Name for our new puppy
June 14, 2005 8:55 AM Subscribe
We are adopting a puppy on Friday and are looking for a great name for her. Our requirements are inside...
She is 5-6 months old, a mutt, and absolutely adorable. Her face looks somewhat like a beagle, but she's got the body of a smooth collie. Her back is mostly black, but the rest of her body is white w/brown spots (beagle markings). However, what really stands out are her eyes - she has one light blue and one brown eye. And did I mention she's a total cutie?
We already have another dog, a pitch-black mutt named Sirius - both in honor of the dog star and the Harry Potter character.
We're racking our brains trying to come up w/something related to her eyes, but can't come up with anything besides Delirium (which, much as I love Neil Gaiman, I can't bring myself to name my dog). We'd also like something that 'fits' with Sirius. Any ideas?
She is 5-6 months old, a mutt, and absolutely adorable. Her face looks somewhat like a beagle, but she's got the body of a smooth collie. Her back is mostly black, but the rest of her body is white w/brown spots (beagle markings). However, what really stands out are her eyes - she has one light blue and one brown eye. And did I mention she's a total cutie?
We already have another dog, a pitch-black mutt named Sirius - both in honor of the dog star and the Harry Potter character.
We're racking our brains trying to come up w/something related to her eyes, but can't come up with anything besides Delirium (which, much as I love Neil Gaiman, I can't bring myself to name my dog). We'd also like something that 'fits' with Sirius. Any ideas?
Best answer: David Bowie has two different color eyes (one blue and one hazel). How about Bowie? Or Ziggy (from Ziggy Stardust) ?
posted by gfrobe at 9:11 AM on June 14, 2005
posted by gfrobe at 9:11 AM on June 14, 2005
Best answer: How about something related to Binary Stars? Sirius is a visual binary, and with her two different eyes, it could be cool (and geeky).
Algol (Algy?) isn't the best name for a female dog, but there's also Mizar (Mizzy?), Centauri (Tori?). Most star names sound pretty masculine, but Vega could be a good one.
Personally, the first thing that comes to my mind is Shirley. I think Shirley is a great dog name and goes very well with Sirius. "Surely you can't be Serious!" "He is Sirius, and don't call him Shirley."
ha ha.
posted by ulotrichous at 9:12 AM on June 14, 2005
Algol (Algy?) isn't the best name for a female dog, but there's also Mizar (Mizzy?), Centauri (Tori?). Most star names sound pretty masculine, but Vega could be a good one.
Personally, the first thing that comes to my mind is Shirley. I think Shirley is a great dog name and goes very well with Sirius. "Surely you can't be Serious!" "He is Sirius, and don't call him Shirley."
ha ha.
posted by ulotrichous at 9:12 AM on June 14, 2005
A dog with two different eye colors is probably a chimera. Kind of an unwieldy word for a name, but might spark some ideas.
posted by kindall at 9:17 AM on June 14, 2005
posted by kindall at 9:17 AM on June 14, 2005
I'd suggest sticking with the star related theme. You have Sirius, the largest star in the "Canis Major" constallation. Why not Procyon, the largest star in "Canis Minor"? Or there's always Maera, the dog that is supposedly represented by the consteallation. Maera was Icarus's pooch. More on the myth here:
http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/canisminor.htm
posted by cosmicbandito at 9:21 AM on June 14, 2005
http://www.ianridpath.com/startales/canisminor.htm
posted by cosmicbandito at 9:21 AM on June 14, 2005
Heh, I have to be obvious and go with Gaspode! One of the best doggy characters around.
Seriously, I really like ulotrichous's ideas. Centauri sounds good.
Sticking with the Harry Potter theme, I can't believe noone has suggested Hermione yet, it's a pretty name. When I close my eyes and try to picture your dog, I come up with pretty names like Lily or Daisy or gee, I guess flowers.
posted by gaspode at 9:21 AM on June 14, 2005
Seriously, I really like ulotrichous's ideas. Centauri sounds good.
Sticking with the Harry Potter theme, I can't believe noone has suggested Hermione yet, it's a pretty name. When I close my eyes and try to picture your dog, I come up with pretty names like Lily or Daisy or gee, I guess flowers.
posted by gaspode at 9:21 AM on June 14, 2005
Best answer: Good star names to my eye include: Altair, Capella, Arcturus, Procyon (dog-related too), Deneb, Canopus, Achernar, Vega, Cheleb (dog-related too), Betelgeuse, Rigel, Bellatrix, Mintaka, Alnitak, Algol, Fomalhaut, Rukbat, Antares, Aldebaran, Alcyone, Maia, Merope, Pleione, Alcor, Polaris, Spica, Vindemiatrix.
Dog-related stars include the ones in dog constellations:
Canes venatici (hunting dogs): Cor Caroli, Chara.
Canis major (big dog): Sirius, Mirzam, Muliphein, Wezen, Adhara, Furud, Aludra.
Canis minor (wee dog): Procyon, Gomeisa.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 9:30 AM on June 14, 2005
Dog-related stars include the ones in dog constellations:
Canes venatici (hunting dogs): Cor Caroli, Chara.
Canis major (big dog): Sirius, Mirzam, Muliphein, Wezen, Adhara, Furud, Aludra.
Canis minor (wee dog): Procyon, Gomeisa.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 9:30 AM on June 14, 2005
Response by poster: Great suggestions so far - keep 'em coming!
