100+ Basketball Dog Names: Ideas for Drooling Dribbler Dogs

Updated on Jan 20, 2023

Nothing like lacing up your favorite pair of sneakers, throwing on a jersey from your treasured team, and hitting the courts. That is until you found a pup who enjoys the game just as much as you. Watch out Airbud (90’s movie reference). Whether your new buddy loves watching you shoot hoops on the weekend or rally’s behind the same basketball team as you, there is nothing more special than the bond between pet owner, doggo, and unwavering love for the game.

Basketball is one of those sports that draw in sports fans of all kinds that often have us spotting famous faces sitting courtside. There are many cool reasons you might find yourself looking for a basketball-inspired dog name – your love for the game, the fact that your dog is bound to grow to an impressive height, or the way they pull off a jersey. Maybe you’ve discovered your dog has a once in lifetime talent – dribbling the ball better than half the people you play with. Regardless of your reasoning, we’re happy to have you and feel this is the best spot to find the top-rated basketball-themed dog names.

Big, small, female, male, lean, or slightly round – we have adorably fun names for all types of basketball-loving dogs.

We start off our basketball names with a list of some of the key players in the WNBA & NBA. Now, you will only find a select few here but we encourage you to choose whichever player you love!

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Girl Basketball Dog Names

Tuarasi | Diana Tuarasi
Fowles | Sylvia Fowles
Parker | Candance Parker
Delle Donne | Elena Delle Donne
Tamika | Tamika Catchings
Griner | Brittney Griner
Maya | Maya Moore
Swoops | Sheryl Swoops
Cappie | Cappie Pondexter
Dupree | Candance Dupree

Boy Basketball Dog Names

MJ | Michael Jordan
LaBron | LaBron James
Metta | Metta World Peace
Wilt | Wilt Chamberlain
Pippen | Scotty Pippen
Jabbar | Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kobe | Kobe Bryant
Bird | Larry Bird
Wade | Dwayne Wade
Moses | Moses Malone
Ming | Yao Ming
Shaquille or Shaq | Shaquille O’Neal
Magic | Magic Johnson
Barkley | Charles Barkley
McAdoo | Bob McAdoo

English Bulldog with yellow ball — Image Credit: AlainAudet, Pixabay

Basketball Lingo Dog Names

One of the coolest ways you can pay homage to your favorite sport, aside from naming your pup after an all-star player, is to select a dog name inspired by basketball lingo. Each sport manages to adopt its own language over time and basketball is no exception. Below you will find a list of the most commonly used terms in addition to ones you might have never heard of.

Baller | a person who plays basketball, or someone with wealth or status
Dribble | act of bouncing a basketball consistently
Spalding | Basketball equipment brand
Hops | a player who can jump high
Dagger | A shot at the end of the game that makes the difference in the points unmatchable
Flop | a bad play resulting in a foul
Barclay | Barclay Center
Jersey | Uniform worn by players
Alley | Alley-Oop, an offensive play
Guard | Position
Nike | sporting goods brand
Swish | a basket scored where the ball touches nothing but net
Layup | A shot made within two feet of the basket
Hoops | A casual game of basketball
Marv | Marv Albert, Broadcaster
Wiggle | An agile player who can move between defending players with ease
Adidas | sporting good brand
Dunk | When a player scores a ball by placing it directly in the net while grabbing the rim
Rebound | An opportunity to score when the ball is caught off the back board
Elbow | A way of blocking other players
Airball | A ball thrown without reaching the net or backboard
Meatball | Another word for a basketball
Basket | Another word for the net
Rebok | Brand of sporting equipment
Key | The area of the court where most shots are taken from
Gunner | A player who attempts many shots that are usually unsuccessful
DD | Double Dribble
Brick | A shot that fails to make it to the net
Wedgie | When the basketball becomes stuck between the net and backboard

Basketball Team Dog Names

There is no doubt in our mind that you and your dog will make the best of teammates not only in your own game of ball but as lifelong friends. So in the spirit of comradery and being a good sport, you might find that choosing a basketball team as your loyal friend’s trusty name is the way to go! Here are a few NBA teams that would sound great:

Lakers | Los Angeles
Clippers | Los Angeles
Rocket | Houston
Spur | San Antonio
Bull | Chicago
Maverick | Dallas
Piston | Detroit
Raptor | Toronto
Knicks | New York
Pacer | Indiana
Nugget | Denver
Celtic | Boston
Cavalier | Cleveland

Basketball Dog Mascot Names

Adopting a brand new puppy is like bringing home a mascot for your very own life. You choose the breed, its gender, and other specifics right down to their coloring. Of course, you can’t decide their personality but that’s the fun surprise you get to unwrap as they grow. You might find this next set of interesting name choices because they are the most notable mascots in NBA basketball.

Hugo | Charlotte Hornets
Benny | Chicago Bulls
Crunch | Minnesota Timberwolves
Hooper | Detroit Pistons
Boomer | Indiana Pacers
Slamson | Sacramento Kings
Champ | Dallas Mavericks
Rumble | Oklahoma City Thunder
Clutch | Houston Rockets
Bango | Milwaukee Bucks
G-Wiz | Washington Wizards

Bonus: Famous Basketball Player Dog Names

You might be inspired by the dog names chosen by the players themselves as many of these talented athletes have doggies of their very own. While they may not be basketball-related, they are still wonderful options that are pleasantly weaved with a cool backstory.

Siber | German Shepherd | Gordon Hayward
Jewelz | Labrador Pit Bull Mix | Glenn Robinson
Muppet | Robin Lopez
Molly | Bernedoodle | D’Angelo Russel
Kobe | Pit Bull | Paul George
Kane | Pit Bulls | Demarcus Cousins
Flash | Frenchie | Ben Simmons
Rocco | English Bulldog | Klay Thompon
Sage | Rhodesian Ridgeback | Michael Carter Wiliams
Chaney | Rhodesian Ridgeback | Blake Griffin
Riley | French Bulldog | John Wall
Koko | Husky | Meyer Leonard
Noah | Bulldog | Justise Winslow
Buckets | Husky | Quincy Pondexter
Natty | Rottweiler | Jahil Okafor
Harvey | Labradoodle | Patty Mills
Chief | Cane Corso | Ben Simmons
Jefe | Bulldog | Justise Winslow
Gotti | Pit Bulls | Demarcus Cousins
Bella | Husky | Meyer Leonard
South Side | French Bulldog | John Wall
King | Pit Bull | Paul George

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Finding the Right Basketball-Inspired Name for Your Dog

There you go! We’ve included all things basketball for you to consider during your name selection process for Fido. Whether your new addition shares a love for the game or they simply are loved just as much as the sport itself, each suggestion is a cool way of showing your appreciation and colliding two worlds that are otherwise unrelated.

If you were a fan of the classic names, you might have chosen Hoops or Jersey, perhaps you decided on something a little unconventional and goofy like Meatball or Dunk. Whatever you have landed on, you can be sure that your dog will love it and wear it with pride.

If you are looking for a few additional ideas before you make a final decision, check out our other popular name posts below:

Feature Image Credit: Paska3610, Pixabay