Red Corgis
Copper, Rusty, Ginger, Penny, Cinnamon, Maple, Paprika, Ember, Cochyn or Cochen (Welsh for a redheaded boy or girl), or Draig, Welsh for dragon, after the red dragon on the flag of Wales.
Corgi guide
Corgi names: Welsh, royal and cute ideas
The best Corgi names are short, easy to call and a nod to the breed's story: a Welsh word like Bryn (hill) or Seren (star), a royal name like Susan or Willow, or a coat color name like Copper. Below are lists by theme, with Welsh meanings checked against dictionaries and royal names checked against the record.
Welsh names
What are good Welsh names for a Corgi?
Pembrokes come from Pembrokeshire in southwest Wales, and corgi is a Welsh word, usually traced to cor, dwarf, and ci, dog. A Welsh name honors that history, and most of these are easier to say than they look.
| Name | Meaning | Say it |
|---|---|---|
| Bryn | Hill | brin |
| Seren | Star | SEH-ren |
| Eira | Snow | AY-ra |
| Cariad | Love, sweetheart | KAR-yad |
| Tegan | Toy, also a pet name for a darling | TEG-an |
| Cwtch | A cuddle, in Welsh English | kutch, rhymes with butch |
| Celyn | Holly | KEL-in |
| Haf | Summer | hahv |
| Mêl | Honey | |
| Gwen | White, blessed (for a girl) | gwen |
| Gwyn | White, blessed (for a boy) | gwin |
| Glyn | Valley | glin |
| Rhys | Probably ardor, enthusiasm | reese |
| Dylan | Linked to the tide and the sea | DUH-lan |
| Rhiannon | Probably great queen | ree-AN-on |
| Dewi | The Welsh form of David, for the patron saint of Wales | DEH-wee |
Two legendary Welsh dogs make fine names too. Cafall was King Arthur's own hound in medieval Welsh tales such as Culhwch and Olwen. Gelert is the faithful hound of Llywelyn the Great in a story tied to the village of Beddgelert in North Wales, though historians think a local innkeeper linked the legend to the village to draw visitors.
Royal names
What did Queen Elizabeth II name her Corgis?
Queen Elizabeth II owned more than 30 Pembrokes over her lifetime, according to the AKC, and her Corgis made the breed famous worldwide. These names come straight from the royal record:
| Name | The story |
|---|---|
| Dookie | The first royal Corgi, acquired in 1933. His registered name was Rozavel Golden Eagle, and kennel staff nicknamed him Dookie because he was going to the Duke of York's household. |
| Jane | An early family Corgi from the 1930s and the mother of a puppy called Crackers. |
| Susan | A gift for Princess Elizabeth's 18th birthday in 1944, registered as Hickathrift Pippa. She went on the royal honeymoon in 1947 and founded the Queen's own line of Corgis. |
| Sugar and Honey | Two of Susan's puppies. Sugar was officially Prince Charles's dog, and Honey became a favorite of the Queen Mother. |
| Whisky and Sherry | Christmas presents for Charles and Anne in 1955. |
| Monty | Named after the horse trainer Monty Roberts. He appeared with the Queen and Daniel Craig's James Bond in the film made for the London 2012 Olympics. |
| Willow and Holly | Monty's costars in the 2012 film. Willow, who died in 2018, was the last of Susan's line. |
| Muick | Pronounced Mick and named after Loch Muick at Balmoral. A gift in 2021 from Prince Andrew and his daughters. |
| Sandy | Joined Muick in 2021. After the Queen's death in 2022, both went to live with the Duke of York and Sarah Ferguson. |
Royal practice suggests a trick worth borrowing: a formal registered name and a short, friendly call name, just as Hickathrift Pippa became Susan.
By coat color
What are good names for a red, sable or tricolor Corgi?
Pembrokes come in red, sable, fawn, and black and tan, with or without white markings, and a black and tan with white is usually called a tricolor. Our Corgi colors guide explains each coat.
Sable Corgis
Sable coats have a red or fawn base with black tipped hairs, so think warm and smoky: Mocha, Hazel, Acorn, Smokey, Tawny, Bramble, Chestnut and Sparrow.
Fawn Corgis
Lighter, golden coats suit Honey, Biscuit, Butterscotch, Latte, Goldie, Marigold, Wheat or Sandy, which doubles as a royal name.
