Naming Your Pet 

The name that you select for your pet says as much about you as it does about your pet. It tells people how you perceive your pet, about your relationship, and perhaps even about his/her behavior and disposition, i.e., Killer would definitely be thought of as an aggressive pet, vs. Sweet Pea would likely be regarded as a gentle pet. Having said that, it is important to remember that your pet's name will cause most people to form an immediate opinion about your pet, and upon meeting them they will either react positively or negatively/fearfully based on that pre-conceived notion. Whether you have a Dog, Cat, Bird, Reptile, Rabbit, Hamster, Horse, or Ferret remember to choose a name that properly conveys their character.

Below are some useful tips in selecting the right name for your Pet.

1. Observe your new Pet for a few days to determine their disposition.  For example:  Is the animal clumsy, goofy, gentle, energetic, sweet, etc.?
2. What is the breeds heritage?  A Shih Tzu Dog for example was bred as a companion dog, while an English Foxhound was bred to be a hunter.
3. After observing the animal's disposition and determining the animal's heritage begin thinking about words, human names, and places that you associate with it.  For example:  A male German Shepherd, that is both stoic and loving could be called Maximus, (as from Gladiator).  A female Jack Russell Terrier that is hyper, athletic and goofy could be named Jackie, (as in Jackie Chan).
4. This process can take a few days, and you should try and see how the name rolls of your tongue.  Remember, once chosen you will use this name dozens of times per day, to call commands, praise, show affection, etc.
5. Also, be very mindful of not choosing names that are similar to common commands like, Sit, Stay, No, Fetch, Heel, Lay, as this can impede training and confuse the animal as it is hard for animals to differentiate between similar sounding words.  A perfect example of this would be naming a dog Faye, and using the command Stay.
6. Don't name your dog "Stinky Pinky" if you'll be embarrassed to call it out in the park!
7. Chose a name that will grow with your pet, i.e., "Baby" might work well when your Akita is a puppy, however, once fully-grown might sound silly.
8. While animals find it easier to learn 1 or 2 syllable names, there is no reason it can't be longer.  Just think about how the shortened version will sound, and make sure that you like it as well as it will most likely be what you wind up calling your dog the most.

For more inspiration and ideas see the links below, and Happy Naming!