Tui — Dog Name Meaning, Origin & Popularity
Tui (TOO-ee), 1 syllable — The songbird with the white throat tuft and huge voice.. Verified by the Pets In The City editorial team, with real popularity data from our Auckland community.
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What does Tui mean?
Te reo Māori: The songbird with the white throat tuft and huge voice..
Our editors checked this meaning before publishing. Names with several genuine origins are shown as separate senses rather than a single claim.
Is Tui a good dog name?
Tui is rated excellent to call. It has a clear, distinct sound that carries well across a noisy park and is hard to confuse with common training cues. With 1 syllable, it is quick to say — a practical length for recall.
Before you commit, say it out loud a few times and check it does not clash with a household name or a training cue like "sit" or "no".
Tui popularity in the Pets In The City community
Tui ranks #59 all-time in the Pets In The City community, carried by about 2.2 in every 1,000 dogs we care for (77 dogs). Its recent trend is falling.
By birth year: 2012 — rank #12 (4.8 per 1,000); 2019 — rank #12 (3.7 per 1,000); 2020 — rank #15 (2.8 per 1,000); 2021 — rank #15 (4.9 per 1,000); 2022 — rank #13 (4.1 per 1,000).
Popularity comes from anonymised, aggregated records of dogs at our 5 Auckland centres, as of 2026-08-01. It reflects our community, not a national census.
What kind of dog does Tui suit?
It suits any dog — it is used across the board in our community. Owners often pick Tui for its nature feel. Treat these as suggestions — plenty of dogs happily wear names that break every rule.
Tui's Arrival
Our entirely unscientific pack opinion.
The other pups at check-in whispered, "Is Tui here to start a choir or just to out-sing us all? I hope he’s a howler, not a screecher!"
Names similar to Tui
- Kea — The cheeky alpine parrot — clever and destructive in equal measure.
- Maomao — Māori name for a type of bird.
- Bhumi — A Sanskrit name meaning 'earth' or 'soil'.
- Lilinoe — A Hawaiian name meaning 'mist' or 'dew'.
- Niku — Means 'to be alive' in te reo Māori.
- Pema — Means 'lotus' in Tibetan, symbolizing purity.
- Alaewah — Māori name meaning 'to be free'.
- Ainslie — One's own meadow.
Collections featuring Tui
See all curated collections.
Like Tui? Find names that fit your dog
The Dog Name Matchmaker learns your taste and picks eight names that suit your dog's character — each with a reason it fits.
Naming a new puppy?
A great name is step one. Step two is a great start: our force-free puppy training classes build confidence and recall (that new name gets a workout). New to Pets In The City? Register your dog for a temperament assessment and meet the pack.
By the numbers
- 1 syllable — quick to call
- Ranked #59 of all names in our Auckland community
- About 2.2 in every 1,000 PITC dogs are called Tui
- Meaning and pronunciation verified by our editors
- Data from 5 Auckland Pets In The City centres
Find names like Tui Browse all names A–Z
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