Tricolor Corgis
Black, tan and white suggest Domino, Pepper, Bandit, Patch, Magpie, Tux, Bara Brith, the speckled Welsh fruit bread, or simply Brith, Welsh for speckled.
Food names
What are the best food names for a Corgi?
Corgis are famously food driven, and a Corgi lying down looks a lot like a loaf of bread, so food names suit the breed perfectly.
From the bakery
Biscuit, Muffin, Waffles, Pretzel, Toast, Bagel, Bun, Brioche, Dumpling and Churro.
Sweet
Honey, Sugar, Maple, Toffee, Cookie, Butterscotch, Peaches, Mochi and Cupcake. Honey and Sugar were royal Corgis.
Savory
Nugget, Noodle, Meatball, Spud, Pickles, Bean, Peanut, Nacho and Ramen.
From a Welsh kitchen
Bara (bread), Bara Brith (speckled fruit bread), Cawl (a Welsh soup), Mêl (honey) and Leek, a national emblem of Wales.
Girls and boys
What are good female and male Corgi names?
A mix of classic, Welsh and playful picks, all short enough to call across a park.
| Girl names | Boy names |
|---|---|
| Seren | Bryn |
| Willow | Monty |
| Penny | Rusty |
| Maple | Copper |
| Gwen | Rhys |
| Holly | Dewi |
| Cadi | Glyn |
| Honey | Biscuit |
| Eira | Winston |
| Pippa | Dookie |
| Winnie | Teddy |
| Rosie | Gus |
| Mabel | Ollie |
| Sadie | Rocky |
Cadi is a Welsh short form of Catrin. Names that work for either a girl or a boy include Cariad, Cwtch, Maple, Biscuit and Bryn, which is used for both in many English speaking countries.
Choosing well
How do you pick a name your Corgi will learn easily?
Corgis learn fast, so a well chosen name pays off from the first week.
Keep it to one or two syllables
Short names cut through background noise. The AKC suggests one or two syllables, and a two syllable name ending in a vowel sound, like Penny or Dewi, is easy to say in a bright, happy voice.
Avoid names that sound like cues
Researchers at Eötvös Loránd University in Hungary found in 2020 that dogs' brains did not tell a known cue apart from a nonsense word that differed by a single sound. Kit sounds like sit, Bo like no and Dawn like down, so choose something distinct.
Check it against the household
A name that rhymes with a family member's or another pet's name confuses everyone. Say it alongside the other names in your home before you decide.
Try it out loud for a day
Call it across the yard and imagine saying it at the vet's front desk. Make sure it still fits a grown dog, not just a tiny puppy.
Teach it as a happy word
Say the name once in a cheerful voice, and the moment your puppy looks at you, mark it with yes and give a treat. Never use the name to scold. Our Corgi puppy training guide covers the first cues that come next.
Questions
Common questions.
Can you rename a Corgi puppy or an older Corgi?
Yes. The AKC notes that dogs can learn a new name with consistent practice and encouragement. Say the new name in a happy voice, reward the moment your dog looks at you, and use it only for good things. Start in a quiet room, then practice in busier places, and make sure everyone in the house uses the same name.
What does the word Corgi mean?
Corgi is Welsh. It is usually explained as cor, meaning dwarf, plus ci, meaning dog, which becomes gi in the compound word. The AKC notes another reading, with cor meaning to gather or watch over, which suits a herding dog just as well. Either way, the name describes a small working dog from Wales.
What is the difference between a registered name and a call name?
A registered name is the formal name on your puppy's papers, and it often includes the breeder's kennel name. The call name is what you actually say at home, and it can be anything. Queen Elizabeth's first Corgi was registered as Rozavel Golden Eagle, Rozavel being his breeder's kennel name, and he answered to Dookie.
What is a good name for a fluffy Corgi?
Fluffies are Pembrokes with a long, soft coat and extra feathering, and they suit names like Teddy, Bear, Cloud, Cotton, Muffin, Bramble or Cwtch, the Welsh English word for a cuddle. Pick a name that still sounds right once the puppy fluff becomes a full adult coat, and read our Welsh Corgi grooming guide for keeping it tidy.
Keep reading
More Corgi guides.
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