another round of Name My Dog
December 2, 2013 7:40 PM Subscribe
I have a new retired greyhound, and have utterly failed to come up with a new name for him. Please help!
He came with a name - Blue - but I don't like it much for him, largely because he's a redhead.
About him - he loves love loves people, snuggling, things that squeak, and chasing balls. He spends a lot of time asleep. He's very quiet, gentle, well-behaved and reserved but very affectionate - lots of leaning. He seems like he should be an Edward Gorey character.
Possibly other relevant info - We have two cats, also spotted, but black and white. They are Milo and Margot, and yes Margot was partially inspired by Margot Tenenbaum.
He came with a name - Blue - but I don't like it much for him, largely because he's a redhead.
About him - he loves love loves people, snuggling, things that squeak, and chasing balls. He spends a lot of time asleep. He's very quiet, gentle, well-behaved and reserved but very affectionate - lots of leaning. He seems like he should be an Edward Gorey character.
Possibly other relevant info - We have two cats, also spotted, but black and white. They are Milo and Margot, and yes Margot was partially inspired by Margot Tenenbaum.
FWIW, he may have come by the name honestly.
posted by Wordwoman at 7:47 PM on December 2, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by Wordwoman at 7:47 PM on December 2, 2013 [3 favorites]
Pinto?
posted by falsedmitri at 7:49 PM on December 2, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by falsedmitri at 7:49 PM on December 2, 2013 [2 favorites]
How about Eadweard, both for Gorey and for Muybridge.
posted by LobsterMitten at 7:53 PM on December 2, 2013
posted by LobsterMitten at 7:53 PM on December 2, 2013
Slim
posted by quince at 7:56 PM on December 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by quince at 7:56 PM on December 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
Chaucer, because it's a noble name, but also a fun one to say with great affection and relish. CHAUCER!
posted by missmary6 at 7:56 PM on December 2, 2013 [9 favorites]
posted by missmary6 at 7:56 PM on December 2, 2013 [9 favorites]
Mr. Fox
posted by divka at 7:58 PM on December 2, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by divka at 7:58 PM on December 2, 2013 [3 favorites]
Wibbly!
(Timey Wimey Wibbly Wobbly... never mind...)
posted by canine epigram at 8:04 PM on December 2, 2013
(Timey Wimey Wibbly Wobbly... never mind...)
posted by canine epigram at 8:04 PM on December 2, 2013
I think Charles for him. He's a beauty*.
*Aussie accent of course.
posted by Youremyworld at 8:11 PM on December 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
*Aussie accent of course.
posted by Youremyworld at 8:11 PM on December 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
Johnnie Walker or Johnnie or Walker, as inspired by the photo
posted by HeroZero at 8:11 PM on December 2, 2013
posted by HeroZero at 8:11 PM on December 2, 2013
Farley!
I adored a greyhound named Farley. Yours looks like him underneath the blanket. :) Have wonderful times!
posted by inevitability at 8:13 PM on December 2, 2013
I adored a greyhound named Farley. Yours looks like him underneath the blanket. :) Have wonderful times!
posted by inevitability at 8:13 PM on December 2, 2013
Looks like a Basil to me.
posted by sweetkid at 8:14 PM on December 2, 2013 [8 favorites]
posted by sweetkid at 8:14 PM on December 2, 2013 [8 favorites]
Bango
Bongo
Django
Dingo
Mongo
Mango
Ringo
I just feel like this is a -go
posted by hamsterdam at 8:16 PM on December 2, 2013
Bongo
Django
Dingo
Mongo
Mango
Ringo
I just feel like this is a -go
posted by hamsterdam at 8:16 PM on December 2, 2013
Bran is the name of a famous hound in Irish mythology and might sound enough like Blue so as to be easy to shift names.
