How did dogs get the name dog?

The word "dog" has a fascinating history! It's believed to have originated from Proto-Germanic *doggaz, which in turn comes from Proto-Indo-European *kwón-, meaning "dog" or "hound."

This word family is surprisingly widespread, with cognates (words with shared origins) found in many languages, including:

* English: dog, hound

* German: Hund

* Dutch: hond

* Swedish: hund

* Russian: собака (sobaka)

* Latin: canis (from which we get canine)

* Greek: κύων (kyōn)

So, while the exact origins are lost to time, the word "dog" has been around for thousands of years, tracing back to a common ancestor of many languages.

It's interesting to note that the word likely pre-dates the domestication of dogs, meaning it might have been used for wild canines.

There's a lot more to discover about the history of the word "dog" if you're interested! You can find more information about the linguistic origins of words on sites like etymonline.com or wiktionary.org.