About Dog Names

Dog names grow and change over time just as people names do. Certain names become trendy, such as the popularity of the name "Marley" after the book and movie "Marley and Me" became a runaway hit. Other names stand the test of time. In the past, dogs were just dogs. They were animals that, more often than not, slept in the barn with the horses. Nowadays, much deliberation goes into the naming of a dog, because dogs have become important members of the family. Man's (or a woman's) best friend needs a name that will distinguish him as such.

  1. History

    • Back when dogs were more of a worker animal than a member of the family, they were commonly not named at all. If anything, they were simply called, "Dog." When given a name, it tended to be simple, and very obviously a name for a dog, such as "Spot," "Mutt" or "Big Boy." With the rise of dogs in literature, such as "Where the Red Fern Grows" and "Old Yeller," came a new trend in dog names: naming a dog after a character in a book. Suddenly, there were thousands of dogs named Ol'Dan Li'l Ann, Yeller and Rascal. And who can forget Lassie? TV dogs also gave rise to trends in naming dogs, starting with Lassie and most frequently, "Eddie" from the dog in the sitcom "Frasier."

    Popular Names

    • Over time, certain names became popular, and not just those found in books and on TV. Instead, specific dog names seemed to appeal to a wide variety of people, and thousands of dogs found (and still find) themselves with the names Lady, Max, Buddy, Rover and Shadow. In addition, many people like to give their dogs a name that reflects a characteristic of that dog. So, a chocolate lab becomes "Hershey," and a dog with a patch over one or both eyes becomes "Bandit." Hunting dogs might be named "Ranger" or "Killer," and tiny, pretty poodles become "Princess."

    Trendy Names

    • Often, many people like to copy the trends in Hollywood, and this is not limited to fashion. Close attention is paid to what movie stars name their dogs, and these names are copied by dog (and movie star) lovers everywhere. For example, the name "Chewy" (or Chewbacca) became very popular after Christina Aguilera named her dog that. When Paris Hilton named her Chihuahuas "Tinkerbell" and "Bambi," there were suddenly thousands of owners of purebred Chihuahuas naming their dogs those same names.

    People Names

    • Giving a dog a "people name" is also not uncommon. Many a dog lover feels like his or her dog is a member of the family, so why not give the dog a real person's name? Names such as "Charlie," "Daisy," "Jake," "Molly" and "Sandy" are all in the top 20 most popular dog names. Also, these names tend not to be as silly as other names. After all, a large dog named "Jake" is not going to elicit nearly as many snickers as if that same dog is named "Foo-Foo" or "Cuddles."

    Purebred Names

    • Purebred or show dogs tend to have long names that reflect their lineage or origin and often include the kennel name, such as "Roxy Ranger Sandhurst of the Rogue Valley." Roxy is the name of the kennels, Sandhurst is the owner's name, and the location is the Rogue Valley. It is likely that the dog named above would simply be called "Ranger." These names tend to be long and creative so that they stand out during shows. The names also have to be original because once a name is registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC), which is required of all show dogs, it can never be duplicated. So while there may be several "Rangers" registered, there will only be one "Roxy Ranger Sandhurst of the Rogue Valley."