Help me name our new puppy!

November 23, 2012 8:32 PM

Help me name our rescued whippet pup! Details & obligatory photo inside...

Our new-to-us puppy is a 7 month old boy whippet. His ex-owner called him Tigger, and try as I might to avoid being the species police... Tigger is a cat name, not a dog name! We do like names from fiction generally, books, movies, etc.

If we'd got a greyhound we might have called him Bunter (from the Lord Peter Wimsey books), but this fella doesn't look like a Bunter to us. If he was a girl we'd call her Ripley (from Aliens). Maybe a Discworld or Pixar name?

Here's a photo

posted by harriet vane to pets & animals (36 answers total)

He's so leggy! And cute, great markings.

I have 'Poe' reserved for my next pet name, it might fit him nicely. I'm thinking a human name... Frank, Joe, Wesley, Basil, George, Henry, Rupert.
posted by Fig at 8:41 PM on November 23, 2012

Casting my vote for Devo
posted by clanger at 8:55 PM on November 23, 2012 [13 favorites]

I say Dashiell -- referencing Hammett, and the son in The Incredibles.
posted by Iris Gambol at 9:01 PM on November 23, 2012 [2 favorites]

Seconding Joe. He just looks like a Joe to me.

What a cutie!
posted by SisterHavana at 9:17 PM on November 23, 2012

Oh, I vote for Basil--then when you call him you can use the Sybil Fawlty voice: "Baaasiwl!"
posted by agatha_magatha at 9:25 PM on November 23, 2012 [1 favorite]

Hodgesaargh

Nijel the Destroyer
posted by Brody's chum at 9:27 PM on November 23, 2012 [2 favorites]

Good. Whippet Good.
posted by ivan ivanych samovar at 9:30 PM on November 23, 2012 [2 favorites]

He looks like a Pip to me.
posted by Saminal at 9:41 PM on November 23, 2012 [2 favorites]

Archer. Done.
posted by neversummer at 9:52 PM on November 23, 2012 [3 favorites]

Casting another vote for Devo or Good.

(To commemorate that fact that Devo are touring Australia at the moment. Coincidence that you got a gorgeous whippet at the same time? I think not.)
posted by malibustacey9999 at 10:02 PM on November 23, 2012 [3 favorites]

He'd be a Basil or Bastian were he mine. What a little lamb. He deserves many kisses.
posted by These Birds of a Feather at 10:26 PM on November 23, 2012

How about COMEHEREANDKISSMEYERSOCUTE.

Sorry, just had a bit of a OMGPUPPY fit there.

Carry on.
posted by armoir from antproof case at 10:46 PM on November 23, 2012 [1 favorite]

Rory!
posted by dottiechang at 10:56 PM on November 23, 2012 [2 favorites]

Clive. Or Basil.
posted by heyjude at 11:06 PM on November 23, 2012

Thirding Joe. Just look at him. He doesn't seem to be one of those fragile looking Whippets.
posted by michswiss at 11:10 PM on November 23, 2012

I can't see the picture, but malibustacey9999 makes a perfect argument for Devo, so I am voting for that.

I considered various other names: Akron, Jock Mothersbark, and Jihad Jerry.... But Devo just works.
posted by Mezentian at 11:24 PM on November 23, 2012

Atticus -- he looks very loyal and will be true.

"The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience." - Harper Lee (b. 1926), U.S. author. Atticus Finch, in To Kill a Mockingbird, pt. 1, ch. 11 (1960).
posted by JujuB at 12:01 AM on November 24, 2012 [1 favorite]

Farley
Onajet --on a jet--for his speed
Metro
Quincy
posted by JujuB at 12:32 AM on November 24, 2012

Wimsey is a terrific name! (Or Lord Wimsey when you're feeling formal.)
posted by platinum at 1:14 AM on November 24, 2012 [6 favorites]

Solomon
posted by mannequito at 1:20 AM on November 24, 2012

Mothersbaugh. Done.
posted by chasles at 4:28 AM on November 24, 2012

Comet
posted by drlith at 4:47 AM on November 24, 2012 [2 favorites]

If he was a girl we'd call her Ripley (from Aliens).

Well then

Hudson
Hicks
Wierzbowski
Gorman
Frost
Burke
Apone
Drake
Spunkmeyer
Bishop
Sulaco

OR

Dallas
Parker
Ash
Kane
Brett
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 7:10 AM on November 24, 2012

Pronto?

Also, on the 'Alien' tip: the fellow in the suit is named Bolaji Badejo, and to my mind either the sur- or Christian name might fit the bill.
posted by mr. digits at 7:33 AM on November 24, 2012

I can't be certain, but I'm pretty sure that dog's name is Wesley Wyndam-Pryce.
posted by thinman at 7:33 AM on November 24, 2012 [5 favorites]

Hector. Hodor! Hercules. Hadrian. Hal. Hank. Hamlet.

I got an "H" vibe when I looked at him.
posted by futz at 8:13 AM on November 24, 2012

Oh, heart-melt at that photo!
Let me enthusiastically second "Wesley." I also nth "Joe."
posted by BostonTerrier at 8:15 AM on November 24, 2012

I third "Wesley", but with the stipulation that it should be pronounced Wezlee.
posted by mr. digits at 8:31 AM on November 24, 2012

Super cute puppy!!

How about Russell, Kevin, or Dug? (from UP)

My brother names his whippets after track and field sprinters since they are so fast, like whippets. :-)
posted by LilBit at 8:37 AM on November 24, 2012

sprocket =]
posted by hannahelastic at 9:11 AM on November 24, 2012

Dash.
posted by Pallas Athena at 9:12 AM on November 24, 2012 [1 favorite]

Tigger is a cat name... but wait til you see how high he can jump when he's grown up.

That aside, I'd cast another vote for Devo.
posted by azpenguin at 9:36 AM on November 24, 2012

Please don't name him basil. Its a super cute name, but everyone else seems to think so, too. I've met so many basils. You'll find yourself at the dog park calling his name, and then youd be bombarded by half the park . Which I guess isn't so bad, because hey! puppies!

You asked for discworld suggestions: Sam. Sam is a great name, and Sam Vimes is my all time favorite Pratchett character.
posted by FirstMateKate at 9:40 AM on November 24, 2012

Of course, if you're into doing whip-its (or perhaps a Beastie Boys afficiando) you might go with Reddi.
posted by mr. digits at 9:48 AM on November 24, 2012

Giles, because everyone loves Buffy!
posted by bluespark25 at 9:48 AM on November 24, 2012

Thankyou for all these great suggestions! We tried them out and it seems like Rory is the one that sticks. He seems to like it, and he's goofy and loyal and has a big nose :) Also he stands up like a little Rory Calhoun! A combo Doctor Who / Simpsons reference is pretty good stuff.

We'll come back to this list if we can't resist getting another pet :)
posted by harriet vane at 5:30 PM on November 24, 2012 [1 favorite]