Dog and cat name generator
Depending on the country, purebred puppies and kittens are given names starting with the letter assigned to their birth year: in France, 2026 is the year of B. Choose a country, species, year, and sex to get name ideas.
Country
Species
Year of birth
Sex
Letter of the year 2026: B
96 dog name ideas starting with B
Our suggestions
Basilie
Female
Blaise
Male
Blake
Male
Bibi
Female
Baïa
Female
Baxter
Male
Letter of the year: complete table
In France, LOF (dogs) and LOOF (cats) follow the same schedule: a 20-letter cycle, excluding K, Q, W, X, Y, Z.
- 2010F
- 2011G
- 2012H
- 2013I
- 2014J
- 2015L
- 2016M
- 2017N
- 2018O
- 2019P
- 2020R
- 2021S
- 2022T
- 2023U
- 2024V
- 2025A
- 2026BCurrent
- 2027C
- 2028D
- 2029E
- 2030F
- 2031G
- 2032H
- 2033I
- 2034J
- 2035L
Why is there a letter for each year?
Since 1926, the Société Centrale Canine has assigned a letter to each year: all puppies born in the same year and registered in the LOF (French studbook) receive a name starting with that letter. The LOOF (French cat studbook) applies the same principle to pedigree kittens.
The alphabet is reduced to 20 letters: K, Q, W, X, Y, and Z are excluded because there aren't enough names available. The cycle therefore repeats every 20 years: after V in 2024, a new cycle began with A in 2025, and 2026 is the year of B.
This rule applies only to animals registered with the LOF or LOOF. For a dog or cat without a pedigree, the letter is still a popular tradition: it helps you guess a pet's age from its name and choose from thousands of ideas.
Choosing a name for your puppy or kitten
Short and easy to call
A one- or two-syllable name is easy to remember and call out, even from a distance.
Avoid command-like names
Avoid names that sound like “sit,” “no,” or “come” to prevent confusion during training.
Think about the adult
A cute name for a 2 kg puppy should still suit a 40 kg dog.
Choose a distinctive name
A less common name helps avoid confusion at the park or vet when several pets respond to the same call.
Frequently asked questions
In 2026, the letter of the year is B for both dogs and cats. It applies to animals born in 2026 and registered with the LOF or LOOF.
The letter for 2027 will be C. The table above shows the letter for each year through 2035.
Yes, if you're registering a puppy with the LOF or a kitten with the LOOF: the registered name must start with the letter for the year of birth. For a pet without a pedigree, there's no requirement—you can choose any name you like.
These letters were excluded because there weren't enough names available. However, the LOOF allows some of them in certain years: K in years assigned J, Q in years assigned P, and W, X, Y, or Z in years assigned V.
Of course. The name on the pedigree is often long and preceded or followed by the breeder's kennel name. Many families use a shorter everyday name, whether or not it starts with the letter of the year.
Belgium (LOSH for dogs, Felis Belgica for cats) and Luxembourg use all 26 letters of the alphabet: in 2026, the letter is Z in Belgium and X in Luxembourg. Switzerland, Germany, and the Netherlands don't require an annual letter; breeders there often choose a letter for each litter.
Looking for your future companion?
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