Dog Names That Start With V

Fresher and more exciting than Vicki or Tori.

Adds French flair to Victoria, though many Americans would find pronunciation a challenge.

This Indian name would make the perfect choice for those looking for a strong water-based name. A variation which may seem more immediately masculine to the English-speaking ear is Varun. The feminine version is Varuni, who was Varuna's consort.

Veronica seems poised to rise again, along with many other V names, and with it may follow this more romantic French version.

A happy combination of several desirable genres: it's a word name, it has a foreign accent, and it has a highly virtuous meaning. And few other parents will be bold enough to choose it.

A pretty, mellifluous name from the Tahitian phrase vai ana o te mato teitei, meaning "water from the cave of the high rock". The Disney heroine Moana is called Vaiana in most European countries, for trademark reasons.

Schoolchildren will recognize this name via Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama.

Velma likely originated as a phonetic spelling of the German name Wilma, itself derived from Wilhelmina. Velma Dinkley is a smart, if nerdy, character in Scooby Doo.

Valery was in the Top 1000 from 2005 to 2009, and reemerged in 2018. This spelling is often used among Hispanic families in the US.

The most famous Vlad was nicknamed "the Impaler." Enough said.

Name of one of the three main Hindu gods.

Embroidered lace hankie of a name, used in a Thomas Hardy novel. That literary cred lends some gravitas.

Veruca is a name Roald Dahl made up for the horrid little girl Veruca Salt in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. A modern rock band adopted the name, though few parents familiar with the original namesake and meaning would choose to pass it on to an innocent child. Verruca is another spelling, but don't use that one either.

Valo, an unusual entry in the o-ending category, can work for girls in the US. On Nameberry, it's especially popular among visitors from Bangladesh.

Mystical overtones.

Occasionally heard in the 1920s and 30s, along with siblings Bina and Mina; Vienna would be a more modern choice.

This once vivacious midcentury nickname is rarely used for modern babies.

Place-name waiting to be discovered.

Veridian is a variation on Viridiana or Viridis, meaning green. Veridian is also the name of an American aeronautical company, so we recommend you stick with the alternatives.