Cheyenne at rank 1,497 with 70 records, female-leaning, is a place name and Indigenous nation name that found its way into mainstream American naming culture primarily through Western film and television. Dogs named Cheyenne sit at the intersection of Western aesthetic, American geography, and a naming tradition that peaked roughly in the 1990s.
The Western Connection
Cheyenne, Wyoming — home to Frontier Days, the oldest rodeo in the country — and the broader cultural iconography of the American West are the primary associations here. A dog named Cheyenne evokes open plains, working dogs, and an owner with at least some affinity for country or Western culture. The name tracks alongside other Western place names like Dakota and Laramie as pet names that signal this aesthetic.
Breed Fit
Working breeds with Western heritage attract this register of name most naturally. Australian Shepherds, Blue Heelers, and Border Collies all carry Cheyenne plausibly. The name suggests a dog who does something outdoors — herding, trail work, or at minimum enthusiastic hiking. Even if the actual dog is a suburban pet, the name carries that aspiration.
One Note on Context
Cheyenne is the name of a sovereign Indigenous nation, and some owners may want to be thoughtful about that dimension. Using it as a pet name is a choice with a cultural layer that the Western-movie tradition obscures. That's not a reason to avoid the name, but it's worth knowing it exists. The human name Cheyenne in SSA data peaked in 1997 and has been declining since, tracking this name's generational arc.