Famous Dog Names

Naming dogs have indeed evolved through times. As our lifestyles change, one of the most influential factors that have continuously made a mark in almost every aspect of our lives are the famous celebrities—people and dogs alike who have soared to celebrity status for the roles they play in movies and the famous people they are seen with.

If you have just brought home a puppy and you are still wondering what would be the best name that can do justice to its appearance and beauty, look no further than the dogs who have gained instant fame by starring in blockbuster hits, played heroes and villains in favorite stories, comics and novels, and those which are lucky enough to be a part of the “pack” of famous celebrity households.

When we look for inspiration from these famous characters, we pick out specific names because they enlighten our imagination and we would like to think that our canine friends would also live such interesting lives.

Even as kids, we were already engrossed in the lives of canine characters in many classic television series and movies. Walking down memory lane, we find many dogs that captivated our hearts and fueled our imaginations. We have roamed the fields and prairies with Lassie and we laughed at the antics of “Duke” which was played by a bloodhound named “Stretch” on the Beverly Hillbillies TV show. Do you remember “Ajax” on the Drew Carey Show? He was a golden retriever named “Speedy” who was also the understudy for the canine character named “Comet” in the TV show Full House. If you have followed the TV sitcom Frasier, you might not have known that the canine role was played by a father and son team. The father “Eddie” was played by a dog named “Moose” while his son “Enzo” was a stand-in for the role. As “Moose” became too old for the role, “Enzo” took over.

Many dog owners have also derived inspiration from screen legends and modern day movie star dogs. Famous dogs like “Rin Tin Tin”, “Buddy” the golden retriever of the movie “Air Bud”, “Cujo” the killer St. Bernard of the Stephen King Thriller, and “Rando” of the movie hit K-9 have all been popular sources of inspiration in naming puppies and even older dogs.

If you love to name your dog after famous dog celebrities of recent blockbusters—“Mushu”, “Soccer”, Legally Blonde’s Chihuahua “Bruiser”, and the Alaskan Malamute “Cody” who was talented enough to play several roles including a dog named “Nanook” in the movie Lost Boys. Other movies that Cody starred in included On Deadly Ground and Dr. Quinn.

Who can forget the Labrador mutt who played the “Old Yeller” in the hit movie of the same title? If you had been a big fan of the television show Petticoat Junction, you may want to name your dog “Higgins”, the same dog who played the legendary “Benji”.

There were dogs that rose to fame when they played characters of movies and television shows having the same name. If you have a Bull Mastiff, you can name him “Butkus”, after Sylvester Stallone’s partner in the movie “Rocky”. A highly spirited pup can be named “Happy” after the rescued mutt in the TV show 7th Heaven.
Famous names also come from the heroes and heroines of well-loved mythologies. Famous names for female dogs that ooze a touch of the classics include “Guinevere”, “Portia”, “Venus”, and “Isis”; while male dogs often get the attention they crave when named “Caesar”, “Homer”, “Ulysses”, and “Horatio”.

Disney’s movies and television shows have always etched in our minds a memory of a puppy or a dog that played roles in some of Disney’s greatest classics. Who can forget “Pongo” and “Perdita” of 101 Dalmatians? Other famous Disney pooches include “Lady” the uptown Cocker Spaniel, “Tramp” the downtown mutt; the canine television superhero “Bolt”; the Irish Setter “Big Red”; and the Scottish Skye Terrier named “Bobby” whose heartwarming adventures stole our hearts in the true story “Greyfriars Bobby”.

Indeed, giving our dogs a famous name will certainly lend a touch of class and elegance. Some of these famous dog names have tugged at our heartstrings while some have touched us with their bravery and heroism. We have celebrated their triumphs and cried with their defeats. In one way or the other they have crawled into our subconscious and what better way to honor these famous dogs than to borrow their names and given them to our very own pets.