Connor ranks 1694 with 60 male-leaning registry entries. It's an Irish name, Anglicized from the Gaelic Conchobhar, possibly meaning "lover of hounds" or "wolf-lover," which makes it one of the more etymologically appropriate names for a dog in this entire dataset. The "lover of hounds" reading is not universally agreed upon by etymologists, but it's a reading that pet owners seize on with understandable enthusiasm.
The Irish Origin and the Hound Connection
Conchobhar is an ancient Irish name, anglicized as Conor or Connor. The most famous historical bearer is Conchobar mac Nessa, the legendary King of Ulster in Irish mythology. The etymological debate centers on whether the first element means "wolf" or "hound" — both readings exist in scholarly literature, but for dog owners, "lover of hounds" is the preferred interpretation and not without basis. Finn and Kieran are the most common Irish-origin names in the male pet registry.
Human-Name Crossover and Pop Culture
Connor is a thoroughly modern American name — it's been in the US top 100 for boys since the 1990s. The human-side Connor is associated with Terminator's John Connor and the Connors of various primetime dramas. On pets, it reads as either a tribute to the Irish heritage or simply a name the owner likes without needing an explanation. Irish Setters and Irish Wolfhounds are natural breed pairings.
The Counter-Read
Connor is a comfortable, mainstream name that won't raise eyebrows at the dog park. The Irish etymology is a nice detail for owners who like to have a story, but the name works fine without it.