The premiere canine athlete, the border collie can do it all, and seems to always excel in any given arena. From herding to agility, obedience to rally, to search and rescue the border collie scores top honors as the most biddable and the most intelligent dog breed.
Years of selective breeding have developed a breed whose greatest desire is to please his master. The border collie employs logic to anticipate his master's wishes, as well as the collective mindset of his stock. Here are one hundred border collie names from the traditional to the unique, from Irish, Scottish and Welsh lore, that celebrate their heritage as the preeminent sheepdog and canine genius.
The International Sheepdog Society (ISDS) lists these following names as some of the most frequently occurring in their vast database. The most popular male name, Ben, is listed as having been used 9961 times, with ten of those Ben's being females. These names are frequently combined with that of the breeder, as in Wilson's Wartime Cap.
Ben - The most popular male border collie name of the ISDS Registry
Cap - Wilson's Wartime Cap and Wiston Cap are two of the most influential border collies in the pedigrees of the modern border collie. Wilson's Cap appears in 17% of every puppy born's pedigree. His descendant, Wiston Cap, produced 1933 registered pups from 388 litters.
Chip - Chip off the old block - Chip makes a good name for a dog that looks or performs like his father.
Drift
Hemp - The progenitor of the modern border collie, Old Hemp won the International Championship in sheep herding twice, once in 1910 and again in 1912. Of the 29 winners following 1906, all but 3 counted Hemp in one or both sides of their pedigree. Born in the Northumbrian region, Hemp exemplifies the Northumbrian style border collie. So recognizable is the structure and coat of Old Hemp, that he could enter a conformation event today, and fit right in with the other conformation champions!
Lad or Laddie
Moss
Nap - The Nap style border collie is named after Whitehope Nap. These dogs are smooth coated with relatively lighter bone and longer legs. Fast and powerful, the Nap style border collie is frequently preferred for working cattle on big ranches out west.
Roy
Skye - A name for a powerful dog that covers his stock as completely as the sky above.
Spot
Sweep
Tommy - The Herdsman Tommy type border collie was named for a Hemp descendent Herdsman Tommy. This dog was a heavy boned and coated dog. The line was known for a certain strang-headedness and good nature.
Tweed
Traditionally, herding handlers have preferred the black and white, tris and dark blue patterns for their stockdogs, while golds have been eschewed. These names celebrate the traditional markings are well as their sly natures when dealing with stock.
Bam Bam
Beluga
Boggle
Chisel
Coach
Domino
Haven
Honor
Lurk
Keeper
Oreo
Panda
Porter
Reflect
Schemer
Scrabble
Shade
Slinky
Smasher
Stalker
Topic
Wager
Worthy
Bolt
Breeze
Chaos
Chase or Chaser
Chipper
Dash
Flash
Fury
Hero
Jet
Magic
Pow
Razzor
Rebound
Rip
Riot
Risk
Rumble
Rush
Savvy
Scooter
Slick
Sly
Snap
Sprint
Spry
Storm
Striker
Swift
Turbo
Win
Braden
Conall - Means Powerful Wolf.
Culkin - A very learned man.
Fergus - Man with much energy.
Finnian - Light or fair.
Guinness - Irish Ale.
Keiran - Small dark one. A great name for a small dark-faced dog.
Kelly - Intelligent and bright.
Leary - Keeper of calves.
Liam - Means Strong willed.
Logan - Translates from Gaelic as "little hollow."
Mannix - Monk
McKenna - Son of the handsome one.
Murphy - Means "of the sea."
Quinn - Wise and reasonable
Reagan - Means Little Ruler.
Rowan - Red king.
Tierney - Descendent of the Lord.
Angus - One who is unusually strong.
Carson - Car means marshes or mossy place; son of a man from the marshes.
Dallas - One who lives on a clearing.
Fergus - Man with great energy.
Forbes - From the fields.
Frazer - From strawberry fields; a nice name for a gold border collie.
Hendry - Ruler of the house.
Jayden
Jock - God is merciful.
Laird - Owner of the land.
Seamus - (Pronounced SHAY-mus) Following after.
Brynn - From a hilly land.
Carwyn - Pure love.
Darren
Deryn - Small but great!
Dillon - From a large sea.
Fargo - Cobbler
Gavin - White hawk.
Griffin or Griffith - A fierce creature.
Maddock - The lucky one.
Merrick - Powerful and famous.
Powell - Prominent or imminent.
Reece - Fervor.
Trevor - From a small hamlet
Vaughn - Small one.
Yale - From the slopes; a good name for a dog from a mountainous area.
Border Collie Coats, Care and Managing Shedding: 7+ Tips and Tools
Learn about colors, care, tools and techniques for making short work of border collie shedding coats.
Years of selective breeding have developed a breed whose greatest desire is to please his master. The border collie employs logic to anticipate his master's wishes, as well as the collective mindset of his stock. Here are one hundred border collie names from the traditional to the unique, from Irish, Scottish and Welsh lore, that celebrate their heritage as the preeminent sheepdog and canine genius.
