The trainer is coming tomorrow, and we can't just call him "puppy"!
February 17, 2010 9:11 PM Subscribe
We got a new dog, a male Australian Shepherd. Now we need a name.
We're looking for something one or two syllables for easier training. So far he loves to paw around in the garden--he was so proud of himself when he found a partially-sprouted root from last season. We like movies and science. We've played around with a bunch of names but none of them seem right. Thanks for the ideas!
If it helps, there's a picture.
I searched the archives and found a lot of name threads for female dogs but not as many for boys.
We're looking for something one or two syllables for easier training. So far he loves to paw around in the garden--he was so proud of himself when he found a partially-sprouted root from last season. We like movies and science. We've played around with a bunch of names but none of them seem right. Thanks for the ideas!
If it helps, there's a picture.
I searched the archives and found a lot of name threads for female dogs but not as many for boys.
Looks like a Coskie to me. Or maybe Patton but I'm not sure I even like that one.
posted by fenriq at 9:15 PM on February 17, 2010
posted by fenriq at 9:15 PM on February 17, 2010
Mulder! That schnozz and those eyes!
posted by cranberrymonger at 9:19 PM on February 17, 2010
posted by cranberrymonger at 9:19 PM on February 17, 2010
Gus
Lewis
George
Jumbo
Gumbo
Thomas/Tom
Handsome (he is!)
posted by sallybrown at 9:22 PM on February 17, 2010
Lewis
George
Jumbo
Gumbo
Thomas/Tom
Handsome (he is!)
posted by sallybrown at 9:22 PM on February 17, 2010
My parents named theirs Roody in part because of the kangaroo angle.
I hope you like attention!
posted by ODiV at 9:23 PM on February 17, 2010
I hope you like attention!
posted by ODiV at 9:23 PM on February 17, 2010
Dogs are supposed to hear the sound of r more easily than any other sound, making it easier for them to hear their names and learn to come when called.
So, name him Rick, or Stirlitz.
posted by pickypicky at 9:25 PM on February 17, 2010
So, name him Rick, or Stirlitz.
posted by pickypicky at 9:25 PM on February 17, 2010
Charlie! And when he nips you you can say, "Ouch Charlie! That really hurt!" in a British accent.
posted by elysenavidad at 9:26 PM on February 17, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by elysenavidad at 9:26 PM on February 17, 2010 [3 favorites]
Australian? That's easy:
Max
Mudguts
Goose
Toecutter
Wez
Humungus
Pappagallo
Master Blaster
posted by total warfare frown at 9:33 PM on February 17, 2010
Max
Mudguts
Goose
Toecutter
Wez
Humungus
Pappagallo
Master Blaster
posted by total warfare frown at 9:33 PM on February 17, 2010
Foster.
posted by honeybee413 at 9:44 PM on February 17, 2010
posted by honeybee413 at 9:44 PM on February 17, 2010
Panda
posted by sallybrown at 9:51 PM on February 17, 2010
posted by sallybrown at 9:51 PM on February 17, 2010
I recommend checking out a list of preppy baby names, most of which are unfit for actual humans, but some of which sound quite appropriate for an adorable dog. My personal favorites:
Grigsby
Howland
Pemberton
Wolfred
posted by unsub at 9:57 PM on February 17, 2010 [3 favorites]
Grigsby
Howland
Pemberton
Wolfred
posted by unsub at 9:57 PM on February 17, 2010 [3 favorites]
Chewbacca/Chewie
posted by astapasta24 at 10:27 PM on February 17, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by astapasta24 at 10:27 PM on February 17, 2010 [1 favorite]
Florian?
posted by NoraReed at 10:29 PM on February 17, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by NoraReed at 10:29 PM on February 17, 2010 [1 favorite]
Bendigo Digger. Apparently the Bendigo Diggers were an Australian rules football club. Unfortunately it might remind some people of Wendigo psychosis.
posted by coffeeflavored at 10:34 PM on February 17, 2010
posted by coffeeflavored at 10:34 PM on February 17, 2010
Whatever you pick, make sure you can scream it out loud in a sustained fashion, and that it's something that you don't mind screaming out in public. Two syllables work best.
If you want to go the dinky-di Australian name direction, bear in mind that in Australia we have this weird thing where all normal names can be transformed with a -zza or an -o ending. So Wayne becomes Wazza (pronounced more like Wozza) , Kevin becomes Kezza, Darren becomes Dazza, John turns into Jonno, David becomes Davo and so forth.
All that said, he looks like an Oscar to me. Oscar McFluffyPants.
posted by ninazer0 at 10:39 PM on February 17, 2010 [3 favorites]
If you want to go the dinky-di Australian name direction, bear in mind that in Australia we have this weird thing where all normal names can be transformed with a -zza or an -o ending. So Wayne becomes Wazza (pronounced more like Wozza) , Kevin becomes Kezza, Darren becomes Dazza, John turns into Jonno, David becomes Davo and so forth.
