# Pet names in other languages **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 16, 2006, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-names-in-other-languages/376700 "2006-10-16T23:13:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2006, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-names-in-other-languages/376700/1 "2006-10-16T23:13:47Z")
Names for animals, not people. Like in English, we name dogs Rover and Spot. I’m looking for what the common names are in other languages. I’m looking for something like this: English: Spot - dog with a spot or with spots. Mittens - cat with markings that look like mittens on its paws. Tiger - cat with stripes Fluffy - dog or cat with lots of fur Nemo - dog or cat named after popular Disney character. Can anybody help me out? ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-names-in-other-languages/376700/2 "2006-10-17T06:39:19Z")
It seems strange to me, but Bulgarian pets are usually given English names. I’ve met dogs named Jerry, Simon, Roxanne, and Michael. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-names-in-other-languages/376700/3 "2006-10-17T08:59:08Z")
I know at least 3 Spanish dogs, outside of the regions that speak Catalan, which are called Gos (dog in Catalan). Two of them are Catalan Shepherds. My canary was yellow and from Catalonia, so I named him Groc (yellow in Catalan). Linda (pretty, my SiL’s she-dog), Enano (dwarf, for little dogs), Perro (for a stray dog they didn’t want to name), Lucero or Lucera for dogs (lucero=star; the morning star and evening star are el lucero de la mañana and el lucero del anochecer), Bicho (bug or “misbehaved one”, this one was actually a cat), Jacetana called Tana (she was from Jaca), Neska (Basque for girl, the daughter of Tana), Tarzán (a huge mastiff), Colorado (a reddish horse), Lagun (Basque for friend or helper, a German shepherd), Jaun (lord in Basque, a boxer). ---
**Author:** ![Hokkaido\_Brit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d26b3c/32.png) [@Hokkaido\_Brit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hokkaido_Brit)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-names-in-other-languages/376700/4 "2006-10-17T10:15:42Z")
In Japan, dogs are supposedly called Pochi and cats Tama, but I have never actually met a dog or cat with those names. Lots of dogs and cats are called Kuro (Blackie) and I have met a couple called Mame (Bean) because they were little. Lots of people want to name their pets with an English name and they get some of them wildly wrong. (I know a dog called Victoria…) ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-names-in-other-languages/376700/5 "2006-10-17T10:33:14Z")
[QUOTE=Hokkaido Brit] \Lots of people want to name their pets with an English name and they get some of them wildly wrong. (I know a dog called Victoria…) [/QUOTE] What’s wrong with naming a dog Victoria? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-names-in-other-languages/376700/6 "2006-10-17T10:50:03Z")
[QUOTE=Sierra Indigo] What’s wrong with naming a dog Victoria? [/QUOTE] Apparently **Hokkaido Brit** was not amused by this. ---
**Author:** ![Hokkaido\_Brit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d26b3c/32.png) [@Hokkaido\_Brit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hokkaido_Brit)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-names-in-other-languages/376700/7 "2006-10-17T11:17:06Z")
[QUOTE=twickster] Apparently **Hokkaido Brit** was not amused by this. [/QUOTE] No, we weren’t! Actually maybe this illustrates the cultural differences nicely - I think that it’s an oddly human name, and within that, a rather formal name in itself. So for me, it seems to be an awkward fit with a dog. People in my area of England seem to name dogs with a short name such as Pip, or a name connected to the dog, like a shaggy dog being Scruffy, or one with bright eyes being Buttons for example. I think if a dog was to be called Victoria it would be the one giving you the orders, and it would be something like a Borzoi or some other regal type dog! (Come to think of it, Victoria isn’t a bad name for a cat…) ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-names-in-other-languages/376700/8 "2006-10-17T11:38:48Z")
🙂 Fair enough. I guess I’ve always just had pets named whatever we felt like at the time, so “Victoria” doesn’t seem that much out of spec for me… My list: Hilda - Rhodesian Ridgeback/Labrador/Boxer Mutt cross (Mum’s) Zoe (Actually Pinjar Dane Zoe) - Purebred German Great Dane (Mum’s) Thor - Purebred German Shepherd (Mum’s) Capone - Staffy Terrior Cross (Ours) Honey - Calico cat (Ours, formerly grandma’s) Tuk-Tuk - Tortishell (Mum’s) Gizmo - Mackrel Tabby (Mum’s) Diablo - Black Tom Cat (Mum’s) Tuppence (Tuppy) - German Shepherd/Collie cross (Grandma’s) Shekel - As above Cindy - German Shepherd Cross (Grandma’s) Ricky - White farmhouse Tom (Grandma’s) Gadget - Russian Blue cross (Dad’s) Connor - Mutt (Hubby’s old dog back in England) My family doesn’t go in much for traditional pet names. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-names-in-other-languages/376700/9 "2006-10-17T12:24:14Z")
[QUOTE=Hokkaido Brit] In Japan, dogs are supposedly called Pochi and cats Tama, but I have never actually met a dog or cat with those names. Lots of dogs and cats are called Kuro (Blackie) and I have met a couple called Mame (Bean) because they were little. Lots of people want to name their pets with an English name and they get some of them wildly wrong. (I know a dog called Victoria…) [/QUOTE] Are you sure they were naming the dog in English? Victoria means Victory in Italian and Spanish. Maybe their favourite team had won whatever 🙂 or it was a show dog. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-names-in-other-languages/376700/10 "2006-10-17T12:30:55Z")
[QUOTE=Hokkaido Brit] Actually maybe this illustrates the cultural differences nicely - I think that it’s an oddly human name, and within that, a rather formal name in itself. So for me, it seems to be an awkward fit with a dog. [/QUOTE] The formal human name thing happens in the US, too. I’ve known plenty of dogs and cats with impressive names, as well as animals named after famous people. I knew a cat named Gershwin, for example. And, of course, I named my pug Edith Wharton. She’s happy with the name, and a big fan of the writer 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Hokkaido\_Brit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/d26b3c/32.png) [@Hokkaido\_Brit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hokkaido_Brit)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-names-in-other-languages/376700/11 "2006-10-17T12:36:10Z")
