Little excites dog owners more than naming their new pets. What kind of dog-namer are you? Traditionalist, humanist or WTF-ist? Plus: A contest for the best OPD namer!
My Italian uncle had a basset hound he named Poppaea, after the Roman empress (and second wife of Nero). I do love the idea of naming dogs after ancient royalty 👑
I forgot to add: he gave my sister and me our first dog, which (sorry to say!) came from a pet shop in Pescara. She was billed as a poodle but looking back I actually believe she was some sort of a doodle. We adored her; she used to run around in giant circles in our front yard. We called her Millie ~ short for Emilia ~ after our uncle, whose name was Emilio.
The name we picked before we got our wonderful friend: Dougal. There was an Irish sitcom in the 90‘s about priests, because Ireland I guess. Father Dougal was played by Ardal O‘Hanlon as a big enthusiastic, affectionate man child. O‘Hanlon said he played the character as he would a family dog, and as we met dogs, we would rate them as to how „Dougally“ they were. It became a shorthand to focus down on the kind of dog we wanted, until we found our rescue supermutt, the memory of whom I still so cherish.
We had a rescued border collie who loved to run forever. We named him “Fly”. He has since gone over the bridge where I’m sure he has received his wings.
“Also, since Juno ends in “no” any Serious Trainer would tell you it’s not ideal.”
Not quite true. But there are a lot of self-proclaimed “serious trainers” around (some heard on Substack!) who will say any rubbish and call it the Word of God. A two-syllable name ending in “o” is not a problem. But you probably don’t want to call a dog Beaux, Mo, Joe, Noah, Frodo, etc.
I’ve named a few dogs after characters in favorite novels. Once even a dog character! I adopted a puppy that was “Puppy B” on her shelter paperwork. She was dubbed Bonny B.
I like two-syllable names beginning with a hard consonant. The long, silly names people come up with are for the owners. Give your dog a good call name. One that sounds happy. Like you are smiling.
My favorite Italian word is Andiamo - let's go! Could there BE a more perfect name for an energetic pup? Ahn-dee-AM-o - ANDIAMO!
My current love, a miniature poodle, is Lulo - a common tropical fruit in Colombia, where we spend part of the year. Similar to a kiwi. Americans really can't handle those two syllables together: "Lula? Lulu? Luau?" Sometimes I think I should change it to Kiwi - equally sweet and special as a lulo.
We had a foster I named The Archduke Franz Ferdinand (aka Archie). He came to us through a rescue group I worked with in Mozambique. He had 3 kinds of mange and had been starving when he was found. I was sure he’d die that first night. But he didn’t - he healed and when I had to return him to the rescue group when I was leaving the country I was inconsolable. I already had rescue dogs from Brazil (Biatriz) and Uganda (Theodore) and a cat from Mozambique (Helena Bonham Carter) and could not manage one more. Super fun to see those names on the export papers and rabies certificates. Currently living with Frances (pit mix) and Doris Day (DSH).
Edward Jay (Eddie/Ed)- A most distinguished gentleman & probably the best good boy on the planet 💖)
His little brother & pia-
Daniel Jeremiah Jon ( he's naughty
enough sometimes to warrant 2 middle names) He's Dan otherwise
So meet our 2 BT boys Ed & Dan 😁- Winners of the 2024 Nantucket daffodil festival dog parade & talent contest for Ed's amazing soccer skills in his daffodil inspired uniform & Dan smooching of all of the judges in his "ruferee" outfit.
Brandi Rebecca (random nicknameTeeki/Teek which is a morphed version of turkey because of a game she's played since she was little) She's GSD American Bully mix from the state of LA out of a high kill shelter
Olivia Louise (Livie) (A pittie mix with the coat of a blue heeler- a true former junkyard dog saved from outside of Houston TX. She's a total southern lady.
Thomas Jeff/Jefferson (Tommy/Tom)- Boston foster
Buster Jacob (Also Budder D or Bu- D) Boston Foster
Loretta Claire (my granddog- I named her 💖) Jack Russell mix
Holly Roxanne Bananas - Golden Retriever - granddog
My Samoyed niece & Nephew
Presley Douglas & Francesqua Rene'
Roddinee Hello - golden retriever named by my daughter when she was 3
Tonka Turbo Deisel-(Tonka) Siberian Husky named after my nephew's dump truck
Sweetie Sweatheart Alice Marie- the rescued beagle puppy my nephew got & named at 3.
Past BT pups-
Parker David Disco Inferno (my soul dog & a dancin' man💖) Park D & I just called him son but I said it like "thun" because he had some speach difficulties & that's the way he said it. He also couldn't pronounce his L's so he roved you and ricked you. I met a women once who told me her little dog's name was Risa and she explained it was like Lisa with an R- I forgot in that moment that not everyone lives in my head & said "oh my dog can't say L's either) the look on that lady's face- priceless 😂)
Gizmo Harold (4 year Hospice foster)
Sugar Magnolia Blossom (Maggie)
Lola Tallulah Lilly
Oliver James
Oh I currently know a Visla named Lisa
& I'll stop there though I could keep going- I love dogs names! Great idea!
