You’ve chosen the photograph.
You’ve chosen the keepsake.
And then comes a surprisingly difficult question:
What should you put on it?
When you’re creating something in memory of a beloved pet, even a few words can suddenly feel incredibly important. You may find yourself wondering whether to use their name, the years you shared, a favorite phrase, or something only your family would understand.
But a pet memorial doesn’t need to tell their entire story.
Sometimes, a name is enough.
Sometimes, it’s a date.
Sometimes, it’s a tiny phrase that brings back a hundred memories.
And sometimes, no words are needed at all.
The most meaningful choice isn’t necessarily the one that sounds the most beautiful. It’s the one that feels most like them.
If you’re trying to decide what to include on a pet memorial necklace or keepsake, here are 12 thoughtful ideas to help you create something personal.
1. Their Name
The simplest choice is often one of the most meaningful: their name.
A name may look like only a few letters to someone else.
But to you, it can hold years of memories.
Charlie.
Milo.
Luna.
Xixi.
You said that name when you came home.
You called it across the house.
You whispered it when they were sleeping beside you.
You probably said it thousands of times without ever thinking that one day simply seeing those letters might bring them back to you.
That’s why a pet’s name alone can be enough for a memorial.
It doesn’t need another explanation.
Their name already carries the story.
2. The Nickname Only You Called Them
Sometimes the name on the adoption papers or vet records isn’t the name that really belonged to them.
Over the years, pets collect nicknames.
A Charlie becomes Charlie Bear.
A Luna becomes Lulu.
A serious-looking dog somehow becomes Mr. Wiggles.
And eventually the nickname becomes so familiar that you barely remember how it started.
Consider using the name you actually used at home:
Little Bean
Bubba
Princess
Baby Girl
Bear
My Boy
These names may mean nothing to anyone else.
That’s exactly what makes them special.
A memorial doesn’t have to explain your relationship to the world. Sometimes its purpose is simply to preserve something that belonged to the two of you.
2. The Nickname Only You Called Them
Sometimes the name on the adoption papers or vet records isn’t the name that really belonged to them.
Over the years, pets collect nicknames.
A Charlie becomes Charlie Bear.
A Luna becomes Lulu.
A serious-looking dog somehow becomes Mr. Wiggles.
And eventually the nickname becomes so familiar that you barely remember how it started.
Consider using the name you actually used at home:
Little Bean
Bubba
Princess
Baby Girl
Bear
My Boy
These names may mean nothing to anyone else.
That’s exactly what makes them special.
A memorial doesn’t have to explain your relationship to the world. Sometimes its purpose is simply to preserve something that belonged to the two of you.
3. The Years You Shared
Another traditional option is including the years of your pet’s life:
2012 – 2026
or their complete dates:
May 8, 2012 – January 17, 2026
For some people, these dates feel comforting. They mark the beginning and end of a life that mattered enormously.
But you don’t have to include the date your pet passed away simply because memorials traditionally do.
For some pet parents, that date carries too much sadness.
If looking at it makes you remember their final day rather than all the years that came before it, leaving it off is completely reasonable.
There is no correct format.
The purpose of a memorial is to help you remember your companion in a way that feels right to you.
4. Their Gotcha Day
For an adopted or rescued pet, you may not even know their exact birthday.
But you probably remember another date:
the day they came home.
Their Gotcha Day marks the moment your lives became connected.
You might use:
Gotcha Day — May 14, 2018
or simply:
May 14, 2018
That date doesn’t represent when their life began.
It represents when your life together began.
For many families, that can be even more meaningful than a birthday.
5. A Short Phrase
You don’t need a long memorial quote to express something important.
In fact, jewelry and small keepsakes often feel more personal when the message is simple.
Consider phrases such as:
Always Beside Me
Forever My Good Boy
Loved Beyond Words
My Little Shadow
Still With Me
Always Home
Forever Loved
My Best Friend
Choose words that sound like something you would actually say.
A memorial doesn’t need to sound poetic to everyone else.
It only needs to mean something to you.
6. Something You Always Said to Them
Not every meaningful phrase sounds like a memorial quote.
Some of the most powerful words might actually be completely ordinary.
