R&B Dog Names: 120+ Soulful Names Inspired by R&B Singers (and Their Actual Pets)
Does your pup have a voice that could fill a stadium? Or maybe they're just smooth, loyal and full of soul. Either way, an R&B name could be the perfect fit.
In this list you'll find the real names of famous R&B singers' pets, followed by each singer's stage name and real name side by side. We've finished with group names, song title names, cat names and some funny puns.
Every pet name in this post comes from a reputable published source, listed at the end.
What did famous R&B singers name their pets?
These are real pets of real R&B stars, and each name comes with a story. Any of them would suit your own dog (or cat, or chimp).
| Singer | Real name | Pet name(s) | The story |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mariah Carey | Mariah Carey | Cha Cha, Jill E Beans, Mutley | Three Jack Russell Terriers from the same family. Cha Cha is Jill E Beans's mum, and Jill E Beans is Mutley's aunt. |
| John Legend | John Stephens | Puddy, Penny, Petey, Pearl, Pebbles | Puddy was an English Bulldog and their first dog. Penny was a three-legged French Bulldog, Petey is a Poodle and Pearl is a Basset Hound. |
| John Legend | John Stephens | Dudley | A rescue dog the family adopted after the Los Angeles wildfires. |
| Rihanna | Robyn Fenty | Pepe | A puppy she found in the bathroom of a Los Angeles club in 2015 and took home that night. |
| Bruno Mars | Peter Hernandez | Geronimo | The puppy he showed off to fans on social media. |
| Usher | Usher Raymond IV | Poppy | A female Goldendoodle he bought for $12,000 at a charity gala. He said his kids would have the final say on her name. |
| Michael Jackson | Michael Jackson | Bubbles and Max | Bubbles was his famous chimpanzee from the 1980s until about 2005. Reports say another chimp named Max later took his place. |
| Chris Brown | Christopher Brown | Fiji | A baby Capuchin monkey that authorities later removed because he didn't have a permit. |
| Prince | Prince Rogers Nelson | God | Not his own dog. Prince gave Lionel Richie's daughter Nicole her first dog when she was about four, and named it God. |
Fun fact: Mariah Carey's dogs are so pampered they've reportedly travelled with her on luxury holidays. If your dog has diva energy, Cha Cha might be the name for them.
What are the best boy dog names inspired by R&B singers?
Pick the stage name if you want everyone at the dog park to know you're a fan. Pick the real name for something more subtle.
| Stage name idea | Real name idea | Inspired by |
|---|---|---|
| Usher | Raymond | Usher (Usher Raymond IV) |
| Prince | Rogers | Prince (Prince Rogers Nelson) |
| Bruno | Peter | Bruno Mars (Peter Hernandez) |
| Weeknd | Abel | The Weeknd (Abel Tesfaye) |
| Legend | John | John Legend (John Stephens) |
| Stevie | Stevland | Stevie Wonder (Stevland Morris) |
| Marvin | Gaye | Marvin Gaye (Marvin Gay Jr.) |
| MJ | Michael | Michael Jackson |
| Babyface | Kenneth | Babyface (Kenneth Edmonds) |
| Ne-Yo | Shaffer | Ne-Yo (Shaffer Smith) |
| Smokey | William | Smokey Robinson (William Robinson Jr.) |
| Luther | Vandross | Luther Vandross |
| Barry | Carter | Barry White (born Barry Eugene Carter) |
| Otis | Redding | Otis Redding |
| Ray | Robinson | Ray Charles (Ray Charles Robinson) |
| Sam | Cooke | Sam Cooke (Samuel Cook) |
| Al | Albert | Al Green (Albert Greene) |
| Withers | Bill | Bill Withers |
| D'Angelo | Archer | D'Angelo (Michael Archer) |
| Maxwell | Gerald | Maxwell (Gerald Maxwell Rivera) |
| Ginuwine | Elgin | Ginuwine (Elgin Lumpkin) |
| Sisqó | Mark | Sisqó (Mark Andrews) |
| Tank | Durrell | Tank (Durrell Babbs) |
| Trey | Tremaine | Trey Songz (Tremaine Neverson) |
| Miguel | Pimentel | Miguel (Miguel Pimentel) |
| Khalid | Robinson | Khalid (Khalid Robinson) |
| Ocean | Christopher | Frank Ocean (Christopher Breaux) |
| Giveon | Evans | Giveon (Giveon Evans) |
| Caesar | Ashton | Daniel Caesar (Ashton Simmonds) |
| Faiyaz | Wood | Brent Faiyaz (Christopher Wood) |
| Bobby | Robert | Bobby Brown (Robert Brown) |
| Sweat | Keith | Keith Sweat |
| Joe | Joseph | Joe (Joseph Thomas) |
| Rick | James | Rick James (James Johnson Jr.) |
| Lionel | Richie | Lionel Richie |
| Teddy | Theodore | Teddy Pendergrass (Theodore Pendergrass) |
| Curtis | Mayfield | Curtis Mayfield |
| Isaac | Hayes | Isaac Hayes |
| Breezy | Christopher | Chris Brown (Christopher Brown) |
Perfect pairs: Got a big dog and a little dog? Try Barry and White, or Prince and Purple.
