Clifford is the rare case where a pet name has been so thoroughly colonized by a single reference that it functions almost as a direct quotation. Every dog named Clifford is, to some degree, named after the Big Red Dog — and at rank 996, owners are fully aware of that and naming their dogs accordingly.
The Big Red Dog Legacy
Norman Bridwell's Clifford has been a children's library staple since 1963, and the 2021 live-action film brought it back to active visibility. Owners who grew up with the books are now naming their dogs with knowing affection. A large red or orange dog named Clifford is a perfect joke that also happens to be a sweet tribute to a childhood classic.
When the Reference Doesn't Match
Clifford works on small dogs too, as irony — a tiny Chihuahua named Clifford is a completely different joke from a large red dog named Clifford, but both are valid. The name is versatile in that way: it earns either the sincere or ironic reading depending on the dog.
Sound and Usability
Three syllables, natural shortening to "Cliff" — practical for a pet name. Cliff as a standalone has a different energy (more 1950s rock-and-roll than children's book), which gives owners two registers to choose from. Vizslas and Irish Setters carry the red-dog aesthetic earnestly. More picks at NamesPop.