Button is a diminutive endearment name — "cute as a button" is the phrase it draws from, and for small, round-faced pets it has a visual aptness that makes it work despite being more noun than name. At rank 1048, gender-neutral in the registries, it appears most often on small dogs and cats whose owners want something that communicates adorableness without the formality of a proper name.
The Endearment Name Tradition
Button belongs to a category of pet names that are essentially spoken compliments: Peanut, Nugget, Snuggles, Button. These names describe the pet as small, dear, and lovable rather than assigning it a personality or a history. This is a legitimate naming approach , the name communicates the owner's feeling rather than the animal's identity, which is a different but coherent intention.
Breed and Physical Fit
Button lands most naturally on small, compact dogs: Pugs, French Bulldogs, Chihuahuas. The round face and small nose that characterize these breeds genuinely look button-like, which gives the name physical grounding beyond pure sentiment. On a large dog it reads as ironic at best.
The Longevity Question
Endearment names tend to feel right when the animal is young and small and slightly less apt as the animal matures into its full size and personality. A puppy named Button is charming; a five-year-old dog named Button is fine but might not feel earned anymore. If that matters, a name with more personality depth, even something as simple as Biscuit, has more room to grow with the animal.