambler and gunfighter

• Dolly — as in Parton, country music icon

• Geronimo — the fearless Apache chief

• Oakley — as in Annie Oakley, the old west sharpshooter

• Okie — a nickname for folks from Oklahoma

• Pokey — as in Pocahontas, famed daughter of a Powhatan chief

• Ranger

• Ryder

• Slim — a common nickname for several country musicians

• Tex

• Waddie — nickname for a cowboy

• Wayne — as in actor John, star of many Westerns including True Grit

• Whiskey

• Wyatt — as in Wyatt Earp, the old west lawman

Blue Heeler farm names

The Australian Cattle Dog is one of the original ranch pups, enthusiastically herding any animal in sight. Here are some warm, homey names that embody a simple life on the prairie.

• Boone

• Bridger

• Buster

• Cheyenne

• Colt

• Daisy

• Granger

• Gunner

• Maggie

• Rooster

• Rover

• Sawyer

• Scout

• Sedona

• Sunny

• Tiller

• Tracker

• Tucker

• Walker

• Wrangler

Outdoorsy Blue Heeler names

Some dogs like long, slow walks on the beach. The Blue Heeler, however,  loves running, hiking, and playing. Here are some outdoor-inspired names that tap into their thirst for outdoor activities.

• Aspen

• Bayou

• Cody

• Dasher

• Flint

• Flurry

• Grizzy

• Hunter

• Journey

• Maverick

• Ollie

• Pinecone

• River

• Sherpa

• Sport

• Sundance

• Swish

• Tigger

• Woody

• Zephyr

Blue Heeler names inspired by their spots

Dalmations aren’t the only pups with spots. These endearing monikers call out just how distinct each and every Blue Heeler looks, thanks to their artfully merled coats.

• Ash

• Checkers

• Cheetah

• Crumb

• Dimples

• Dipper

• Domino

• Dot

• Freckles

• Marbles

• Harlequin (Harley)

• Merle

• Merlin

• Nimbus

• Patches

• Sherbet

• Smokey

• Smudge

• Speckle

• Spot

Tips on naming your Blue Heeler

Whether your Australian Cattle Dog is a newly adopted pup or a more chilled-out senior, you can always change your dog’s name, especially since this breed is particularly intelligent. The process just takes a little time and patience.

How to choose a name

There is no hard-and-fast rule when it comes to naming your Blue Heeler — just a few best practices.

• If you don’t have a name in mind, focus on their personality and aesthetics for ideas, or something you’re fond of. What makes them special? Can you imagine yourself using the name day in and day out? Does the name make you smile?

• Stick with words that don’t have too many syllables (which is why we offer some nicknames for longer ones, above) or are hard to pronounce. These may be difficult for a dog to understand.

• Avoid names that sound like training commands for obvious reasons.

• If you’re waffling between a few names, test them out on your pup to see which one summons the best response.

A step-by-step on how to rename your dog

1. Say the old name alongside the new name for a short while.

2. Then gradually only use the new name.

3. Use positive-reinforcement (petting and treats) each time your dog responds to their new name.

References

“Australian Cattle Dog Dog Breed Information.” American Kennel Club, www.akc.org/dog-breeds/australian-cattle-dog. “Australian Slang.” Victoria University, www.vu.edu.au/sites/default/files/aussie-slang.pdf.