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| Cap of Killiebrae working stock with the signature border collie stealthy crouch |
Traditional Border Collie Names for Males
The International Sheepdog Society (ISDS) lists these following names as some of the most frequently occurring in their vast database. The most popular male name, Ben, is listed as having been used 9961 times, with ten of those Ben's being females. These names are frequently combined with that of the breeder, as in Wilson's Wartime Cap.
Ben - The most popular male border collie name of the ISDS Registry
Cap - Wilson's Wartime Cap and Wiston Cap are two of the most influential border collies in the pedigrees of the modern border collie. Wilson's Cap appears in 17% of every puppy born's pedigree. His descendant, Wiston Cap, produced 1933 registered pups from 388 litters.
Chip - Chip off the old block - Chip makes a good name for a dog that looks or performs like his father.
Drift
Hemp - The progenitor of the modern border collie, Old Hemp won the International Championship in sheep herding twice, once in 1910 and again in 1912. Of the 29 winners following 1906, all but 3 counted Hemp in one or both sides of their pedigree. Born in the Northumbrian region, Hemp exemplifies the Northumbrian style border collie. So recognizable is the structure and coat of Old Hemp, that he could enter a conformation event today, and fit right in with the other conformation champions!
 |
| Old Hemp The Northumbrian Type Border Collie |
Lad or Laddie
Moss
Nap - The Nap style border collie is named after Whitehope Nap. These dogs are smooth coated with relatively lighter bone and longer legs. Fast and powerful, the Nap style border collie is frequently preferred for working cattle on big ranches out west.
Roy
Skye - A name for a powerful dog that covers his stock as completely as the sky above.
Spot
Sweep
Tommy - The Herdsman Tommy type border collie was named for a Hemp descendent Herdsman Tommy. This dog was a heavy boned and coated dog. The line was known for a certain strang-headedness and good nature.
Tweed
Unique Names for Border Collie Males
Traditionally, the border collie is a black and white dog, however they come in many different colors, all of which are recognized by the AKC. The BC can come in blue or red merle, chocolate or gold and white, blue and white and tri-black and tri-brown coat patterns. Rarer colors exist, such as the sable, lilac and white and brindle or wild sable.Traditionally, herding handlers have preferred the black and white, tris and dark blue patterns for their stockdogs, while golds have been eschewed. These names celebrate the traditional markings are well as their sly natures when dealing with stock.
Bam Bam
Beluga
Boggle
Chisel
Coach
Domino
Haven
Honor
Lurk
Keeper
Oreo
Panda
Porter
Reflect
Schemer
Scrabble
Shade
Slinky
Smasher
Stalker
Topic
Wager
Worthy
Agility Dog Names for Border Collies
Bolt
Breeze
Chaos
Chase or Chaser
Chipper
Dash
Flash
Fury
Hero
Jet
Magic
Pow
Razzor
Rebound
Rip
Riot
Risk
Rumble
Rush
Savvy
Scooter
Slick
Sly
Snap
Sprint
Spry
Storm
Striker
Swift
Turbo
Win
Irish Border Collie Names for Males
Braden
Conall - Means Powerful Wolf.
Culkin - A very learned man.
Fergus - Man with much energy.
Finnian - Light or fair.
Guinness - Irish Ale.
Keiran - Small dark one. A great name for a small dark-faced dog.
Kelly - Intelligent and bright.
Leary - Keeper of calves.
Liam - Means Strong willed.
Logan - Translates from Gaelic as "little hollow."
Mannix - Monk
McKenna - Son of the handsome one.
Murphy - Means "of the sea."
Quinn - Wise and reasonable
Reagan - Means Little Ruler.
Rowan - Red king.
Tierney - Descendent of the Lord.
Scottish Boy Names for Border Collies
Angus - One who is unusually strong.
Carson - Car means marshes or mossy place; son of a man from the marshes.
Dallas - One who lives on a clearing.
Fergus - Man with great energy.
Forbes - From the fields.
Frazer - From strawberry fields; a nice name for a gold border collie.
Hendry - Ruler of the house.
Jayden
Jock - God is merciful.
Laird - Owner of the land.
Seamus - (Pronounced SHAY-mus) Following after.
 |
| Border collie stalking with "eye." |
Welsh Names for Border Collies
Brynn - From a hilly land.
Carwyn - Pure love.
Darren
Deryn - Small but great!
Dillon - From a large sea.
Fargo - Cobbler
Gavin - White hawk.
Griffin or Griffith - A fierce creature.
Maddock - The lucky one.
Merrick - Powerful and famous.
Powell - Prominent or imminent.
Reece - Fervor.
Trevor - From a small hamlet
Vaughn - Small one.
Yale - From the slopes; a good name for a dog from a mountainous area.
More Border Collie Resources:
Border Collie Coats, Care and Managing Shedding: 7+ Tips and Tools
Learn about colors, care, tools and techniques for making short work of border collie shedding coats.