The sweetest retired greyhound I ever knew was called Kevin. He totally looked like a Kevin too...
posted by lesbiassparrow at 8:16 PM on December 2, 2013
The sweetest retired greyhound I ever knew was called Kevin. He totally looked like a Kevin too...
posted by lesbiassparrow at 8:16 PM on December 2, 2013
Merle
posted by alex_skazat at 8:27 PM on December 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by alex_skazat at 8:27 PM on December 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
I met a retired Greyhound named Dill today and I'll be damned if that wasn't almost perfect.
So, not original, but still --- Dill.
posted by Ufez Jones at 8:34 PM on December 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
So, not original, but still --- Dill.
posted by Ufez Jones at 8:34 PM on December 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
Pretty much either Norman or Jason.
posted by BurntHombre at 8:36 PM on December 2, 2013
posted by BurntHombre at 8:36 PM on December 2, 2013
Simon.
Simon is a perfect name for a reserved, affectionate little love. Plus, make it a sly nod to Simon and Garfunkel's "America," which takes place on the bus:
"Kathy," I said as we boarded a Greyhound in Pittsburgh
"Michigan seems like a dream to me now..."
posted by harperpitt at 8:39 PM on December 2, 2013 [5 favorites]
Simon is a perfect name for a reserved, affectionate little love. Plus, make it a sly nod to Simon and Garfunkel's "America," which takes place on the bus:
"Kathy," I said as we boarded a Greyhound in Pittsburgh
"Michigan seems like a dream to me now..."
posted by harperpitt at 8:39 PM on December 2, 2013 [5 favorites]
Beau - a rich, fashionable young man; a dandy. It is close to Blue in sound
posted by JujuB at 8:51 PM on December 2, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by JujuB at 8:51 PM on December 2, 2013 [2 favorites]
He seems like he should be an Edward Gorey character.
So pick your favorite Gashlycrumb Tiny. I would vote for Basil (assaulted by bears) or Neville (who died of ennui).
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 8:59 PM on December 2, 2013 [6 favorites]
So pick your favorite Gashlycrumb Tiny. I would vote for Basil (assaulted by bears) or Neville (who died of ennui).
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 8:59 PM on December 2, 2013 [6 favorites]
Theo...he looks like a ginger Theo that I know and it was the first thing that popped into to mind my mind when I asked myself what his name was.
posted by cairnoflore at 9:08 PM on December 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by cairnoflore at 9:08 PM on December 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
I will name him George, and I will hug him, and pet him, and squeeze him.
posted by mon-ma-tron at 9:10 PM on December 2, 2013 [6 favorites]
posted by mon-ma-tron at 9:10 PM on December 2, 2013 [6 favorites]
Flash. I bet that pooch is blazing fast. So Flash. Maybe Brilliant Blazing Flashes of Love, that's his full name, but Flash as his informal name, like out in the dog park or whatever. Like, my red doberman was Rusty, The Wonder Dog but mostly just Rusty, when out carousing.
posted by dancestoblue at 9:13 PM on December 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by dancestoblue at 9:13 PM on December 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
Prince.
posted by trip and a half at 9:19 PM on December 2, 2013
posted by trip and a half at 9:19 PM on December 2, 2013
Every greyhound I've ever known has tried his or her hardest to be a cat, minus the messing rodent-eating. Lean, cuddle, can't I please please please sit on your lap, time for a nap, more cuddles, is that something good to eat? They do run unbelievably fast, for a very short period. Then a nap on something soft -- they are very bony. So either an obvious cat name, or even better: a name that fits in with your two cats.
Personally I take my cats straight, but I do have a lovely greyhound granddog.
Enjoy!
posted by kestralwing at 9:24 PM on December 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
Personally I take my cats straight, but I do have a lovely greyhound granddog.
Enjoy!
posted by kestralwing at 9:24 PM on December 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
I vote for Vincent because he reminds me of Vincent Price...distinguished and dapper yet mischievous.
posted by MaryDellamorte at 9:26 PM on December 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by MaryDellamorte at 9:26 PM on December 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
Curtis
posted by Area Man at 9:32 PM on December 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Area Man at 9:32 PM on December 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
Dashiell
posted by tanuki.gao at 9:34 PM on December 2, 2013
posted by tanuki.gao at 9:34 PM on December 2, 2013
(whoops, ainsley beat me to it)
posted by tanuki.gao at 9:36 PM on December 2, 2013
posted by tanuki.gao at 9:36 PM on December 2, 2013
Graham. Or Scooter.
posted by sevenofspades at 9:54 PM on December 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by sevenofspades at 9:54 PM on December 2, 2013 [1 favorite]
Beeker
I'll second Vincent.
