Thanksgiving Day Dog Names

Introduction

Hands up if Thanksgiving is your favorite holiday! It’s not filled with fireworks or tons of tangible gifts, but the entire focus is on family and being together. Thanksgiving is a time to reconnect with the people you love most, and it’s a time for being grateful for all that you have — and what could you possibly be more grateful for than your dog?

If you're searching for pet name inspiration for your new fur-baby, Thanksgiving offers plenty of great ideas. From the history of the holiday to food, family, and fall-inspired names, let's take a look at some of the best Thanksgiving Day dog names.

Love a name not on our list? Be sure to share it or the story behind it below and tag @wagwalking on Twitter for a chance to be featured!

Thanksgiving Day Dog Names in Pop Culture

Featured Famous Dog with a Thanksgiving Day Name

Acorn

What are those cute, crunchy nuts that find themselves underfoot in the fall? Acorns, of course! These little treasures, though rarely eaten, find their way into many Thanksgiving holiday decorations.

But the name Acorn actually stands for much more. The acorn itself reminds us that large, beautiful, sprawling oaks lie within a small shell. Big, wonderful things truly come in small, unassuming packages sometimes.

Which brings us to the inspirational story of Acorn, the American Bulldog mix. At 4 months of age, Acorn found himself at Cleveland Animal Care and Control, and he was in danger of never finding a home. He acted out and ignored instructions. He threw his bowl around the kennel and seemed to be very volatile. This gorgeous pup struggled around other pets and needed serious help.

But no one really understood what kind of help he needed until Mary Motley, a show dog trainer and volunteer at the City Dogs Cleveland shelter, decided to take him home. She initially signed up to host Acorn for the weekend. Mary was so excited at first, but she soon found the pup to be very disobedient and quite the handful.

This led her to discover that Acorn was actually born deaf. His world was quiet, so verbal instruction meant very little to him. He was unresponsive to speech because conventional language could not and would never be his language.

After deciding that American sign language was out of the question, Mary formed her own language of hand signals and trained Acorn to obey and remain calm. Acorn learned to sit, stay, shake, and turn. He was suddenly a well-behaved boy because someone had the heart and took the time to see his need, and Mary eventually decided to adopt Acorn.

Mary and Acorn's bond garnered the nation’s attention and generated plenty of media coverage. You can find more information on Acorn on his Facebook page: DEAFinitely Awesome — The Adventures of Acorn. He’s a dog with a mission.

Are you the proud parent of a deaf dog like Acorn? Check out Wag!'s guide to caring for a deaf dog, complete with training tips from certified dog trainer Caitlin Crittenden.

Thanksgiving Day Dog Name Considerations

If you’re adopting, rescuing, or purchasing a dog around the Thanksgiving holiday, you’ve certainly come to the right place. Start with a Thanksgiving Day theme and you'll soon find inspiration for a host of unique dog names. For example, you may choose to name your pup after a Thanksgiving table staple: Drumstick, Green Bean, Sweet Potato, or Pecan.

Or, take some inspiration from pop culture and source a name from a Thanksgiving episode of your favorite TV show. "Friends" fans will love the name Nora — after Chandler Bing's mom, who appeared in the Thanksgiving episode. Thanksgiving events like the National Dog Show and Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade also provide some "grrreat" ideas for unique Thanksgiving dog names.

In the fall, we also see a time of Harvest and Plenty, two doggo names that may appeal to you, or perhaps you'd prefer Pumpkin or Sunflower. Depending on the color or size of your dog, you might select Foliage for a motley breed or Giblets for a tinier pet.

This name guide will set you on a path to discovering the perfect Thanksgiving-inspired title. Whenever you call your dog, you’ll be reminded of all your blessings and gifts in life. And at the sound of those paws running toward you, you’ll surely reflect on the key themes of Thanksgiving: gratitude, family, and sharing.