Maybe every morning you asked:
“Ready for our walk?”
Maybe every night you said:
“Come on, buddy.”
Maybe they heard:
“Who’s my good girl?”
thousands of times.
After a pet is gone, these ordinary sentences can become unexpectedly precious.
They belong to the everyday life you shared — the routines and tiny conversations nobody else noticed.
If there’s something you said so often that you can almost imagine their reaction when you hear it, consider preserving that instead of choosing a traditional memorial phrase.
7. Their Paw Print
A paw print can preserve something words cannot.
It isn’t simply a symbol of a dog or cat.
It’s theirs.
If you already have an impression, ink print, photograph, or other record of your pet’s paw, it can become part of a deeply personal memorial.
Some people prefer a paw print alone.
Others combine it with a name, date, portrait, or short message.
The important distinction is between a generic paw symbol and your companion’s actual paw print.
One represents pets in general.
The other represents one particular life.
7. Their Paw Print
A paw print can preserve something words cannot.
It isn’t simply a symbol of a dog or cat.
It’s theirs.
If you already have an impression, ink print, photograph, or other record of your pet’s paw, it can become part of a deeply personal memorial.
Some people prefer a paw print alone.
Others combine it with a name, date, portrait, or short message.
The important distinction is between a generic paw symbol and your companion’s actual paw print.
One represents pets in general.
The other represents one particular life.
9. A Place That Belonged to Both of You
Think about where your memories of your pet naturally take you.
Maybe it was:
The Lake
Our Garden
Home
The Beach
The Trail
A place can hold an entire chapter of a relationship.
Maybe your dog ran toward the same lake every summer.
Maybe your cat spent every afternoon sleeping beside a particular window.
Maybe your favorite memories aren’t connected to any extraordinary event at all — just being together at home.
A memorial can preserve a place as well as a name.
10. One Word That Describes Them
If you had to describe your pet in only one word, what would it be?
Not what kind of animal they were.
Who were they?
Maybe:
Gentle
Brave
Sunshine
Mischief
Loyal
Joy
Home
Sometimes choosing one word forces us to think about what our companion actually brought into our lives.
And that single word can become an incredibly personal memorial.
If you’re struggling to choose, don’t search for the most impressive word.
Think about the first word that makes you picture them.
That’s probably the one.
11. A Message You Associate With Them
Some people find comfort in choosing a short message that expresses the continuing emotional connection they feel with their pet.
For example:
Always With Me
Until We Meet Again
Forever in My Heart
Never Forgotten
These words don’t need to make a statement about what happens after death.
Instead, they can describe something much simpler:
the relationship still matters.
Your routines may change after losing a pet, but the years you shared don’t disappear.
Neither do the ways they changed you.
12. Nothing at All
This may be the most overlooked option.
You don’t actually have to put words on a pet memorial.
Sometimes a photograph or portrait already says everything you need it to say.
You know the expression in their eyes.
You know the shape of their ears.
You know the slightly strange way they tilted their head when they were waiting for something.
Someone else may simply see a dog or cat.
You see them.
And sometimes, their face is the message.
For pet parents who prefer something understated, a custom pet portrait keepsake can preserve that familiar face without needing to explain the memory with words.
How to Choose the Right Memorial Detail
If several ideas feel meaningful, don’t assume you need to include all of them.
More personalization doesn’t automatically make a memorial more personal.
Sometimes adding too many dates, symbols, phrases and details can take attention away from the one thing that matters most.
A simple way to decide is to ask yourself:
| If you want to remember… | Consider |
|---|---|
| Their identity | Their name |
| Your private relationship | A nickname |
| The lifetime you shared | Dates |
| The beginning of your story | Gotcha Day |
| Something you always said | A personal phrase |
| Their physical presence | Paw print |
| Their personality | One meaningful word |
| A shared memory | A place or symbol |
| Their familiar face | A pet portrait |
Then ask one final question:
When I see this years from now, what do I want to remember first?
Let that answer guide the design.
Should You Include the Date Your Pet Passed Away?
There is no rule saying that you should.
Traditional memorials often include birth and death dates, so it’s understandable that many people automatically consider doing the same with pet memorial jewelry.
But grief is personal.