I like to wait until I have the pup in hand before I name it. Most have been named for a personality facet. My first Boston was named Oreo, I was driving home with him & was asking him what he wanted to be named. In the next moment, a car passed by with plates that read “OREO”. I named my second Boston “Elmer” because his eyes on either side of his head made him look like a bull (Elsie the cow’s hubby, Elmer’s glue). I named another one Weezer because he wheezed when he slept. One named Esther, named after “Sanford & Sons” Ugly Aunt Esther. Currently, Buzz in on board. Really fun for my neighbors when I’m praising him “Whatta good Buzz” 😂
We named our HUNK of a (foster) pug “Cheddar” because we had zero intention of adopting him…until we fell in love. Now we use the Sargento slogan “We’re real cheese people!” to describe how madly in love with our with our little Cheddar cheese !
In the category of dogs named after their qualities, our late rescue (min pin mix) was actually red, but we named her Ready because she was always ready for anything!
Since I Foster, I have to come up with a name that has not been used before by me or with our rescue. Since I have fostered over 50 dogs, this has become quite the challenge. I have had many interesting dog names and my adopters keep them 90% of the time!!! My current Foster happens to be one of my favorite names. George is a 7 lb Chihuahua and truly looks like a George. I wish I could attach a picture! And yes, we do call him Jorge occasionally 🤣
I love it! I used to walk my dog in Central Park and I saw the actress Carol Kane, she had a pug named George - named after George Wendt. (Of course I would call him Norm!
My last dog, a chocolate lab, was named Stewart Claymore Campbell…my pets usually get a Scottish human name. ( cat named Duncan). (Claymore is a Scottish sword). We’ve also had a Cairn terrier named Heather, and a black lab named Shadrach. Our springer came with the name Robby.
I named my first dog Worm because he had worms. He was a miniature schnauzer. The name stuck and he was the biggest mush-worming his way into anyone’s heart he met. Then I went more traditional with Zoe, Winnie, Kacey, Maggie and Tig (we kept Tig and Maggie’s rescue names). They literally became their name in terms of personality. All much beloved.
My Italian uncle had a basset hound he named Poppaea, after the Roman empress (and second wife of Nero). I do love the idea of naming dogs after ancient royalty 👑
Oh, that is fantastic!
I forgot to add: he gave my sister and me our first dog, which (sorry to say!) came from a pet shop in Pescara. She was billed as a poodle but looking back I actually believe she was some sort of a doodle. We adored her; she used to run around in giant circles in our front yard. We called her Millie ~ short for Emilia ~ after our uncle, whose name was Emilio.
I love the provenance!!
The name we picked before we got our wonderful friend: Dougal. There was an Irish sitcom in the 90‘s about priests, because Ireland I guess. Father Dougal was played by Ardal O‘Hanlon as a big enthusiastic, affectionate man child. O‘Hanlon said he played the character as he would a family dog, and as we met dogs, we would rate them as to how „Dougally“ they were. It became a shorthand to focus down on the kind of dog we wanted, until we found our rescue supermutt, the memory of whom I still so cherish.
Ah, this is terrifif. I would like to use the Dougally scale!!!
We had a rescued border collie who loved to run forever. We named him “Fly”. He has since gone over the bridge where I’m sure he has received his wings.
Aww, Woof in Peace, Fly!
Dog names I like; Jiggs, Piper, and Loretta.
Love thes, laughing at Loretta!
“Also, since Juno ends in “no” any Serious Trainer would tell you it’s not ideal.”
Not quite true. But there are a lot of self-proclaimed “serious trainers” around (some heard on Substack!) who will say any rubbish and call it the Word of God. A two-syllable name ending in “o” is not a problem. But you probably don’t want to call a dog Beaux, Mo, Joe, Noah, Frodo, etc.
I’ve named a few dogs after characters in favorite novels. Once even a dog character! I adopted a puppy that was “Puppy B” on her shelter paperwork. She was dubbed Bonny B.
I like two-syllable names beginning with a hard consonant. The long, silly names people come up with are for the owners. Give your dog a good call name. One that sounds happy. Like you are smiling.
My favorite Italian word is Andiamo - let's go! Could there BE a more perfect name for an energetic pup? Ahn-dee-AM-o - ANDIAMO!
My current love, a miniature poodle, is Lulo - a common tropical fruit in Colombia, where we spend part of the year. Similar to a kiwi. Americans really can't handle those two syllables together: "Lula? Lulu? Luau?" Sometimes I think I should change it to Kiwi - equally sweet and special as a lulo.
Andiamo! Perfetto!!!!
We had a foster I named The Archduke Franz Ferdinand (aka Archie). He came to us through a rescue group I worked with in Mozambique. He had 3 kinds of mange and had been starving when he was found. I was sure he’d die that first night. But he didn’t - he healed and when I had to return him to the rescue group when I was leaving the country I was inconsolable. I already had rescue dogs from Brazil (Biatriz) and Uganda (Theodore) and a cat from Mozambique (Helena Bonham Carter) and could not manage one more. Super fun to see those names on the export papers and rabies certificates. Currently living with Frances (pit mix) and Doris Day (DSH).
