Serenity is a female pet name with an explicit aspirational meaning: peacefulness, calm, stillness. Owners apply it either literally (a very calm dog) or ironically (a dog who makes peace impossible). The TV series Firefly (2002) named its spaceship Serenity, giving the name a devoted cult-fandom reading alongside the virtue-name reading.
The Firefly Fandom Thread
Joss Whedon's Firefly and its companion film Serenity (2005) built one of the most loyal fan communities in science fiction television. Naming a pet Serenity is frequently a direct tribute from owners who never stopped flying. Border Collies, intelligent and always moving, make the ironic reading work particularly well.
Virtue-Name Aesthetic
Serenity sits alongside Harmony, Trinity, and Grace in the virtue-name category popular in late 1990s and early 2000s human naming. The human name Serenity peaked around 2012 in the US, and pet naming followed accordingly.
Counter-Reading: Irony Risk Is High
Naming any dog Serenity is a challenge to the universe. If the dog has even a hint of chaos energy, the name becomes a running joke. Make sure you're committed to the irony for the animal's full lifespan, because that joke will play out in front of every person you meet on walks.