What’s in a Dog Name? Pt 1

We wonder, do dogs live up to their names or do we name them according to what we see. Either way, naming your dog be careful what you choose as they just might fill the shoes. Names like Quick, Impulse, and Nova which means no go, have proven to be indicative of said dog’s attitudes. On a side note, it is also important to consider what your prospective name will sound like when used. For example, Beau which means beautiful, sounds nice until you realize it sounds just like No (as does Nova), causing confusion for your dog. Also, steer clear of names that sound close to command or agility obstacles.

We asked you what you named your dogs and why, now here is the list that may help you find a name for your new dog.

I have three dogs. The first one is a black lab female named Skeeter Too. She was named after a black lab, Skeeter, who got her name from a character on “Momma’s Place”. The second is a female Weimaraner named “Ziva” after a character on the show “NCSI”. The third is a new female chocolate lab puppy I named “Deep Run’s Qwick Chocolate” call name Qwick. She is to be my next agility dog and I want her to be fast.

I’ve got a Tervuren named Ch. Timberwind’s True Sky Chaser, or Chase/Chaser for a call name. It’s a short, easy name and being a herding dog, he’s obviously going to chase things (whether i want him to or not). It’s certainly not a command I would ever use, nor does it sound like one. fHe lives up to his name regularly, and the cats are not happy about it.

Just 6 months ago we adopted our second puppy from our local animal shelter. Everyone remarks on her unusual coloring. She looks like a very tiny border collie. The shelter called her Thelma, which is a fine name, but it certainly didn’t fit this “prissy little lady.” We decided to call her Fancy. She certainly thinks she’s all that. She is only 11 months old, but already loves agility like Cheyenne. She is not afraid of anything and she is very independent.

Our 3-year-old Sheltie was born on June 14…Flag Day! Since he is a blue merle I thought of naming him “Frosty”. My teen-age granddaughter said,”Nanny that is too generic. Give him a different name like ‘Bartleby.’ ” So his official name is Star-Spangled Bartleby. But we call him Barty. He is spunky and sometimes naughty and Barty is a perfect name for him!

Jerzy originally had the name of Louise…..she was part of a mom/daugther household Thelma/Louise. She was found in Georgia and I am of polish descent so her name is the closest Polish translation to Georgia that I could find.

We have 3 dogs. Our pointer is named Zosha, after my grandmother, but we usually just call her Sophie. I really just like the name Zosha. Her name means wisdom and understanding, and that is pretty true to her nature.

We also have a pit-bull mix named Bruno. His name was Marvin at the shelter, but my daughter’s supervisor at work was named that, so she didn’t like it. Marvin suited him as a puppy, but now that he is a big boy, the name Bruno is far more appropriate. He is a big, clumsy, loyal, and protective lug of a dog. His middle name is James, as in, “Bruno James, play nice with your sister.” I only discover their middle names when they are bad.

Our last dog is a little Chihuahua mix named Luna. she is black with giant bat ears, so we named her after the kid’s book Stella Luna about a bat. Her middle name is Marie, as in “Luna Marie, bad pee in the house.”

Muffin is a 1-year-old poodle mix. Because she is apricot, I wanted to name her Nutmeg. My husband didn’t really like that name, but it didn’t matter because neither did the new puppy. I made a huge list of names and tried most of them out on her. She ignored me. After three days I happened to try Muffin–and she came! She picked her own name. It really fits her because she is a real sweetie, even though she can’t control her liquor (I mean licker).

I like short call names that start with a hard sound…I think it works better when giving commands, especially at a distance. And I like their registered name to “agree” with their call name. We have 6 dogs, but some are rescues that came with names already. Of our two “planned” pups, Jack is the Scottie–a nice short sharp name. His registered name is Captain Jack Sparrow, which I always tell people I selected because it was as close as I would ever come to sleeping with Johnny Depp.

Latest puppy, a PWD, is Dega, Rough Seas’ Talladega Storm. Puppy needed kennel name and dad’s call name (Stormy) included in his registered name–he’s a puppy from a frozen semen breeding I have waited years to get, so was happy to “recognize” his dad that way. We really struggled, though, with coming up with the full name and call name. Came up with a couple we thought we liked, but for various reasons had to eliminate. I was en route bringing the puppy home and talking with my husband on the phone at a potty stop, when he asked what the puppy’s “birth order” was. “He was puppy number 3,” I told him and then immediately thought, “Oh No, he’s going to want to name the puppy Dale Earnhart!!!” Instead, when I got home, he had thought of Talladega Storm, Talladega being the track where Dale dominated (and this puppy was the “dominator” in his litter). The call name Dega fit my prerequisites, puppy seemed to like it and answer to it, so it was decided.

My sheltie is William of the Fair Isle. We call him WILLIAM…no informal nicknames for a very serious dog dressed in a proper black and white suit! I gave him the name when I got him as a nine-week-old puppy. I wanted something appropriately Scottish and had considered Walter (for Sir Walter Scott) and Harold (last of the Saxon kings) who actually landed on the Shetland Islands (this was in the 11th century, before he was defeated by the Norman, William the Conquerer) and was hailed as a hero, since they were also of Saxon blood.) I ended up going with William (for William Wallace, NOT William the Conqueror) because, I like the name William better than the name Harold.

CairnX3mom says:

A friend had a wonderful little Cairn Terrier she had to place because she had MS and Lupus and was no longer physically able to take care for her pup. My husband and I already had two C.T.’s, which was a full house to him. When I agreed to take my friend’s pup, my husband was out of town. I called the Cairn Terrier, Andy, the name of my husband’s childhood dog.

Although my dogs are from the USA- I like to name them with “real” names from their country of orgin. My Skyes had Scottish Celtic names, and my Corgis have Welsh names- Teagan (Tee for short!) and Brenin Llwyd (Greyhaired King- Bren for short).

I named my dog Menina – little girl in Portuguese (I lived in Brazil for four years). We shortened it to NINA and it fits her perfectly – silver, miniature poodle.