# Supposedly common dog names that really aren't **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 29, 2016, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposedly-common-dog-names-that-really-arent/758695 "2016-06-29T13:13:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![purplehearingaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@purplehearingaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehearingaid)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposedly-common-dog-names-that-really-arent/758695/41 "2016-07-01T01:39:50Z")
My dog name was Brad Pitt and I got rid of that name real fast and named him Marty after a cousin I never met. He dies in a drowning accident . We had 2 dogs name Rum and Gin as kids . A Beagle was Rum and the GSD was Gin. ---
**Author:** ![El\_DeLuxo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_deluxo/32/9043_2.png) [@El\_DeLuxo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_DeLuxo)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposedly-common-dog-names-that-really-arent/758695/42 "2016-07-01T14:05:11Z")
My first, longest-living, and absolutely _best_dog was named Fido, by me. I was two and a half, had heard that name in a story, and thought it was the finest sounding dog name in the world. Meeting him is just about my earliest memory. ---
**Author:** ![El\_DeLuxo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_deluxo/32/9043_2.png) [@El\_DeLuxo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_DeLuxo)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2016, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposedly-common-dog-names-that-really-arent/758695/43 "2016-07-01T14:06:25Z")
My first, longest-living, and absolutely _best_ dog was named Fido, by me. I was two and a half, had heard that name in a story, and thought it was the finest sounding dog name in the world. Meeting him is just about my earliest memory. ---
**Author:** ![Waxwinged](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c2a13f/32.png) [@Waxwinged](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waxwinged)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2016, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposedly-common-dog-names-that-really-arent/758695/44 "2016-07-02T10:11:59Z")
I knew a few dogs called Buddy, but a more Charlies and Henries. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2016, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposedly-common-dog-names-that-really-arent/758695/45 "2016-07-02T11:12:11Z")
> [@Sahirrnee](#): > > I have never met a Rover or a Fido. > The Spot I met was a cat. > One dog named Dot - dalmatian of course. > I’ve met one dog, two cats, and one man called Spike. Your song is fun, but the last line needs work. ---
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2016, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposedly-common-dog-names-that-really-arent/758695/46 "2016-07-02T15:53:14Z")
I have a horse named Spot, does that count? And no, he isn’t spotted. ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2016, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposedly-common-dog-names-that-really-arent/758695/47 "2016-07-02T18:17:28Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > Your song is fun, but the last line needs work. I’ve never met a Rover or Fido. The Spot I met was a cat. One dog named Dot, dalmatian of course. The Spikes were a dog and two cats. Better? ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2016, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposedly-common-dog-names-that-really-arent/758695/48 "2016-07-02T21:44:50Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I met a guy who named his dog Deeohgee (pronounced D.O.G). Heh, whatever. > > Then a few months later I met another guy with a dog with the same name. No relation to guy #1. I misread the OP’s title at first, and that’s the first name I thought of. I’ve met several Deeohgees, and each of their owners thought it was so clever. I’m sure I’ve met more Jacksons, Dakotas and Bentleys, but the Deeohgees just seem more common. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2016, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposedly-common-dog-names-that-really-arent/758695/49 "2016-07-02T21:46:29Z")
Yeah never seen a Spot or Fido. I think the idea is that it’s such a “stereotypical” name that any owner who named their dog that would be in for mockery. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposedly-common-dog-names-that-really-arent/758695/50 "2016-07-03T00:52:58Z")
> [@Sahirrnee](#): > > I’ve never met a Rover or Fido. > The Spot I met was a cat. > One dog named Dot, > dalmatian of course. > The Spikes were a dog > and two cats. > > Better? Much better. To the tune of “Henry the Eighth I am”. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposedly-common-dog-names-that-really-arent/758695/51 "2016-07-03T01:13:45Z")
> [@RobDog](#): > > I submit for consideration “Rex” and “Lassie”. Anyone ever had/met either of those? We got a dog when my sister was about three, and she wanted a collie so bad she named her Lassie. Said dog was a Westie. (She was an awesome dog) Of course, at the time, we had a cat named Fluffy. (I was six when I named her) ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposedly-common-dog-names-that-really-arent/758695/52 "2016-07-03T03:38:00Z")
My mom’s family had a Fido. There’s a gravestone in the yard where he’s buried. ---
**Author:** ![AllShookDown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@AllShookDown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllShookDown)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2016, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposedly-common-dog-names-that-really-arent/758695/53 "2016-07-14T15:17:45Z")
My mom had a dog named Rex when she was a kid (1920’s-30’s). We have her pastel drawings of him. ---
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2016, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposedly-common-dog-names-that-really-arent/758695/54 "2016-07-18T21:08:36Z")
> [@Cardigan](#): > > If someone started a sister thread, the feline equivalents would have to be Puss, Princess, or Fluffy. Ah, you’ve met my former _girlfriend_ (_the “entertainer”_), Princess Fluffy Puss? All of my cats were named, Tibby. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2016, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposedly-common-dog-names-that-really-arent/758695/55 "2016-07-18T22:18:01Z")
Obligatory Cal Worthington reference: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/aEm1ibd1_xQ/hqdefault.jpg "Go See Cal") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEm1ibd1_xQ) ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2016, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposedly-common-dog-names-that-really-arent/758695/56 "2016-07-20T21:59:58Z")
Dogs of my acquaintance - Dixie Scout King Georgie Bella Isabelle Chester Molly Moose Izzy Jasmine Murdoch Ronnie Max Freyja Charlie Pepper Otis Archer JoJo Auden Ally Luna Sydney Stella Ouie Athena Chippy Annie Hercules Ace Deuce Lola Trotsky Oscar Andrew Raymond Lucy Teddy Ollie Herschel Toby Marmaduke MacGregor Edgar Lily and, of course, Benji. No, I don’t think many people want to go for the so-called common names anymore… ---
**Author:** ![SurrenderDorothy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/surrenderdorothy/32/1221_2.png) [@SurrenderDorothy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SurrenderDorothy)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2016, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposedly-common-dog-names-that-really-arent/758695/57 "2016-07-21T02:32:47Z")
The only one I don’t think I have ever met is Fido. I’ve met a few cats named Rover and had one dog named Red Rover. I’ve met several dogs named Rex and loads named Spike. A few Spots and quite a few Sparkies. Most of the other common dog names really are quite common. If you call me and tell me you adopted Duke or Bella or Roscoe or Sadie (or Bailey, Molly, Rocky, Daisy, Scrappie, Bear, Ginger, Princess, Chewy, Sugar, Max…) I will have to ask you to be more specific before I have any idea who you’re talking about. Any no-brainer appearance-related name is incredibly common as well. Coco, Brownie, Tiger, Callie, Midnight, Blackie, Spot, Freckles, Red, Tiny, Scruffy, Fluffy, Curly, Whitey, Snowball, Blue, Patches, Shadow, Smokey, Oreo, Li’l Bit, etc. Worst of all, though, is… Buddy. At one point, we had twelve dogs named Buddy in the shelter. We had to start giving them their own surnames. “Buddy,” to me, is like saying “I couldn’t think of a name for him, so I just called him this.” It betrays an astonishing lack of imagination on the part of the human. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/supposedly-common-dog-names-that-really-arent/758695.md?page=2)