Today I had a daydream that the name Hero would be a good dog name.
From The Gashleycrumb Tinies:
Neville
Desmond
Basil
Ernest
Yorick
My dog also came with a name I didn't like, and I ended up picking something with a similar structure to it. Along those lines:
Prue (a girl name, but rare enough, and come on its a dog; also a Gorey nod)
Hugh
Rue/Roo/Roux
Baloo
Atreyu
Artoo
Anu
posted by Sara C. at 10:12 PM on December 2, 2013
I'll second Vincent.
Today I had a daydream that the name Hero would be a good dog name.
From The Gashleycrumb Tinies:
Neville
Desmond
Basil
Ernest
Yorick
My dog also came with a name I didn't like, and I ended up picking something with a similar structure to it. Along those lines:
Prue (a girl name, but rare enough, and come on its a dog; also a Gorey nod)
Hugh
Rue/Roo/Roux
Baloo
Atreyu
Artoo
Anu
posted by Sara C. at 10:12 PM on December 2, 2013
My immediate instinct for a retired greyhound is to ape The Simpsons and go with Santa's Little Helper.
posted by charlemangy at 10:13 PM on December 2, 2013
posted by charlemangy at 10:13 PM on December 2, 2013
Elmer
posted by Napoleonic Terrier at 10:15 PM on December 2, 2013
posted by Napoleonic Terrier at 10:15 PM on December 2, 2013
Kevin
posted by M.C. Lo-Carb! at 10:17 PM on December 2, 2013
posted by M.C. Lo-Carb! at 10:17 PM on December 2, 2013
Milo and Margot, meet Massimo. For surely, he is the greatest.
posted by peakcomm at 10:38 PM on December 2, 2013
posted by peakcomm at 10:38 PM on December 2, 2013
Zipper!
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 11:05 PM on December 2, 2013
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 11:05 PM on December 2, 2013
Giraffe (Rafi for short?) I may have a problem of liking to name animals after other animals, though. (I had a cat named Monkey and now a pug named Gibbon.)
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 11:39 PM on December 2, 2013
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 11:39 PM on December 2, 2013
Clearly a Séamus.
posted by flabdablet at 11:53 PM on December 2, 2013
posted by flabdablet at 11:53 PM on December 2, 2013
South America, he has what looks like a map of South America on his side. Or maybe just Map.
posted by a humble nudibranch at 12:20 AM on December 3, 2013
posted by a humble nudibranch at 12:20 AM on December 3, 2013
Skinny Pete.
posted by Mister Moofoo at 1:04 AM on December 3, 2013
posted by Mister Moofoo at 1:04 AM on December 3, 2013
Alfred. Or, just Fred.
posted by Cocodrillo at 2:50 AM on December 3, 2013
posted by Cocodrillo at 2:50 AM on December 3, 2013
Clarence or Claude.
posted by sciencegeek at 3:12 AM on December 3, 2013
posted by sciencegeek at 3:12 AM on December 3, 2013
There are so many good name suggestions above, but I wanted to add Conan to the list.
posted by shortyJBot at 5:14 AM on December 3, 2013
posted by shortyJBot at 5:14 AM on December 3, 2013
I have two retired greyhounds: Dixie and Django. Django's kennel name was Fogerty.