What are the best girl dog names inspired by female R&B singers?
The queens of R&B give you some of the prettiest names on this list. Aaliyah, Sade and Ciara are soft and easy to call, while Bey and Riri have plenty of sass.
| Stage name idea | Real name idea | Inspired by |
|---|---|---|
| Beyoncé or Bey | Knowles | Beyoncé (Beyoncé Knowles) |
| Rihanna or Riri | Robyn | Rihanna (Robyn Fenty) |
| Mariah | Carey | Mariah Carey |
| Whitney | Houston | Whitney Houston |
| Aretha | Franklin | Aretha Franklin |
| Aaliyah | Haughton | Aaliyah (Aaliyah Haughton) |
| Janet | Damita | Janet Jackson (Janet Damita Jo Jackson) |
| Alicia | Cook | Alicia Keys (Alicia Cook) |
| Brandy | Norwood | Brandy (Brandy Norwood) |
| Monica | Arnold | Monica (Monica Arnold) |
| Ciara | Harris | Ciara (Ciara Harris) |
| SZA | Solána | SZA (Solána Rowe) |
| H.E.R. | Gabriella | H.E.R. (Gabriella Wilson) |
| Erykah or Badu | Erica | Erykah Badu (Erica Wright) |
| Sade | Helen | Sade (Helen Folasade Adu) |
| Chaka | Yvette | Chaka Khan (Yvette Stevens) |
| Tina | Anna Mae | Tina Turner (Anna Mae Bullock) |
| Etta | Jamesetta | Etta James (Jamesetta Hawkins) |
| Diana | Diane | Diana Ross (Diane Ross) |
| Patti | Patricia | Patti LaBelle (Patricia Holte) |
| Toni | Braxton | Toni Braxton |
| Kehlani | Parrish | Kehlani (Kehlani Parrish) |
| Jhené | Aiko | Jhené Aiko (Jhené Aiko Chilombo) |
| Tinashe | Kachingwe | Tinashe (Tinashe Kachingwe) |
| Summer | Walker | Summer Walker |
| Ashanti | Douglas | Ashanti (Ashanti Douglas) |
| Mýa | Harrison | Mýa (Mya Harrison) |
| Lauryn | Hill | Lauryn Hill |
| Gladys | Knight | Gladys Knight |
| Anita | Baker | Anita Baker |
| Jill | Scott | Jill Scott |
| Kelly | Rowland | Kelly Rowland |
| Faith | Evans | Faith Evans |
| Teena | Mary | Teena Marie (Mary Christine Brockert) |
| Minnie | Riperton | Minnie Riperton |
| Fantasia | Barrino | Fantasia (Fantasia Barrino) |
| Roberta | Flack | Roberta Flack |
| Natalie | Cole | Natalie Cole |
| Keyshia | Cole | Keyshia Cole |
| Amerie | Rogers | Amerie (Amerie Rogers) |
For a pup with true diva energy: Mariah, Whitney and Aretha all have the attitude to match.