For one person,
2011–2026
may represent fifteen beautiful years together.
For someone else, seeing the final date may immediately bring them back to the hardest day.
Both reactions are valid.
You could instead choose:
- their name only
- their birth year
- their Gotcha Day
- the years you shared
- a nickname
- a short phrase
- no dates at all
A memorial should help you hold onto the relationship — not force you to remember it in a particular way.
Pairing Words With a Pet Portrait
Words and portraits preserve different parts of memory.
A name tells us who they were.
A date tells us when they were here.
A phrase can express what they meant to us.
But a portrait preserves something different:
what they looked like when we loved them.
The curve of an ear.
The markings around their eyes.
The expression you instantly recognize.
That’s why combining a photograph-inspired portrait with a simple personal detail can create a particularly intimate keepsake.
You don’t necessarily need a complicated design.
Sometimes the strongest combination is simply:
their face + their name.
If you’re still deciding what type of memorial piece feels right, read our guide to choosing custom pet memorial jewelry before making your decision.
A Simple Way to Keep Their Face Close
For some pet parents, the most meaningful memorial isn’t something displayed on a shelf.
It’s something small enough to keep nearby.
A pet portrait pendant can turn a favorite photograph into a physical reminder of the face you knew so well.
At DearlyPaw, our custom pet keepsakes are created around something deeply personal:
your own photograph.
Rather than choosing a generic representation of a breed, the goal is to preserve the individual companion behind the memory.
Because you aren’t trying to remember a dog.
You’re remembering your dog.
You aren’t remembering a cat.
You’re remembering your cat.
That difference is what makes personalization meaningful.
If you prefer a simpler, warm-toned keepsake, you can also explore our custom brass pet portrait tag, created from your pet’s photograph.
A Memorial Doesn’t Have to Tell the Whole Story
Perhaps that’s the most important thing to remember.
You don’t have to fit an entire relationship onto a piece of jewelry.
You couldn’t, even if you tried.
There were too many ordinary mornings.
Too many walks.
Too many naps beside you.
Too many moments when they quietly became part of the rhythm of your life.
A memorial is not the whole story.
It’s simply something that helps you find your way back to it.
Maybe that’s their name.
Maybe it’s one word.
Maybe it’s the date you brought them home.
Maybe it’s their portrait.
Choose the detail that makes you think:
Yes. That’s them.
Because ultimately, the most meaningful pet memorial isn’t the one with the perfect words.
It’s the one that still feels like your companion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I engrave on a pet memorial necklace?
There is no single right choice. Many pet parents choose their pet’s name, nickname, important dates, a short phrase, a meaningful symbol, or a detail connected to a shared memory. The best choice is usually the one that immediately reminds you of your individual companion rather than something that simply sounds like a traditional memorial.
Should I put my pet’s death date on memorial jewelry?
Only if the date feels meaningful to you. Some people find comfort in including the complete years of their pet’s life, while others prefer a name, Gotcha Day, nickname, or no date at all. A memorial does not need to follow a traditional format.
What is a short saying for a pet memorial?
Simple phrases such as “Always Beside Me,” “Forever Loved,” “Still With Me,” “My Best Friend,” or “Always Home” can work well. A phrase that was actually part of your relationship can be even more meaningful than a traditional memorial quote.
Can I use my pet’s nickname instead of their full name?
Absolutely. A family nickname can make a memorial feel especially personal because it reflects the relationship you actually shared. The name doesn’t need to make sense to anyone else.
Is a pet portrait meaningful without any words?
Yes. Some people prefer a simple portrait without dates or memorial phrases. A familiar expression, marking, or silhouette may already carry enough meaning on its own.
How do I choose a photo for a custom pet portrait keepsake?
Choose a clear photograph where your pet’s face and distinctive features are easy to see. More importantly, consider choosing an image that feels like the pet you remember — a familiar expression can carry more emotional meaning than a technically perfect photograph.
Made From Your Memory
Some Memories Deserve
Something You Can Hold.
A favorite photograph can hold an entire chapter of your life together. We turn that photograph into a personal pet keepsake — created to help you keep their familiar face close, in a quiet and lasting way.
Created from your pet’s photograph · Made individually for your companion