Here are some suggestions:
Jackalope Burpentoot, i.e. Loper
Cooper
Banjo
Digby
Blinker
Dagmar
posted by reverend cuttle at 5:27 AM on December 3, 2013
Here are some suggestions:
Jackalope Burpentoot, i.e. Loper
Cooper
Banjo
Digby
Blinker
Dagmar
posted by reverend cuttle at 5:27 AM on December 3, 2013
Would it help to know that Blue is traditional Australian slang for a redhead? Our humor it's not subtle, but I knew a lot of red dogs called Blue growing up. To be called True Blue is a huge compliment and means basically something is the real deal, no b.s. and is a loyal mate. If not I offer Ferdinand as a potential name. Ferdy for short.
posted by wwax at 5:29 AM on December 3, 2013
posted by wwax at 5:29 AM on December 3, 2013
Let me expand on the choice of Ringo as a name.
As soon as his pic came up on my screen "Ringo" just popped into my head. I normally don't like names that end in the "o" sound because they sound too much like "no", but he just seems to be a Ringo.
My own personal dog naming story:
Six months after the dog I had had for 14 years died, I decided I was ready for another. I went up to the shelter and was drawn to an aloof shepard mix in the corner. The staff loved him and wanted me to take him since he'd been there a while and was due to be put down. The only information they had about him was that the family of his owner (who had died) had dropped him off and that they had lived on 125th or 126th street here in Manhattan.
I took him home, and got to know him and after several days still didn't have a name for him, mainly because every time I looked at him, "Buddy" came to mind. There is no way I would name a german shepard something as pedestrian as Buddy; it needs to be clever or cute or unique, or something. I don't know why Buddy kept popping up, because I did not like that as a name. After another week and still no inspiration, I settled on calling him Bunny. It didn't really suit his personality, but I felt like it was a compromise between Buddy and the perfect name which I hadn't been able to figure out.
Flash forward about a year and a half, I had opened up a Mexican restaurant in my neighborhood (Lower East Side, which is several miles and a few trains away from 125th Street), and Bunny would just chill out on the sidewalk next to the outdoor tables when I went inside. He liked hanging out on the sidewalk and would just lie there watching the world go by as long as I let him.
One day I came out to these two girls sitting at the table next to him giving him all sorts of love. They had just moved in upstairs and they said that Bunny was the spitting image of a dog from their old neighborhood. It seems there was an older man on their block who used to hang out everyday on his stoop with his dog at his side. They stopped seeing him around a few years back and assumed the worst had happened, and wondered what happened to his dog, named Buddy. They used to live on 125th street.
It was a great reunion for them, and I'm convinced my dog was compromising with being named Bunny as much as I was compromising naming him that.
posted by newpotato at 5:30 AM on December 3, 2013 [5 favorites]
As soon as his pic came up on my screen "Ringo" just popped into my head. I normally don't like names that end in the "o" sound because they sound too much like "no", but he just seems to be a Ringo.
My own personal dog naming story:
Six months after the dog I had had for 14 years died, I decided I was ready for another. I went up to the shelter and was drawn to an aloof shepard mix in the corner. The staff loved him and wanted me to take him since he'd been there a while and was due to be put down. The only information they had about him was that the family of his owner (who had died) had dropped him off and that they had lived on 125th or 126th street here in Manhattan.
I took him home, and got to know him and after several days still didn't have a name for him, mainly because every time I looked at him, "Buddy" came to mind. There is no way I would name a german shepard something as pedestrian as Buddy; it needs to be clever or cute or unique, or something. I don't know why Buddy kept popping up, because I did not like that as a name. After another week and still no inspiration, I settled on calling him Bunny. It didn't really suit his personality, but I felt like it was a compromise between Buddy and the perfect name which I hadn't been able to figure out.
Flash forward about a year and a half, I had opened up a Mexican restaurant in my neighborhood (Lower East Side, which is several miles and a few trains away from 125th Street), and Bunny would just chill out on the sidewalk next to the outdoor tables when I went inside. He liked hanging out on the sidewalk and would just lie there watching the world go by as long as I let him.
One day I came out to these two girls sitting at the table next to him giving him all sorts of love. They had just moved in upstairs and they said that Bunny was the spitting image of a dog from their old neighborhood. It seems there was an older man on their block who used to hang out everyday on his stoop with his dog at his side. They stopped seeing him around a few years back and assumed the worst had happened, and wondered what happened to his dog, named Buddy. They used to live on 125th street.
