Ocean and Nautical Pet Names for Your New Puppy or Kitten

by Janice Jones   |Last Updated 11-03-2021

Exploring nautical pet names is not only fun, it can be educational.  Names on this list are perfect for those who love the water, sun and surf, enjoy fishing or boating, or maybe you are a Cruise Line enthusiast.  

All the names on this page pertain to water, oceans, other bodies of water, fish and marine life, people who make a living on the sea, and of course, dog names with a distinctive nautical theme.

There are countless terms that refer to these topics, but we have narrowed them down to list only those that would make a great dog name.  

One and two syllable dog names are the best and easiest, however we have added a couple clever dog names that have 3 syllables.  You be the judge.

Nautical Pet Names A- B

Admiral – A high ranking naval officer

Ahoy – A nautical term used to call out to someone

Anchor – A heavy object to keep a boat from drifting

Arctic – A cold place

Astern – Towards the  back of the ship (Stern)

Bailer – Some thing that can remove water that has leaked into a boat

Bait – Small food used at the end of a fishing line

Baltic – as in the Baltic Sea

Baleen – A type of whale

Barnacle – 

Bass – A type of fish

Bay – A broad inlet of ocean where the land curves around it.

Beach – Land area by the sea

Beacon – A fire or light source that acts as a signal or warning

Black Beard – legendary pirate

Bell – In nautical terms, a bell that is placed on a buoy.  [Belle is a very popular girl dog name]

Berth- A sleeping area on a boat

Boomer – Slang term for a ballistic missile submarine

Breezy – Mild wind and popular female dog name

Buoy – A floating object used for navigation

Nautical Pet Names C – D

Cadet – A young student in training for a position in the police or armed forces

Canal –  Narrow man-made water passageway as in the Panama Canal

Canoe – Small boat

Captain – Someone who commands a ship

Cargo – Goods or merchandise carried on a ship

Compass – An instrument with a magnet capable of locating the north pole

Convoy – A group of ships traveling together

Coral – Animals that make up a coral reef

Corporal – A low ranking noncommissioned officer

Crew – People who work on a ship

Cruiser – 

Cutter – A small boat

Diver – Someone who goes deep in the water with scuba gear

Dory – A small shallow boat;  Also a character in the movie Nemo and more

Nautical Pet Names E – G

Ensign – Lowest ranking commissioned officer in the US Navy

El Niños – “The little boy”  Warm surface water as a result of changing weather patterns.

Ferry – A type of vessel that transports people and other items across bodies of water.

Fin – in the UK, this is the structure on the topside of a submarine.  Finn is a very popular boy dog name

Fish – Type of animal living in water.  In nautical terms, it means to secure an anchor on the side of a ship

Flounder – Type of fish

Frigate – A type of warship

Galley – The kitchen on a ship

Galleon – In the 16th to 18th centuries Europe, a multilevel sailing ship

Gunner – A person in the armed forces that operates a gun.  This is a popular boy dog name

Gill – A part of a fish used for breathing in water

Guppy – A small fish;  A good name for a small dog

Nautical Pet Names H – J

Harbor -A natural or man-made body of water adjacent to the mainland.

Helm – The mechanism that steers the ship

Henry (Morgan) – Pirate;  You could use either Henry or Morgan as a great dog name

Hermit (Crab) – Type of crustacean;  a great name for an independent puppy.

Herring – Type of Fish

Hitch – Type of rope knot

Hudson – as in Hudson Bay;  A good name for a male dog

Hurricane – Severe storm;  Great choice for a puppy whose personality suggests chaos wherever he goes.

Jack (Sparrow) – a Pirate

Jacques – as in Jacques Cousteau, a French naval officer, filmmaker, and researcher who studied the sea and sea life.  Both first and last names make good dog names especially for a french dog breed.

Jaws – Mouth of a shark and Movie by the same name.  

Jolly Roger – A Pirate ship flying a flag with the white skull and crossbones

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Dan Adams from Chapin SC (USA) suggested the name Port.

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Nautical Dog Names K – R

Kayak – A small canoe with opening in the top for a person to sit and row

Lagoon – A small strip of salt water separated from the sea by a coral reef or sandbar

Laker– A ship  that carries cargo on the Great Lakes; A great name for a mid-western USA puppy

Mackerel – A type of Fish

Manatee – A marine mammal that lives in the water

Mariner – Also known as a sailor

Marlin – A type of Fish

Master – in Nautical terms, a ship with a specified number of sails;  In dog terms, a good name for an alpha male or female.

Mate – Fellow seaman or friend;  Great name for either a boy or a girl puppy.

Moby (Dick) – Famous Whale and name of a book;  A great dog name for one that loves the water.

Motor – An engine that powers a boat

Nemo – A famous fish and star of a movie of the same name

Orca – Type of whale;  killer whale;  Good name for a black and white puppy.

Otter – A medium sized marine mammal

Pearl – A hard object found in the shell of an oyster;  A great country girl dog name for one that is cream colored, 

Pirate – In nautical terms, a person who attacks and robs ships at sea:  Is your dog a great thief when it comes to stealing treats and hiding them?

Pier – See definition of dock

Pilot – A helmsman or person who takes charge of a ship as it enters a narrow or finfined waterway such as the Panama Canal.  

Pontoon – A flat bottom boat that relies on pontoons to float;  A great name for a dog that loves to sail

Poseidon – God of the Sea

Puddle – A small amount of water remaining on a hard surface.  What puppy wouldn’t want the name puddles?

Puffer – As in Puffer Fish;  A great name for a small dog that thinks he is larger than he is.

Radar – A system for detecting the presence, direction, distance and speed of another craft;  Here’s a name for a puppy that doesn’t miss a thing.

Rudder – A flat object used to steer a ship

Nautical Dog Names S – Y

Sailor – Someone who works on a boat

Sandy – The land that is covered with sand and adjacent to the sea.  Sandy is a popular girl dog name for one that has a tan coat

Sardine – A type of Fish

Scuba –  Term used by Scuba Divers

Shrimp – A type of crustacean

Sinbad – a dog serving aboard the cutter USCGC Campbell in WWII,

Sinker – A weight added to a fishing line

Skipjack – A type of sailboat

Sonar – A system for detecting objects underwater;  A great dog name for an above-average watchdog.

Starboard – The right side of a ship when the ship is facing forward.

Tanker – A ship carrying liquids.  Choose Tank for short.

Tender – A boat used to carry people to and from a larger ship

Titanic – An unlucky large ship that sunk in the north Atlantic:  A great name for a large dog or a small dog that thinks he’s a big dog

Torpedo – An underwater missile fired from a ship, submarine or aircraft;  A great dog name choice for a very fast puppy

Tug – A small boat used in harbours

Typhoon – A bad storm at sea near the Indian or Pacific Oceans

Vessel – A ship or large boat

Walrus – A large marine mammal

Whaler – A bat used to fish whales

Wharf – see Dock

Yacht – Medium to large sized sailboat

Did We Forget a Great Nautical Pet Name

We’ve tried hard to research great nautical pet names, but admit, there are probably many more that we missed.  Want to help?

If you think you have another great name to add to this list, please submit it below.  We will add it the next time we update the page with your name and location, so that you get all the credit.