All that said, he looks like an Oscar to me. Oscar McFluffyPants.
posted by ninazer0 at 10:39 PM on February 17, 2010 [3 favorites]
Australian Shepherd... We like movies...
Dundee!
posted by amyms at 10:54 PM on February 17, 2010 [3 favorites]
Dundee!
posted by amyms at 10:54 PM on February 17, 2010 [3 favorites]
You like movies and science, he likes digging... Scientists who dig are archaeologists. Archaeologists in movies... It has to be Indie!
Sallah: Please, what does it always mean, this... this "Junior"?
Professor Henry Jones: That's his name.
[points to himself]
Professor Henry Jones: Henry Jones...
[points to Indy]
Professor Henry Jones: ...Junior.
Indiana Jones: I like "Indiana."
Professor Henry Jones: We named the *dog* Indiana.
Marcus Brody: May we go home now, please?
Sallah: The dog?
[starts laughing]
Sallah: You are named after the dog? HA HA HA...!
Indiana Jones: I've got a lot of fond memories of that dog.
posted by platinum at 10:54 PM on February 17, 2010 [1 favorite]
Sallah: Please, what does it always mean, this... this "Junior"?
Professor Henry Jones: That's his name.
[points to himself]
Professor Henry Jones: Henry Jones...
[points to Indy]
Professor Henry Jones: ...Junior.
Indiana Jones: I like "Indiana."
Professor Henry Jones: We named the *dog* Indiana.
Marcus Brody: May we go home now, please?
Sallah: The dog?
[starts laughing]
Sallah: You are named after the dog? HA HA HA...!
Indiana Jones: I've got a lot of fond memories of that dog.
posted by platinum at 10:54 PM on February 17, 2010 [1 favorite]
Bruce.
(Herding dogs definitely benefit from monosyllables: Shep, Skip, Cap, Mac. And yeah, I know Australian Shepherds were first bred in the American West.)
posted by holgate at 11:22 PM on February 17, 2010
(Herding dogs definitely benefit from monosyllables: Shep, Skip, Cap, Mac. And yeah, I know Australian Shepherds were first bred in the American West.)
posted by holgate at 11:22 PM on February 17, 2010
Elmo. My friend has an Australian shepherd called Elmo, in fond memory of the couple years he spent watching Aust tv as a kid.
posted by jacalata at 11:32 PM on February 17, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by jacalata at 11:32 PM on February 17, 2010 [1 favorite]
It came to me in a flash: Jasper
posted by wherever, whatever at 11:59 PM on February 17, 2010
posted by wherever, whatever at 11:59 PM on February 17, 2010
Sparta! So that when anyone says to you "oh what a cute dog, what's his name?", you can pick him up and yell "THIS IS SPARTA!".
Disclaimer: I might have seen this on MLIA recently and now be advising everyone to name al pets Sparta.
posted by citands at 12:07 AM on February 18, 2010 [4 favorites]
Disclaimer: I might have seen this on MLIA recently and now be advising everyone to name al pets Sparta.
posted by citands at 12:07 AM on February 18, 2010 [4 favorites]
Alan B Shepard
it's sort of a pun, you see.
posted by roger ackroyd at 12:42 AM on February 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
it's sort of a pun, you see.
posted by roger ackroyd at 12:42 AM on February 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
Chook
Dingbat
Dropbear
Digger
Bradman
Skippy
Kingswood
Anzac
I could go on, but I won't. My Grandfather in law had this exact same breed of dog, and he used to call it "Whiskey" because it was black & white
posted by humpy at 1:47 AM on February 18, 2010
Dingbat
Dropbear
Digger
Bradman
Skippy
Kingswood
Anzac
I could go on, but I won't. My Grandfather in law had this exact same breed of dog, and he used to call it "Whiskey" because it was black & white
posted by humpy at 1:47 AM on February 18, 2010
Digger. It has to be.
posted by Flashduck at 2:23 AM on February 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Flashduck at 2:23 AM on February 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
I've only skimmed the thread but
"Blue"
is traditional
posted by evil_esto at 3:06 AM on February 18, 2010
"Blue"
is traditional
posted by evil_esto at 3:06 AM on February 18, 2010
I had an Australian Blue Heeler that I named Wizard...see, he was the Wizard of Oz.
posted by legotech at 3:14 AM on February 18, 2010
posted by legotech at 3:14 AM on February 18, 2010
If you want to be really original, how about "Dog"?
(Although Footrot Flats is Kiwi, not Aussie.. and Dog's a border collie, not a shepherd.)
posted by The Shiny Thing at 4:10 AM on February 18, 2010
(Although Footrot Flats is Kiwi, not Aussie.. and Dog's a border collie, not a shepherd.)
posted by The Shiny Thing at 4:10 AM on February 18, 2010
Here is a list of Aboriginal Aussie place names., for reference.
Seconding holgate - short and monosyllables are the way to go with herding dogs. For that reason I'd stay away from Woolloongabba.