[QUOTE=Nava] Are you sure they were naming the dog in English? Victoria means Victory in Italian and Spanish. Maybe their favourite team had won whatever 🙂 or it was a show dog. [/QUOTE] Nah, they just thought it was a nice English name! But come to think of it, my husband’s cousin has a dog called Sena, named after the racing driver. (Don’t know the spelling, sorry, it’s not my thing - and come to think of it, that doesn’t suit the dog who is a Siberian Husky. He should have been a greyhound!) ---
**Author:** ![shijinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@shijinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shijinn)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-names-in-other-languages/376700/12 "2006-10-17T13:02:06Z")
any syllable x2 blu blu, la la, na na, hokk hokk, si si, etc etc ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-names-in-other-languages/376700/13 "2006-10-17T13:34:33Z")
I thought you meant pet names for a sweetie and was going to nominate _ma petite chou chou_. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Shecky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/85e7bf/32.png) [@Shecky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shecky)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-names-in-other-languages/376700/14 "2006-10-17T15:32:58Z")
Fofo - soft in Portuguese, given to a Husky in Brazil Miu - meow - given to the cat My own cats have titles: Mr. Fez and Marquesa Gabi. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-names-in-other-languages/376700/15 "2006-10-17T16:35:15Z")
My exchange dog’s name in Germany was _Golo_. He was a Schnauzer mix, but I don’t believe the name was that common. I think they said they named him after a historian or philosopher or something. ---
**Author:** ![tashabot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tashabot/32/6250_2.png) [@tashabot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tashabot)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-names-in-other-languages/376700/16 "2006-10-17T20:14:50Z")
It happens in America, too - My parents named their cockatiel Dexter. He looks kinda like a Dexter, too. I name my animals after _stuff_, usually food. I had a black molly I named Noodles (rest in peace), and a black labradore named Baloney. Baloney’s mother’s name was Blackie (black lab, not racial slur), and his brother was named Squeaker. We had a cat named Muffin and another named Ashes (ashes was so named because he loved sleeping in fireplace ashes, and went from pure white to sooty grey in a matter of moments). We also had a mutt named Brandy, after the booze. When I lived in PA, my roomie and I had a cat named Miranda, but I had no play in the naming of her, or else she’d have been named something like “Pepperoni.” And then there’s my friend in Rhode Island who named her cat “Mouse.” Mouse’s boyfriend is named “Fatty.” ~Tasha ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-names-in-other-languages/376700/17 "2006-10-17T21:26:35Z")
[QUOTE=shijinn] any syllable x2 blu blu, la la, na na, hokk hokk, si si, etc etc [/QUOTE] Neat! What language is this? I’m still hoping for some more languages, although I also like knowing some of the British ways of naming pets. What is a popular dog name in Mexico? Lapland? Madagascar? I’m also interested in places where people don’t have dogs or cats for pets, but maybe have insects or lizards. What do you name them? Are there other places like Bulgaria where they give pets English names? Isn’t that interesting that Nava knew a Spanish cat named Tana and that Tana is a stereotypical name for a cat in Japan? I knew a guy who named his dog Cobber because he had recently visited Australia and people called their buddies ‘Cobber’ there, but I don’t know if it was a dog name in Australia or not. I know Hitler’s German Shepherd was called Blondi. ---
**Author:** ![AwSnappity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a3d4f5/32.png) [@AwSnappity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AwSnappity)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2006, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-names-in-other-languages/376700/18 "2006-10-17T22:11:47Z")
[QUOTE=Hokkaido Brit] I think if a dog was to be called Victoria it would be the one giving you the orders, and it would be something like a Borzoi or some other regal type dog! (Come to think of it, Victoria isn’t a bad name for a cat…) [/QUOTE] My dog is named after Kelsey Grammer. He’s an insufferable, pretentious jerk who has a different trophy girlfriend every week–or at least he plays one on TV. Bastard dog. ---
**Author:** ![Gr8Kat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gr8kat/32/18668_2.png) [@Gr8Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gr8Kat)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-names-in-other-languages/376700/19 "2006-10-18T00:15:06Z")
[QUOTE=Hokkaido Brit] In Japan, dogs are supposedly called Pochi and cats Tama, but I have never actually met a dog or cat with those names. Lots of dogs and cats are called Kuro (Blackie) and I have met a couple called Mame (Bean) because they were little. Lots of people want to name their pets with an English name and they get some of them wildly wrong. (I know a dog called Victoria…) [/QUOTE] I thought you were going to say it was because he should have been called Victor. That reminds me of an anime I saw once where the male lead character (named Tamahome) bristles when the female lead shortened his name to Tama, saying “That’s what you call a cat!” Sure enough, a few episodes later, a supporting character was introduced with a pet cat named Tama. Does it mean something, or is it just a cute name like Pooky Snookums? ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2006, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-names-in-other-languages/376700/20 "2006-10-18T00:21:50Z")
Generic Korean cat name: Nabi. (It means butterfly. Go figure.) Generic Korean dog name: Baek-kku. This would be for white dogs only. It means white dog. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pet-names-in-other-languages/376700.md?page=2)