It was a great reunion for them, and I'm convinced my dog was compromising with being named Bunny as much as I was compromising naming him that.
posted by newpotato at 5:30 AM on December 3, 2013 [5 favorites]
That dog is (Ginger) Roger.
posted by coppermoss at 5:50 AM on December 3, 2013
posted by coppermoss at 5:50 AM on December 3, 2013
He looks like a Bill to me. Bill the Dog. And It might sound enough like "Blue" that training him to recognize it would be easy.
(And Bill the Cat was ginger, so there you go.)
Jeb is another possibility, after Jabez Stone from ”The Adventure of the Red-Headed League”
If you want a name that goes with Milo and Margot, you could go with Marty, after Martin Van Buren, "The Red Fox of Kinderhook." Also, Mickey Rooney wasn't a true redhead, but was often presented as such, and Mickey or Mike would go well with the cats' names, too.
There are Spanish and Italian names from Marco to Montenegro that fit the M---o mold, but none of them leap out at me for this doggeh. (Unless he turns out to like a good game of Marco Polo. Marco's not bad, really.)
posted by The Underpants Monster at 6:34 AM on December 3, 2013
(And Bill the Cat was ginger, so there you go.)
Jeb is another possibility, after Jabez Stone from ”The Adventure of the Red-Headed League”
If you want a name that goes with Milo and Margot, you could go with Marty, after Martin Van Buren, "The Red Fox of Kinderhook." Also, Mickey Rooney wasn't a true redhead, but was often presented as such, and Mickey or Mike would go well with the cats' names, too.
There are Spanish and Italian names from Marco to Montenegro that fit the M---o mold, but none of them leap out at me for this doggeh. (Unless he turns out to like a good game of Marco Polo. Marco's not bad, really.)
posted by The Underpants Monster at 6:34 AM on December 3, 2013
Zippy. Flash.
posted by downing street memo at 7:25 AM on December 3, 2013
posted by downing street memo at 7:25 AM on December 3, 2013
He looks like a Sparky dog to me.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 7:39 AM on December 3, 2013
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 7:39 AM on December 3, 2013
"Lolo," so you can say, "run, Lolo, run!" (Plus Lola was a redhead)
Also, you might have a look at some of Gorey's pseudonyms. I think "Dogear Wryde" would be a pretty hilarious name for a dog (call him "Wryde").
posted by taz at 8:15 AM on December 3, 2013
Also, you might have a look at some of Gorey's pseudonyms. I think "Dogear Wryde" would be a pretty hilarious name for a dog (call him "Wryde").
posted by taz at 8:15 AM on December 3, 2013
Houbigant
Marcello
Finnbar
Zawinul
posted by Lipstick Thespian at 9:31 AM on December 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
Marcello
Finnbar
Zawinul
posted by Lipstick Thespian at 9:31 AM on December 3, 2013 [1 favorite]
Mario? Mario Andretti is a retired racer, your dog is a retired racer. I just get a Mario vibe from him.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 10:16 AM on December 3, 2013
posted by SuperSquirrel at 10:16 AM on December 3, 2013
That there is Sausalito, evoking the comfort of a milk chocolate macademia nut masterpiece.
posted by WeekendJen at 10:46 AM on December 3, 2013
posted by WeekendJen at 10:46 AM on December 3, 2013
Vito. Or, since he is sweet and loves people, Roger, after Mr. Rogers.
posted by lakeroon at 12:57 PM on December 3, 2013
posted by lakeroon at 12:57 PM on December 3, 2013
Seconding Beau.
posted by Pallas Athena at 5:39 PM on December 6, 2013
posted by Pallas Athena at 5:39 PM on December 6, 2013
What did you decide?
posted by librarina at 6:36 PM on December 14, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by librarina at 6:36 PM on December 14, 2013 [2 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
Oh - or maybe a Murphy! Yes, Murphy.
posted by rtha at 7:45 PM on December 2, 2013