Dubbo is the way to go, obviously.
Sheep farming is big in Dubbo, so it's appropriate too.
posted by MuffinMan at 4:13 AM on February 18, 2010
Seconding holgate - short and monosyllables are the way to go with herding dogs. For that reason I'd stay away from Woolloongabba.
Dubbo is the way to go, obviously.
Sheep farming is big in Dubbo, so it's appropriate too.
posted by MuffinMan at 4:13 AM on February 18, 2010
I had a neighbor who named his dog Dee-Oh-Gee.
D-O-G.
I always liked how it sounded, but I've never owned a male dog and it always seemed more like a male name than a female one.
posted by TooFewShoes at 4:19 AM on February 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
D-O-G.
I always liked how it sounded, but I've never owned a male dog and it always seemed more like a male name than a female one.
posted by TooFewShoes at 4:19 AM on February 18, 2010 [1 favorite]
He looks like a Charlie to me.
Congrats. He's beautiful!!! (I have a border collie myself)
posted by stormpooper at 6:45 AM on February 18, 2010
Congrats. He's beautiful!!! (I have a border collie myself)
posted by stormpooper at 6:45 AM on February 18, 2010
Maybe Flashduck and I share different cultural influences, but an Aussie breed has to be Digger regardless of his gardening habits
posted by handybitesize at 6:47 AM on February 18, 2010
posted by handybitesize at 6:47 AM on February 18, 2010
I'm dying to name a dog Porkins. It might be adorably ironic on an Aussie.
Also, this gives me the opportunity to shamelessly brag on our Aussie, Magoo, who is one of the best dogs ever.
posted by Dr. Zira at 6:59 AM on February 18, 2010
Also, this gives me the opportunity to shamelessly brag on our Aussie, Magoo, who is one of the best dogs ever.
posted by Dr. Zira at 6:59 AM on February 18, 2010
We named our two Aussies Rex and Buster. Either of them would be happy to share their name.
posted by Old Geezer at 7:27 AM on February 18, 2010
posted by Old Geezer at 7:27 AM on February 18, 2010
My dad would call him Joe. I can't say I disagree. Bonus: easy nickname of Joe-Joe.
posted by Medieval Maven at 8:05 AM on February 18, 2010
posted by Medieval Maven at 8:05 AM on February 18, 2010
Do you have a favorite movie, with a favorite character? Did the dog breeder, or the parents, have cool names. My favorite dog was named Frank, after the friend of my parents from whom we adopted the dog. It a good name, but it was also funny when Frank was visiting.
posted by theora55 at 8:42 AM on February 18, 2010
posted by theora55 at 8:42 AM on February 18, 2010
Pi.
Now you have a short name, and a never ending starting point for math or food jokes (the shepherd's pie multiplier is just gravy).
posted by terpia at 8:57 AM on February 18, 2010
Now you have a short name, and a never ending starting point for math or food jokes (the shepherd's pie multiplier is just gravy).
posted by terpia at 8:57 AM on February 18, 2010
Seconding Digger!
Who's a good dog? You! You're a good dog! Yes, you are.
*so cute*
posted by misha at 10:19 AM on February 18, 2010
Who's a good dog? You! You're a good dog! Yes, you are.
*so cute*
posted by misha at 10:19 AM on February 18, 2010
Seconding wherever:
Your puppy looks very much like my mom's tricolor, Jasper.
posted by pointless_incessant_barking at 11:14 AM on February 18, 2010
Your puppy looks very much like my mom's tricolor, Jasper.
posted by pointless_incessant_barking at 11:14 AM on February 18, 2010
I always thought a great name for a dog woulc be Frolic.
posted by specialnobodie at 11:59 AM on February 18, 2010
posted by specialnobodie at 11:59 AM on February 18, 2010
Riley. My boyfriend's family has had three Aussies and that was the name of their favorite. P.S. That adorable digging might become a very bad habit when he's bigger.
posted by alygator at 2:57 PM on February 18, 2010
posted by alygator at 2:57 PM on February 18, 2010
I love Chewbacca/Chewie. Very fitting for such a cute furball like him!
posted by arishaun at 4:58 PM on February 18, 2010
posted by arishaun at 4:58 PM on February 18, 2010
I like "Haku" or "Pazu" -- 2 of my favorite characters from Miyazaki films. My next 2 male cats will be named as such.
posted by pushing paper and bottoming chairs at 6:14 PM on February 18, 2010
posted by pushing paper and bottoming chairs at 6:14 PM on February 18, 2010
Response by poster: These suggestions were truly, truly great. In the end we did go with Rufus--in the vein of unsub'ssuggestion paired with what pickypicky said about "R" sounds.
Kinda wish we'd gone with Mulder now, as we want to get a female for our next doggie.
posted by eiramazile at 9:43 PM on April 4, 2010
Kinda wish we'd gone with Mulder now, as we want to get a female for our next doggie.
posted by eiramazile at 9:43 PM on April 4, 2010
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