Male Thanksgiving Day Dog Names

Votes	Name	Vote
1	Biscuit Homemade biscuits are a staple feature of many Turkey Day tables.
1	Turkey The bird is the centerpiece of nearly all Thanksgiving tables.
0	Gravy Delicious gravy floods our plates at Thanksgiving.
0	Harvest Harvest time usually occurs in November, before winter.
0	Feast Many families sit down for a feast at Thanksgiving.
0	Butterbean A popular Thanksgiving dish and cute name for a dog!
0	Pinecone Pinecones line our yards and drives in late November.
0	Yam Yams are a delicious, sweet Thanksgiving treat.
0	Green Bean Green bean casserole is a Turkey Day staple.
0	Sleepy Many people take naps after eating too much at Thanksgiving.
0	Drumstick Some family members wait all year for this prized turkey leg.
0	Squash Squash made an appearance at the first Thanksgiving.
0	Wishbone It takes work to retrieve it, but a turkey does have a wishbone.
0	Gobble We teach kids that a turkey says “Gobble, gobble!”
0	Red Many leaves at Thanksgiving are the color red.
0	Giblets The liver, heart, gizzard, and neck of a turkey; used for gravy.
0	Franklin The only turkey villager in the Animal Crossing franchise, Franklin also hosts the Turkey Day event
0	Lion The Detroit Lions play football on Thanksgiving Day.
0	Cowboy The Dallas Cowboys play football on Thanksgiving Day.
0	Bounty People give thanks for a bounty of food and blessings.
0	Charlie For the Turkey Day classic, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.
0	Tater A cute, Southern spin on "potato", which features in many Thanksgiving dishes.
0	Decoy After the "decoy turkey" in the unforgettable Thanksgiving episode of Bob's Burgers.
0	Pop After "Pop's Promise", a Thanksgiving episode of the "pawpular" kids' show Puppy Dog Pals
0	Arthur For the PBS Kids classic, which has 2 Thanksgiving episodes.
0	Bones For the turkey bones left over after the feast, or for the Thanksgiving episode of "Bones" — you decide!
0	Cornbread "Pawfect" for pet parents who love this Thanksgiving staple.
0	Broccoli Another veggie-inspired Thanksgiving dog name that can be shortened to Brock.
0	Butterball A cute name for a chunky dog!
0	Corncob A quirky Thanksgiving dog name that's sure to delight.

Female Thanksgiving Day Dog Names

Votes	Name	Vote
1	Autumn Thanksgiving occurs during beautiful autumn.
1	Macy Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is an annual tradition.
1	Pumpkin Pumpkin pie is a popular Thanksgiving dessert.
1	Maizy Inspired by maize, another word for corn.
1	Apple Pie Apple pie is an all-American Thanksgiving dessert.
1	Cassie Short for casserole
1	Nutmeg Nutmeg is a spice used in many fall dishes.
1	Blessing Many people count their blessings at Thanksgiving.
0	Nora The mom of famous Friends character Chandler Bing, who made an, erm, memorable appearance in the Thanksgiving episode.
0	Sweet Potato Another essential ingredient for any Thanksgiving feast.
0	Cranberry It isn’t Thanksgiving until the cranberry sauce enters the room.
0	Plenty The horn of plenty is a Thanksgiving symbol.
0	Grace Often, grace will be said before the Thanksgiving meal.
0	Claire For the winner of Best in Show at National Dog Show 2021, which typically airs around Thanksgiving
0	November Thanksgiving takes place during the month of November.
0	Maple Maple leaves are very striking in November.
0	Sunflower Sunflowers are often harvested in the fall.
0	Hector After the bulldog and Sylvester the Cat's nemesis, who appeared in a Thanksgiving special titled "Happy Pranksgiving".
0	Pecan Pecans make their way into pies and casseroles on Turkey Day.
0	Lucia Did you know the Caribbean country of Saint Lucia also has a Thanksgiving holiday in October?
0	Loaf After Wag!'s original Thanksgiving dog loaf recipe — "pawfect" for a lazy lapdog!
0	Winnie After Winnie the Pooh, a famous franchise with 4 Thanksgiving-themed movies and TV specials.
0	Quinn After the '90s hit TV show, Dr. Quinn: Medicine Woman, which aired 4 Thanksgiving episodes.
0	Sprout A unique Thanksgiving name after the polarizing Brussels sprout.
0	Pepper A subtle and sweet Thanksgiving dog name.
0	Peanut Another nod to Charlie Brown and a cute name for any dog.
0	Marshmallow No sweet potato souffle is complete without a gooey marshmallow topping!
-1	Cornucopia Many centerpieces incorporate a veggie-packed cornucopia.
-1	Foliage Colorful foliage is one of the best parts about November.
-1	Abundance An abundance of food lines the Thanksgiving table.