Japanese Terrier Dog Names, Nippon Terrier Dog Names

Sorted alphabetically. Sort by popularity »

★ View Top Japanese Terrier Dog Names » 🧩 Is this the right breed for me? » 📏 See at scale vs other breeds » 📐 How big is a Japanese Terrier Dog Names next to a person? » 🎨 By Coat Color »

The Japanese Terrier is a rare and charming small terrier native to Japan, also known as the Nippon Terrier or Nihon Teria. This elegant toy-sized terrier has a sleek, short coat and a distinctive appearance featuring a dark head and a predominantly white body. Developed in the early 17th century from smooth Fox Terriers brought to Japan by Dutch traders, this breed evolved into a refined companion dog uniquely adapted to Japanese family life.

Naming a Japanese Terrier should honor their Japanese roots and lively terrier temperament. Japanese names are an excellent choice for this rare breed, giving your dog a name that reflects their cultural origin and stands out as distinctively as the breed itself. Their elegant yet playful nature also suits names that balance sophistication with a touch of terrier spunk.

Japanese Terriers are cheerful, affectionate, and highly sensitive to their owners' moods. They are devoted lapdogs who also enjoy spirited play sessions and are surprisingly athletic for their size. Their rarity makes them a special breed to own, and their name should reflect how unique and treasured they are. A name with personality and charm will do justice to this delightful little terrier.

Browse our collection of Japanese Terrier dog names below. Filter by gender, save your favorites, and find a name as rare and special as your Nippon Terrier.

All Male Female Unisex

All A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

#	Name	Meaning	Gender	Origin
1	Adonis	Lord	Male	Phoenician
2	Agnes	From Greek hagnos, chaste or pure	Female	Greek via Latin
3	Ai	Love	Female	Japanese
4	Aiko	Love child	Female	Japanese
5	Aina	Catalan form of Anna	Female	Catalan
6	Akio	Bright man	Male	Japanese
7	Akira	Intelligent	Male	Japanese
8	Allie	Greatest. A Variant Of Allah - The Supreme Being In The Muslim Faith.	Female	English
9	Ami	My people	Female	Hebrew
10	Angus	One choice	Male	Gaelic
11	Axel	Father of peace	Male	Hebrew
12	Ayame	Iris	Female	Japanese
13	Babs	Foreign, strange	Unisex	Greek
14	Baxter	English occupational surname meaning '(female) baker'	Male	English surname
15	Beatrice	Voyager through life	Female	Latin
16	Bella	Short form of Isabella; associated with Italian bella, “beautiful”	Female	English name with an Italian word association
17	Bindy	Beautiful Serpent, Beautiful And Tender	Unisex	English
18	Bonnie	From the Scottish word bonnie meaning 'pretty' or 'attractive'	Female	Scottish English from French
19	Bridget	The exalted one	Female	Gaelic
20	Bruno	Germanic name possibly meaning 'brown' or 'armour, protection'	Male	Germanic
21	Bubba		Unisex
22	Bugsy		Unisex
23	Buster	One who breaks or overcomes something; also an informal form of address	Male	English word and nickname
24	Buttercup	A bright yellow flowered plant. Also a term of endearment.	Unisex	English
25	Casey	From Cayce	Male	American English
26	Cassie	She who entangles men	Female	Greek
27	Chewy	English adjective for food that needs a lot of chewing	Unisex	English adjective from chew
28	Chika	A thousand summers	Female	Japanese
29	Chloe	Greek name meaning 'green shoot' or new growth	Female	Greek
30	Cho	Butterfy	Female	English
31	Cleo	Short form of Cleopatra and other Greek names containing kleos, glory	Female	English from Greek
32	Cookie	English word for a small flat or slightly raised cake, borrowed from Dutch ko...	Unisex	English from Dutch
33	Cricket	A jumping insect known for chirping; also the bat-and-ball sport	Unisex	English word name
34	Cuddles	To nestle or snuggle.	Unisex	English
35	Dai	Beloved	Female	Hebrew
36	Daisy	English flower name from Old English “day’s eye”	Female	English flower name
37	Deuce		Unisex
38	Diesel	Modern word name for the engine and fuel named after Rudolf Diesel	Unisex	English from a German surname
39	Dolly	English diminutive of Dorothy; in modern use also a diminutive of Dolores	Female	English name form
40	Dudley	Wood or clearing of Dudda	Male	English
41	Duffy	Son of Dubhthach or DubhshÃth	Unisex	Gaelic
42	Eddie	Wealth protector	Male	English
43	Eiji	Two protectors	Unisex	Japanese
44	Eleanor	Pity	Female	Greek
45	Emiko	Child graced with beauty	Female	Japanese
46	Fala	Crow	Female	Native American
47	Fanny	From France	Unisex	Latin
48	Fergus	Man of strength	Male	Gaelic
49	Finn	Old Irish form of Fionn, from a word meaning 'white' or 'blessed'	Male	Irish / Old Irish
50	Fritz	Peaceful ruler	Male	German

229 names found. Page 1 of 5.

Frequently Asked Questions

What names honor the Japanese Terrier's Japanese heritage?

Authentic Japanese names like Taro, Yumi, Ren, Aiko (beloved), Kaito, and Hana (flower) beautifully honor their origins. Names like Nippon or Tokyo directly reference Japan and make distinctive choices for this rare breed.

What names suit the Japanese Terrier's small size?

Petite names like Pip, Bean, Dot, Mochi, Button, and Pixie complement their toy-sized frame. Japanese options like Chibi (small) and Mame (bean) are adorable choices that highlight their compact stature.

Are Japanese Terriers rare enough to deserve a unique name?

Japanese Terriers are extremely rare outside Japan. A distinctive name like Zen, Origami, or Kiku (chrysanthemum) reflects their special status. Choosing an uncommon name matches the uniqueness of owning this rare breed.