Hurley is a surname-as-given-name that arrived in the pet registry from two directions simultaneously: fans of Hugo "Hurley" Reyes from Lost, and owners who simply liked the Celtic-Irish surname sound. Either way, the name implies a dog who is large, kind, slightly chaotic, and deeply beloved by everyone who meets him. That character fit is almost never wrong.
Pop-Culture Lineage
Hurley from Lost is one of television's great gentle giants — loyal, funny, and consistently the most humane character on a show full of moral complexity. Naming a large, sweet-tempered dog Hurley is a choice made by people who watched the show and felt something. The association is warm enough that even non-Lost viewers rarely question the name.
Sound Fit and Breed Preference
HUR-lee — two syllables, the first accented with a rolling r. Easy to call and friendly in tone. It suits large, affable breeds: Saint Bernards, Newfoundlands, Labs. The name implies a dog that has no enemies, only friends he hasn't knocked over yet.
The Counter-Reading: Irish Sport Association
In Ireland, hurley is the stick used in the sport of hurling — a piece of equipment, not a person. Irish-heritage owners may encounter that association as a first reading. It doesn't damage the name at all; it simply redirects the reference pool for a particular audience. Finley sits in the same Celtic-surname family without the sports equipment overlap.