Webster shows up 58 times in the pet data at rank 1759, strongly male. The name carries two strong associations: Webster the dictionary (and Noah Webster who created it), and Webster the 1980s sitcom starring Emmanuel Lewis — a show whose title character was a small Black child adopted by a large white couple, an odd premise that nonetheless ran for seven seasons. Both associations are available as subtext.
The Dictionary Angle
Naming a pet Webster after the reference work carries an intellectual self-deprecating quality — you're acknowledging that the name has a definition, and you're leaning into it. For owners with a literary or academic orientation, this is a quiet in-joke. It's in the same register as naming a cat Dewey (as in decimal system) or a dog Darwin. Smart-owner signaling through nomenclature.
The 1980s TV Register
The sitcom Webster gave the name a specific warm-comedy quality for anyone who grew up watching American television in the early 1980s. Like Corey or Davey, it's a name that functions as a nostalgia trigger for owners of a certain age — a gentle reference to a specific cultural moment. Browse the pet names hub for similar era-specific picks.
Counter-Reading
Webster is long for a dog name — three syllables is manageable but not optimal for quick command delivery. Most owners shorten it to Web in practice, which is a fairly unusual standalone but perfectly functional. Confirm the shortened form works in your household before committing to the full Webster.