What are good names for two or more dogs?
R&B groups are perfect for a pack. Name each dog after a member.
- T-Boz, Left Eye and Chilli, after TLC (great for three dogs)
- K-Ci and JoJo, after the brothers from Jodeci
- Bey, Kelly and Michelle, after Destiny's Child
- Wanya, Nathan, Shawn and Mike, after Boyz II Men
- Diana, Mary and Flo, after The Supremes
- Earth, Wind and Fire, for a lively trio
Which R&B song titles make good dog names?
A song title makes a fun, unique name that only fellow fans will catch.
- Halo, from Beyoncé, for a little angel
- Umbrella, from Rihanna, for a dog who loves the rain
- Diamond, after Rihanna's Diamonds, for a dog who shines
- Fantasy, from Mariah Carey
- Butterfly, from Mariah Carey, for a gentle girl
- Thriller, from Michael Jackson, for a dog full of surprises
- Billie Jean, from Michael Jackson
- Purple, after Prince's Purple Rain
- Lemonade, after Beyoncé's album, for a golden coloured dog
- Crazy in Love, from Beyoncé, for a dog who greets you like you've been gone for years
- Superstition, from Stevie Wonder
- Sugar, a classic soul favourite
Which short R&B names are easiest for dogs to learn?
One or two syllables are easiest for dogs to learn. These all work well at the dog park:
Bey · Riri · Sade · Toni · Etta · Tina · Otis · Ray · Al · Joe · Tank · Bruno · Usher · Prince · Marvin · Stevie · Barry · Keys · Pepe · Cha Cha
What are good R&B names for cats?
Cats have plenty of soul too. These suit their cool, independent style.
- Sade, for a smooth and mysterious cat
- Prince, for a cat who rules the house
- Purple, for a grey or blue cat
- Whitney, for a white cat with a big voice
- Diva, for a cat who expects room service
- Erykah, for a free spirited cat
- Smokey, after Smokey Robinson, for a grey cat
- Bubbles, after Michael Jackson's chimp, for a playful kitten
What are some funny R&B dog names?
Want a name that gets a laugh every time? Try one of these puns.
- Woofney Houston
- Mariah Furry
- Bark Jackson
- Barky White
- Bruno Barks
- Alicia Kibbles
- Snoopy Robinson
- Lionel Ruffie
- Stevie Wonderdog
- Paw-Tina Turner
- Usher-Pup
- Whisker Houston, for a cat
How do you choose the right R&B name for your dog?
- Say it out loud at the park. You'll be calling it hundreds of times, so make sure you're happy singing it out in public.
- Keep it to one or two syllables. Short names like Bey, Otis or Sade are quicker for dogs to learn.
- Avoid names that sound like commands. Names that rhyme with sit, stay, no or down can confuse your dog during training.
- Match the personality. A calm, smooth dog suits Sade or Luther, a show off suits Beyoncé, and a big softie suits Barry.
- Use it in training straight away. Pair the name with treats and praise so your dog learns it means good things.
Once your pup has a name worthy of the charts, take them out to show it off. Search the Social Pet Society directory for pet friendly cafés, parks and stays across Queensland.
Prefer hip hop? Check out our rapper dog names too.
This article is for general information only and isn’t a substitute for professional advice. The sources we used are listed below.
References
- PetsRadar, Mariah Carey's dogs are the real divas
- NBC Insider, John Legend and Chrissy Teigen's first dog Puddy
- People via AOL, Chrissy Teigen and John Legend adopt new dog Dudley
- The Fader, Rihanna went to the club and came home with a puppy
- Capital FM, Bruno Mars posts picture with his new puppy Geronimo
- NBC News, Usher pays $12,000 for puppy at charity auction
- Wikipedia, Bubbles (chimpanzee)
- 10News, Singer Chris Brown investigated over pet monkey
- ET, Nicole Richie recalls being gifted a dog from Prince
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