# Default dog names in other languages? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 19, 2014, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/default-dog-names-in-other-languages/701745 "2014-10-19T00:03:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2014, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/default-dog-names-in-other-languages/701745/1 "2014-10-19T00:03:37Z")
Are there equivalents to Spot and Rover in other languages? I’ve never seen an actual dog named either, but for some reason they’re considered the “generic” dog names in cartoons and such. Do other countries and languages have similar concepts? ---
**Author:** ![polar\_bear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@polar\_bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/polar_bear)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2014, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/default-dog-names-in-other-languages/701745/2 "2014-10-19T00:37:12Z")
In Dutch it’s “Fikkie”. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2014, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/default-dog-names-in-other-languages/701745/3 "2014-10-19T00:52:26Z")
You forgot Fido (in English). ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2014, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/default-dog-names-in-other-languages/701745/4 "2014-10-19T01:22:35Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > You forgot Fido (in English). Has anyone ever encountered a real dog with that name? I sure haven’t. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2014, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/default-dog-names-in-other-languages/701745/5 "2014-10-19T01:59:35Z")
Rex is another traditional dog name in English; it means “king” in Latin. Speaking of which, there’s a nice list of Latin names in Ovid, with a few more attested elsewhere: [list here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actaeon#Names_of_the_dogs_who_devoured_Actaeon). In Welsh, _Mot_ and _Pero_ are common. I don’t know what either means, though I wouldn’t be surprised if Pero was related to Spanish _perro_ “dog.” ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2014, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/default-dog-names-in-other-languages/701745/6 "2014-10-19T02:09:20Z")
The English (American, at least) doggie name I’ve encountered or heard of most often is [Bandit](http://ak2.polyvoreimg.com/cgi/img-thing/size/orig/tid/8498860.jpg). And I’ve encountered several doggies named China. (Go figure.) The generic default name for a pet parrot is Polly. Who has ever encountered that? Is there an corresponding parrot name in Dutch, or elsewhere? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2014, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/default-dog-names-in-other-languages/701745/7 "2014-10-19T02:13:37Z")
A better Latin [list](http://www.unrv.com/culture/names-for-roman-dogs.php), with references. More common Welsh ones: Carlo (“Charlie”) and Smot (“Spot”). ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2014, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/default-dog-names-in-other-languages/701745/8 "2014-10-19T02:49:04Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > Has anyone ever encountered a real dog with that name? I sure haven’t. The most famous [Fido](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fido_(dog)) (“Faithful”) was an Italian street dog that became famous in the 1940s and 1950s for going to meet his late master’s bus every day for 14 years after he died. The name has declined in popularity, but I think most people still recognize “Fido” as a generic name for a dog. (I dunno, it seems to me the dog was just a slow learner.;)) ---
**Author:** ![Toucanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3bc359/32.png) [@Toucanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toucanna)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2014, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/default-dog-names-in-other-languages/701745/9 "2014-10-19T03:24:25Z")
Spanish: Nerón (Nero) Russian: Laika–barker Zshuchka–little beetle ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2014, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/default-dog-names-in-other-languages/701745/10 "2014-10-19T03:31:25Z")
The generic name for a dog in Irish is _Bran_ (which rhymes, or or less, with _on_). In Gaelic mythology, Bran and Seolan were a pair of hunting dogs owned by the hero Fionn Mac Cumhaill. Why Bran became the generic name while Seolan is all but forgotten I have no idea. ---
**Author:** ![am77494](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d2c977/32.png) [@am77494](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/am77494)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2014, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/default-dog-names-in-other-languages/701745/11 "2014-10-19T03:42:07Z")
In some parts of India - Moti (pearl) and Sheroo (tiger like) and Tommy are popular. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2014, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/default-dog-names-in-other-languages/701745/12 "2014-10-19T06:55:46Z")
> [@Toucanna](#): > > Spanish: Nerón (Nero) That one is most often found on stupid tiny dogs or dogs whose owner is stupid (and possibly tiny). Perro is a popular non-name for found dogs. You don’t want to give him a name, so you just call him dog, and then he knows it’s him you’re talking to aaaaaaandd… well, it’s his name now! I know some hunters who don’t name their dogs at all, they’re all _perro_ except when they’re _perra_. Laika was popular for a while; females only, of course. Bobby was popular for male dogs for a while; many English nicknames sound like “dog names” to Spanish ears (sorry). And there are websites dedicated to helping people pick a name for their dog. I liked Arrancapinos (uproots-pine-trees, which I think would be fitting for say, a Chihuahua), but seriously, Gaudí? Who the heck names their dog Gaudí? ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2014, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/default-dog-names-in-other-languages/701745/13 "2014-10-19T07:51:59Z")
> [@Ulfreida](#): > > Has anyone ever encountered a real dog with that name? I sure haven’t. What’s your point? The OP says that he has not actually encountered either of his examples, _Spot_ or _Rover_ either. I think I may have once actually seen a real dog called _Rover_ (and maybe met one or two called\* Rex\*), but never a _Fido_ or a _Spot_. It doesn’t matter. They are all well known as traditional, “default” dog names in English, and commonly used for fictional dogs (especially in cartoons, as the OP says, and anything written for children), even if they rarely, these days, get used in real life (probably because most adults consider them too clichéd). ---
**Author:** ![Donnerwetter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Donnerwetter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donnerwetter)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2014, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/default-dog-names-in-other-languages/701745/14 "2014-10-19T08:04:10Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > The most famous [Fido](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fido_(dog)) (“Faithful”) was an Italian street dog that became famous in the 1940s and 1950s for going to meet his late master’s bus every day for 14 years after he died. The name has declined in popularity, but I think most people still recognize “Fido” as a generic name for a dog. (I dunno, it seems to me the dog was just a slow learner.;)) This article, by the way, links to a list in another Wikipedia article: [(Dogs) faithful after master’s death](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_individual_dogs#Faithful_after_master.E2.80.99s_death) Unless you intend to spend your Sunday weeping incessantly, don’t read it. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Steken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2014, 8:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/default-dog-names-in-other-languages/701745/15 "2014-10-19T08:35:01Z")
> [@njtt](#): > > You forgot Fido (in English). Same in Swedish. (I mean: “Fido.” Not “Same.”) ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2014, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/default-dog-names-in-other-languages/701745/16 "2014-10-19T12:05:20Z")
German: Fido and Bello (“the beautiful one”). ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2014, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/default-dog-names-in-other-languages/701745/17 "2014-10-19T12:35:12Z")
I’ve known a few people with pet Iguanas named “Iggy”. They’ve all thought the name original and genius level. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2014, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/default-dog-names-in-other-languages/701745/18 "2014-10-19T13:14:40Z")
In German Struppi was given as an archetypal dog name. Anecdote: My father was a small animal vet for forty years, and never encountered a dog named either Fido or Rover. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2014, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/default-dog-names-in-other-languages/701745/19 "2014-10-19T13:35:54Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > Perro is a popular non-name for found dogs. You don’t want to give him a name, so you just call him dog, and then he knows it’s him you’re talking to aaaaaaandd… well, it’s his name now! It’s strange how naturally that happens. When I don’t know a dog, I just call him _perro_. Yeah, even when speaking English. Unless I know it’s a girl dog, then it’s _perrita_ (because, well, in Mexican Spanish it’s not polite to use _perra_). ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2014, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/default-dog-names-in-other-languages/701745/20 "2014-10-19T16:00:27Z")
Right now Bailey is a very common name for dogs. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/default-dog-names-in-other-languages/701745.md?page=2)