# Help Name Our New Dog! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 21, 2004, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-dog/265383 "2004-09-21T22:46:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-dog/265383/1 "2004-09-21T22:46:01Z")
Ok…ok…fine, I give in! After months of my wife dropping none-to-subtle hints, my Teflon veneer of “no-we’re-not-getting-a-dog-and-I-don’t-care-how-much-you-want-one” has cracked wide open. So we’re getting a dog. All my criteria have been met (small, not a barker, gets along with cats), and the adoption agency is bringing him over sometime in the next week or two for us to meet each other and to do a home inspection. Now, here’s the problem – his name is [Billy The Kid](http://members.petfinder.org/~NJ96/Billy.html). :dubious: Nope…that won’t do at all. He’ll just wind up being called Billy, and if you ask me, pets shouldn’t have people names (just something I’m a bit hung-up on). So, what should we name him? I personally would prefer something a bit odd (my vote was to name him Cat…promptly vetoed by my wife). I’m pretty much handing off the final say on this to **kittenlm**. And she would like something that fits in with the “theme” we have with [our cat’s](http://www.sirblah.com/photo/index.php?album=Pets&mode=) names: Majyk, Merlin, Powder and Boo. “Phantom” is a possibility, because of his facial coloration…it looks a bit like the half-mask worn by the Phantom Of The Opera. I dunno, though…I’m just worried about his name winding up being shortened to “Phanny”. 🙂 So, any ideas, folks? ---
**Author:** ![Standup\_Karmic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@Standup\_Karmic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Standup_Karmic)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-dog/265383/2 "2004-09-21T22:51:37Z")
I have decided to name my next dog a string of unintelligent noises. It probably won’t translate well into typed text, but it’s along the lines of Zzz…diggledybop…POP. The ellipses indicate a slight pause. The “Pop” is vocalized in a higher tone than the remainder. The Zzz is said with decreasing tone, and is sustained for about 1/2 to 3/4 of a second. You can’t use this name specifically. I lay claim. But feel free to name your dog some other string of unintelligent noises! ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-dog/265383/3 "2004-09-21T22:54:54Z")
[ul] [li]Spike[/li][li]Sparky[/li][li]Fireplug[/li][li]Merkin 😉😃 [/li][li]Spooky[/li][li]Hot Stuff[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-dog/265383/4 "2004-09-21T22:54:55Z")
BARFY! ;j . ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-dog/265383/5 "2004-09-21T22:57:00Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > BARFY! Heh…that’d only be appropriate if we had named one of the cats “Kittycat”. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Mad\_Hermit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5ac83/32.png) [@The\_Mad\_Hermit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Mad_Hermit)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-dog/265383/6 "2004-09-21T22:58:31Z")
Cosmo… It just came to me when I read the thread title. There’s also the good old standby, Max. (I have a cat named Max.) ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-dog/265383/7 "2004-09-21T22:58:48Z")
How bout: Eek (to go with Boo) The Count Gandalf (you know, he could chill with Merlin, talk shop) Casper ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-dog/265383/8 "2004-09-21T22:58:51Z")
He’s obviously a blue collar type. He needs a no-nonsense working class name, whatever you come up with. ---
**Author:** ![BadBadger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@BadBadger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BadBadger)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-dog/265383/9 "2004-09-21T23:04:25Z")
[ul] [li]Casper[/li][li]Sirius (Dog Star)[/li][li]Castor (forget Pollox, sounds too much like …)[/li][li]Mammoth[/li][li]Buck[/li][/ul] You should retry Cat IMO Great name. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-dog/265383/10 "2004-09-21T23:05:29Z")
I’ll suggest **Marcos** or **Cedric**. Odd enough to be cute, but not cute enough to make him hang his head in shame in front of other dogs. ---
**Author:** ![Aguecheek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a9adbd/32.png) [@Aguecheek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aguecheek)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-dog/265383/11 "2004-09-21T23:05:41Z")
> [@Hal Briston](#): > > “Phantom” is a possibility, because of his facial coloration…it looks a bit like the half-mask worn by the Phantom Of The Opera. I dunno, though…I’m just worried about his name winding up being shortened to “Phanny”. 🙂 Um. You might need to give up on your “people” name veto, but…the Phantom of the Opera’s first name was Erik (Erik of the Opera?), which could allude to M. Leroux’s character without opening up the possibility of “Phanny.” As well, if you or any friends are Python fans, you could just say it’s “Erik the Half a Dog.” Considering the chihuahua mix, it seems quite appropriate if you ask me. I vote for Erik. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-dog/265383/12 "2004-09-21T23:39:00Z")
A good friends Dog just died recently at the gran age of 17. So it would be cool if someone named their dog Bouncer. Since Bouncer was the cleverest dog I’ve met and lived to a ripe old age I am sure the name has good vibes attatched. ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-dog/265383/13 "2004-09-22T00:09:08Z")
Mo (for “Masked One”). Or Harley (for harlequin). ---
**Author:** ![Papermache\_Prince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f05b48/32.png) [@Papermache\_Prince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Papermache_Prince)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-dog/265383/14 "2004-09-22T00:22:21Z")
[Mandrake](http://www.toonopedia.com/mandrake.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-dog/265383/15 "2004-09-22T01:37:00Z")
How about Wizard, or Warlock? Along the same lines, there’s also Conjure, Hex, Jinx, Demon, Spectre. Or magic-users from various recent works like Rincewind, Morrolan, Kallandras, Murdan, Tris, Domerc, Mertyn… (whether you recognize the names depends on if you read the same stuff I do 😃 ). ---
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-dog/265383/16 "2004-09-22T01:40:51Z")
I named my dog “Hogarth” after the kid in the Iron Giant. It was a great name 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Nightwatch\_Trailer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9dc877/32.png) [@Nightwatch\_Trailer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightwatch_Trailer)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-dog/265383/17 "2004-09-22T03:20:56Z")
New Dog. Rosencrantz. Dog Briston. Ten Percent. Hogwarty. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2004, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-dog/265383/18 "2004-09-22T03:42:06Z")
> [@Aguecheek](#): > > As well, if you or any friends are Python fans, you could just say it’s “Erik the Half a Dog.” Damn…if **kittenlm** wasn’t a anti-Pythonite, I could make a great case for “Erik The Half-A-Breed”. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-dog/265383/19 "2004-09-23T04:11:35Z")
Ok, very good…some definite possibilities there (“Harley” is in the lead right now, even though I ride a Yamaha Maxim :)). Any more ideas? ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2004, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-dog/265383/20 "2004-09-23T04:59:38Z")
I intend to name my next dog Fenrir, even if it’s a chihuahua… no, \*especially \*if it’s a chihuahua. I give you special dispensation to use the name as well. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-name-our-new-dog/265383.md?page=2)