Dog names

 

Geisha? Nibbles? Have a look at the new and trendy dog names!

When you bring your new puppy or dog home, you might not have decided on a name yet. You probably scramble to find a dog name worthy of your new pet. 30 years ago, children called their dog Spot, name for his unique spots of color. Fido was a popular dog name, a reference to fidelity. And for the roaming dog? Rover!.

These time-worn names have, well, been worn out. Today, people seek more descriptive names for man’s best friend. Names which show your dog’s character and your own relationship with nature and the rest of mankind, are now in favor. In fact, there is a field of study dedicated to names. It’s called onomastics (or choice of words, for the less articulate like me).

 

Shifting trends

People who buy a new dog today are no longer satisfied with the traditional dog names. Onamasticians (or people who study names and words) report that there is a societal change, of heart, whereby our pets gain a new dimension in their naming. Dog names, in particular, are more aligned with humans. We now tend to associate more of the human qualities with our dogs, and naming follows suit. Not only do we treat our pets more and more like humans, we also give them human names.

For example, our German shepherd puppy might acquire the name ‘Wolfgang’ in honor of his German roots. A dog owner with macho aspirations might name his pup ‘Spike’, or ‘Rocky’.

However, there’s a new trend in dog names, which more closely fits the onamastician’s observations. Today, approximately 70% of our dogs are named with people’s names! From the onamastician’s viewpoint, this reflects a closer tie with our canine friends. Our dogs are indeed trusted friends, perhaps surpassing our human friends. Our dogs are family members, and the naming conventions prove the point. ‘Miles’, ‘Bailey’, ‘Wallace’ and other such upscale society names are becoming the norm in a certain age group. There are still the classic dog names, such as ‘Lady’, ‘Daisy’, ‘Rex’ and ‘Ginger’, which may never go out of style.

Psychological phenomenon

Naming your dog has become a psychological phenomenon! Attributing a name for your canine friend in line with names of your friends is now, definitely, in. Alicia, Zoe or Cody might well be a neighbor’s name, one which you esteem, purely fitting for your furry friend. Why not?

The bottom line in a dog’s name is the suitability to that dog’s personality. If your best human friend is named GaGa, isn’t it a tribute to that person when you confer that name on your dog?

Now, what about Big Mouth, Sissy or Teeth Galore? It sends a whole different message. On the other hand, Sweetheart makes your heart melt. So it brings to mind, what’s in a name? Dogs are man’s best friend. Choose your dog’s name accordingly.

 

On a completely different note, what are some of the worst choices of dog names out there? Leave a comment with your best (worst) candidate!