Just to clarify, I'm not necessarily looking for HP names - but I do like the idea of continuing the star theme (Stella is one of the names we've come up with so far). It has to be 2-3 syllables max.
posted by widdershins at 9:30 AM on June 14, 2005
Just to clarify, I'm not necessarily looking for HP names - but I do like the idea of continuing the star theme (Stella is one of the names we've come up with so far). It has to be 2-3 syllables max.
posted by widdershins at 9:30 AM on June 14, 2005
Stella would be great. You could do you best Brando voice every time you call for her....
posted by cosmicbandito at 9:41 AM on June 14, 2005
posted by cosmicbandito at 9:41 AM on June 14, 2005
Once, while camping, we pretended that my friends foot was a dog. We named it Softly Grinner
I think that's a great name for a dog.
The gf suggests: CrackerJack or Hazzle.
posted by stungeye at 10:12 AM on June 14, 2005
I think that's a great name for a dog.
The gf suggests: CrackerJack or Hazzle.
posted by stungeye at 10:12 AM on June 14, 2005
"We're racking our brains trying to come up w/something related to her eyes, but can't come up with anything besides Delirium (which, much as I love Neil Gaiman, I can't bring myself to name my dog). "
you could always name him after Delirum's dog
Barnabas
posted by ShawnString at 10:16 AM on June 14, 2005
you could always name him after Delirum's dog
Barnabas
posted by ShawnString at 10:16 AM on June 14, 2005
End of discussion: you can name it "Soda". Its a beautiful name! Its unique, and very refreshing. Everyone will love "Soda".
Personally, when I get a dog, I've always wanted to name it "Seven" after my idol, Mickey Mantle...
posted by indiebass at 10:36 AM on June 14, 2005
Personally, when I get a dog, I've always wanted to name it "Seven" after my idol, Mickey Mantle...
posted by indiebass at 10:36 AM on June 14, 2005
On the star theme, Lokabrenna is the Old Norse name for the star Serious.
posted by QIbHom at 10:39 AM on June 14, 2005
posted by QIbHom at 10:39 AM on June 14, 2005
Once, while camping, we pretended that my friends foot was a dog. We named it Softly Grinner.
Wow, that musta been some good weed.
posted by kindall at 10:52 AM on June 14, 2005
Wow, that musta been some good weed.
posted by kindall at 10:52 AM on June 14, 2005
Response by poster: ShawnString: Barnabas was the name we'd picked out if the dog had been male. Sirius & Barnabus - too cool! But I don't think the name works for a girl. We are considering Eblis, though.
Signal, is there a story behind Samara?
indiebass: my friend's cat is named Soda.
So far we've added Ziggy and Vega to the list. Thank you all for the suggestions so far and keep 'em coming if you've got more...
posted by widdershins at 11:57 AM on June 14, 2005
Signal, is there a story behind Samara?
indiebass: my friend's cat is named Soda.
So far we've added Ziggy and Vega to the list. Thank you all for the suggestions so far and keep 'em coming if you've got more...
posted by widdershins at 11:57 AM on June 14, 2005
I've always wanted to name a dog Pavlov, but have always been overruled.
A neat one might be Kester, Kitts, Reprobo or Offero, all various names for the (mythological?) St. Christopher. I mention St. Christopher because in Eastern Orthodox Christianity, he's cynocephelitic (dog-headed). I think Kester's a pretty good name for a dog, too. And I'm not even religious.
posted by klangklangston at 12:39 PM on June 14, 2005
A neat one might be Kester, Kitts, Reprobo or Offero, all various names for the (mythological?) St. Christopher. I mention St. Christopher because in Eastern Orthodox Christianity, he's cynocephelitic (dog-headed). I think Kester's a pretty good name for a dog, too. And I'm not even religious.
posted by klangklangston at 12:39 PM on June 14, 2005
Has someone already mentioned Petunia? One of Harry's aunts, I believe. Complimenting Sirius from a star standpoint, have you looked into the pseudo-science stuff surrounding Sirius and the Dogon people of Africa? Nommo is/are supposed to come from the star Sirius in the Dogon mythology and Timbuktu was supposedly an ancient center for astronomy. The Dogon areas of Mali have some wonderful place names as well that you could utilize --Bozo, Samo, Mossi, Bandiagarra.
Sirius also has a companion star of course, Sirius B. So --Bee could also be an option.
Also, also, if you have a dog named Sirius, Dogsbody by Dianna Wynne Jones should be required reading.
posted by zueod at 1:35 PM on June 14, 2005
Sirius also has a companion star of course, Sirius B. So --Bee could also be an option.
Also, also, if you have a dog named Sirius, Dogsbody by Dianna Wynne Jones should be required reading.
posted by zueod at 1:35 PM on June 14, 2005
I'm in favor of Rigel.
Sirius is the brightest star -- Rigel is also in the top ten. (Seventh, to be exact.) Brightest Stars
'Sirius' and 'Rigel' both sound like fairly common adjectives, which will satisfy those of your acquaintances who take things at face value. They will assume your dogs are named Serious and Regal.
And your new dog even looks sort of like a Beagle.
posted by wryly at 4:51 PM on June 14, 2005
Sirius is the brightest star -- Rigel is also in the top ten. (Seventh, to be exact.) Brightest Stars
'Sirius' and 'Rigel' both sound like fairly common adjectives, which will satisfy those of your acquaintances who take things at face value. They will assume your dogs are named Serious and Regal.
And your new dog even looks sort of like a Beagle.
posted by wryly at 4:51 PM on June 14, 2005
Nereid?
Mythological; astronomical; female; eccentric.
posted by nj_subgenius at 5:31 PM on June 14, 2005
Mythological; astronomical; female; eccentric.
posted by nj_subgenius at 5:31 PM on June 14, 2005
Response by poster: Ha - I was wondering how long it would take you to pop in... And yes, you're right about why I like Vega. Some things never change... We ended up going with Stella in the end - C had her heart set on it. Stella is a total cutie!
posted by widdershins at 11:15 AM on June 21, 2005
posted by widdershins at 11:15 AM on June 21, 2005
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Faint of Butt at 9:03 AM on June 14, 2005