Neville is a Norman French surname meaning "new town," and it now reads as distinctly British and distinctly unfashionable in the American context. That's precisely why Neville Longbottom, the unlikely hero of the Harry Potter series, turned the name into a term of affectionate endearment for an entire generation.
Neville Longbottom's Rehabilitation
Longbottom's arc from bumbling background character to genuine hero is one of the more satisfying in the Potter books, and it's permanently altered how the name reads for anyone who grew up with the series. A dog named Neville is understood immediately by HP fans: loyal, underestimated, ultimately excellent. That's useful naming shorthand.
Breed Fit
Neville works on dogs with an earnest, slightly uncoordinated quality: Basset Hounds, Yellow Labs, large puppies that haven't grown into their paws yet. On a lovable goof it reads exactly right.
The Counter-Reading: Entirely a British Name
Neville is almost entirely absent from American baby naming, which means it reads as foreign in a way that either signals sophistication or produces puzzlement. The human name crossover is real, if niche. Most owners who choose it are Potter fans and need no further justification.