# Naming/registering an AKC dog **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 9, 2003, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-registering-an-akc-dog/206502 "2003-10-09T16:35:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrianS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c6cbf5/32.png) [@BrianS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrianS)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-registering-an-akc-dog/206502/1 "2003-10-09T16:35:58Z")
I just found out that the puppy I’m buying is AKC registered and I’ll have to come up with an AKC name for him. Like Bobber’s Majestic Diamond, or something. Is there a set rule, or even a common used method, for naming an AKC puppy? ---
**Author:** ![BrianS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c6cbf5/32.png) [@BrianS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrianS)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-registering-an-akc-dog/206502/2 "2003-10-09T16:50:41Z")
**Let me start over again…** The sire and dam of the puppy that I’m buying are AKC registered, so I’ll have to come up with an AKC name for him eventually. Like Bobber’s Majestic Diamond, or something. Is there a set rule, or even a common used method, for naming an AKC puppy? maybe beer really does kill brain cells… ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-registering-an-akc-dog/206502/3 "2003-10-09T16:55:35Z")
Here’s the official AKC rules for naming a dog: [http://www.akc.org/registration/register\_namingofdog.cfm](http://www.akc.org/registration/register_namingofdog.cfm) BTW, you aren’t required to register your dog just because the parents are. Personally I wouldn’t bother unless I was going to show the dog. ---
**Author:** ![Sister\_Vigilante](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Sister\_Vigilante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sister_Vigilante)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-registering-an-akc-dog/206502/4 "2003-10-09T16:57:43Z")
Usually the breeder will give you the first name, so “Bobber’s” (for example) should be the breeder’s name. Then, the breeder will usually give you a template to follow for the middle name, such as it starting with a certain letter, or actually forcing the middle name upon you as well, based on what they want that litter to be known as. The third name would then be the name you actually call the dog by. My dogs’ names: K’Azar Eyeam Cairo (I picked only the last name) Regalwise Pallas Athena (designated by the breeder as the “P” litter) ---
**Author:** ![Horrifying\_Howler\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df788c/32.png) [@Horrifying\_Howler\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horrifying_Howler_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-registering-an-akc-dog/206502/5 "2003-10-09T17:01:38Z")
Some ruls can be found [here](http://www.akc.org/registration/register_namingofdog.cfm) at the AKC’s website. A little bit more information [here](http://slate.msn.com/id/2078592/). Many breeders register and name the entire litter following a theme. What kind of dog are you getting? ---
**Author:** ![BrianS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c6cbf5/32.png) [@BrianS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrianS)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-registering-an-akc-dog/206502/6 "2003-10-09T18:21:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Magayuk \* > \*\* What kind of dog are you getting? \*\* Golden Retriever. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-registering-an-akc-dog/206502/7 "2003-10-09T18:30:33Z")
I got a golden retriever puppy last May and I got her registered and I really couldnt’ figure out how to give her one of dem fancy names, so I think her name just ended up being something default like “AJ’s Dolly” (AJ being her mom, Dolly being her. I wish I had a better name for her. Now She’s Dolly Louiese (when she’s bad). ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-registering-an-akc-dog/206502/8 "2003-10-09T20:35:17Z")
My dog’s “official” name is Bachannal’s Cabernet, as registered with the AKC. He was registered before we got him, as the breeder was going to keep him but then couldn’t. His call name is Angus. The call name is what you use every day, and may have no relation whatsoever to his kennel name. Our kennel’s tag line is “Bachannal Kennels- home of the wine dogs” so all the dogs are named after some kind of wine (Angus’ mom was Madiera, his aunt is Chardonnay, etc). ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-registering-an-akc-dog/206502/9 "2003-10-09T20:56:35Z")
We have had two golden retrievers - three, if you count my cousin’s dog (she’s like a sister to me, so I kind of consider her dog as being mine!) Our first dog, whom we called Nike, had to have his kennel’s name, Stoneleath, and the word “moon” in his name, as that was the litter theme. So we registered him as Sir Moonshadow of Stoneleath. Has a very noble ring to it, and he was a quite noble looking dog. It suited him. My cousin’s dog and our current one are brother and sister, but 3 years apart in litters, from Edelweiss kennels. Her dog, a female, is comminly called Peekaboo, has that name in her registered one: Edelweiss Peekaboo Jones. Our Sully takes his registered name from our poor Nike, who is dead. We named him Edelweiss Moonshadow’s Victory. Just string random words together. That works! ---
**Author:** ![Robbbbb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e9a140/32.png) [@Robbbbb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robbbbb)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2003, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-registering-an-akc-dog/206502/10 "2003-10-09T22:47:07Z")
My dog is registered, and the first name was the name of the kennel, followed by a first and second name. We wanted our dog to be named “Topher” (short for Christopher; long story) but his full name is Kazors Christopher Robin. The “Robin” part of it we just threw on there at the last minute. ---
**Author:** ![Kaotic\_Newtral](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@Kaotic\_Newtral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaotic_Newtral)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2003, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-registering-an-akc-dog/206502/11 "2003-10-10T00:32:21Z")
When I was much younger my brother had a couple of great dogs. They were Chesapeake Bay Retrievers…and they had the best names ever! The first was ‘Sedgefield Candy Budakai’ whom we called Sedge…and the other had the coolest name of all time ‘Twelve Gauge Dueces’…We called him Gauge. Awesome dogs. -K ---
**Author:** ![Kaotic\_Newtral](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@Kaotic\_Newtral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaotic_Newtral)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2003, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-registering-an-akc-dog/206502/12 "2003-10-10T00:39:06Z")
Dang… Dueces = Deuces. Still…awesome dogs. ---
**Author:** ![stockton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@stockton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stockton)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2003, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-registering-an-akc-dog/206502/13 "2003-10-10T01:49:18Z")
Phideaux? ---
**Author:** ![gcarroll](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/65b543/32.png) [@gcarroll](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gcarroll)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2003, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-registering-an-akc-dog/206502/14 "2003-10-10T01:59:45Z")
At one time we had two dogs, a registered Irish Setter named Sienna “Little Bit”, and a black peek-a-poo (looked like a tiny black sheep) named BaaBaa. The best part was going to the back door of our Alabama home and calling the dogs… “Baa Baa… Sienna little bit”. Neighbors would look around to see who was leaving. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2003, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-registering-an-akc-dog/206502/15 "2003-10-10T03:12:51Z")
If you intend to breed her it is mandatory to register in order to sell AKC retisterable pups. On the other hand, you don’t HAVE to do a cotton pickin’ thing. Name the dog what suits you and dont’ register it. ``` :) ``` ---
**Author:** ![Frame\_Dragging](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/53a042/32.png) [@Frame\_Dragging](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frame_Dragging)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2003, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/naming-registering-an-akc-dog/206502/16 "2003-10-10T11:53:32Z")
My wife shows and breeds terriers. My favorite AKC name she used to register a puppy celebrated a strange blackjack bet she made in Vegas. Dog’s registered name is “Double Down on Twelve”. “Double Down on Twelve” was the dealer’s cry to the pit boss when she doubled her bet. Her next card was a nine. She collected her winnings, left the table, and bought a set of arithmetic flash cards.