Okay this is wonderful! The amazing international component! ♥️
Middle names are a must!
Our family dogs
Edward Jay (Eddie/Ed)- A most distinguished gentleman & probably the best good boy on the planet 💖)
His little brother & pia-
Daniel Jeremiah Jon ( he's naughty
enough sometimes to warrant 2 middle names) He's Dan otherwise
So meet our 2 BT boys Ed & Dan 😁- Winners of the 2024 Nantucket daffodil festival dog parade & talent contest for Ed's amazing soccer skills in his daffodil inspired uniform & Dan smooching of all of the judges in his "ruferee" outfit.
Brandi Rebecca (random nicknameTeeki/Teek which is a morphed version of turkey because of a game she's played since she was little) She's GSD American Bully mix from the state of LA out of a high kill shelter
Olivia Louise (Livie) (A pittie mix with the coat of a blue heeler- a true former junkyard dog saved from outside of Houston TX. She's a total southern lady.
Thomas Jeff/Jefferson (Tommy/Tom)- Boston foster
Buster Jacob (Also Budder D or Bu- D) Boston Foster
Loretta Claire (my granddog- I named her 💖) Jack Russell mix
Holly Roxanne Bananas - Golden Retriever - granddog
My Samoyed niece & Nephew
Presley Douglas & Francesqua Rene'
Roddinee Hello - golden retriever named by my daughter when she was 3
Tonka Turbo Deisel-(Tonka) Siberian Husky named after my nephew's dump truck
Sweetie Sweatheart Alice Marie- the rescued beagle puppy my nephew got & named at 3.
Past BT pups-
Parker David Disco Inferno (my soul dog & a dancin' man💖) Park D & I just called him son but I said it like "thun" because he had some speach difficulties & that's the way he said it. He also couldn't pronounce his L's so he roved you and ricked you. I met a women once who told me her little dog's name was Risa and she explained it was like Lisa with an R- I forgot in that moment that not everyone lives in my head & said "oh my dog can't say L's either) the look on that lady's face- priceless 😂)
Gizmo Harold (4 year Hospice foster)
Sugar Magnolia Blossom (Maggie)
Lola Tallulah Lilly
Oliver James
Oh I currently know a Visla named Lisa
& I'll stop there though I could keep going- I love dogs names! Great idea!
Jami! You’re a champion, hall of fame namer!!!
I like to wait until I have the pup in hand before I name it. Most have been named for a personality facet. My first Boston was named Oreo, I was driving home with him & was asking him what he wanted to be named. In the next moment, a car passed by with plates that read “OREO”. I named my second Boston “Elmer” because his eyes on either side of his head made him look like a bull (Elsie the cow’s hubby, Elmer’s glue). I named another one Weezer because he wheezed when he slept. One named Esther, named after “Sanford & Sons” Ugly Aunt Esther. Currently, Buzz in on board. Really fun for my neighbors when I’m praising him “Whatta good Buzz” 😂
😂😂😂
We named our HUNK of a (foster) pug “Cheddar” because we had zero intention of adopting him…until we fell in love. Now we use the Sargento slogan “We’re real cheese people!” to describe how madly in love with our with our little Cheddar cheese !
Ha ha ha! So many of my fosters that I had no intention of keeping ended up with goofy names! Cheddar is kind of brilliant!
I remember Fiorello!
He was such a great guy! ♥️
Hoshie Rae …all dogs need middle names and Hoshie means star in Japanese
Wonderful!
Shlomo. Not sure why. It just resonates for me.
Absolutley briliant!
In the category of dogs named after their qualities, our late rescue (min pin mix) was actually red, but we named her Ready because she was always ready for anything!
That is adorable!!
Since I Foster, I have to come up with a name that has not been used before by me or with our rescue. Since I have fostered over 50 dogs, this has become quite the challenge. I have had many interesting dog names and my adopters keep them 90% of the time!!! My current Foster happens to be one of my favorite names. George is a 7 lb Chihuahua and truly looks like a George. I wish I could attach a picture! And yes, we do call him Jorge occasionally 🤣
I love it! I used to walk my dog in Central Park and I saw the actress Carol Kane, she had a pug named George - named after George Wendt. (Of course I would call him Norm!
My last dog, a chocolate lab, was named Stewart Claymore Campbell…my pets usually get a Scottish human name. ( cat named Duncan). (Claymore is a Scottish sword). We’ve also had a Cairn terrier named Heather, and a black lab named Shadrach. Our springer came with the name Robby.
So elegant!!
I named my first dog Worm because he had worms. He was a miniature schnauzer. The name stuck and he was the biggest mush-worming his way into anyone’s heart he met. Then I went more traditional with Zoe, Winnie, Kacey, Maggie and Tig (we kept Tig and Maggie’s rescue names). They literally became their name in terms of personality. All much beloved.
Worm! That is original!!! Yes, sometimes the names they come with do suit them. Thanks for shairng this!!