Name that pug

May 28, 2008 12:06 PM

Help me with a name for a six week old black pug. We're stumped.

My wife and I have a six week old black pug that is very regal and is fearless. We're looking for a name to go with that personality. We've gone through Thor, Bear, Sarge and Val but none seem to stick. We've kind of worn it down and decided to go with Pete or Luc...but I wanted to give it one more heave-ho and get him a powerful name to go with his powerful little attitude.

I don't want this to be a "look at my pug" thread however if a picture reference will help, then here are some shots of the
Nameless Pug

He's going to be a big boy and I wanted a big boy name. Any suggestions?

posted by Hands of Manos to pets & animals (100 comments total)

How are you not naming him Mister Torgo?
posted by jtron at 12:11 PM on May 28, 2008 [3 favorites has favorites]

MISTER TIBBS
posted by Koko at 12:15 PM on May 28, 2008

i'd call him video: full name 'video killed the radio star.' from the puggles.
posted by lester's sock puppet at 12:15 PM on May 28, 2008

There's loads of NBA basketball players with interesting first and last names. That's where I browsed for names when I got my dog in '99.
I named him for Avery Johnson of the San Antonio Spurs, now coach of Dallas Mavericks -- though not for size or resemblance, but because I admire Coach Johnson's spirited demeanor, and the name "Avery" had an old-timey feel, perfect for my shaggy mutt's old-man whiskery face.
Curious: how "big" can a pug grow to be, anyway?
posted by skyper at 12:16 PM on May 28, 2008

OMG, I LOVE Mister Torgo!
posted by Hands of Manos at 12:17 PM on May 28, 2008

Idi Amin
Kunta Kinte
Radio Raheem
posted by Koko at 12:17 PM on May 28, 2008

Fang?
posted by WyoWhy at 12:17 PM on May 28, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

Skyper,

As far as pugs go, he'll have a big frame like his daddy. Our oldest Pug is tiny in comparison. I'd say he'll top out at 25-26lbs. That's pretty full for a pug breed (at least in my experience it's big)
posted by Hands of Manos at 12:19 PM on May 28, 2008

Kevin
posted by M.C. Lo-Carb! at 12:19 PM on May 28, 2008

Sam Cassell.
posted by box at 12:21 PM on May 28, 2008

Wee Bey.
posted by box at 12:21 PM on May 28, 2008 [4 favorites has favorites]

Sir Bodsworth von Cadbury III
posted by jbickers at 12:24 PM on May 28, 2008

Prodigy (or, if you prefer, Havoc)
posted by box at 12:26 PM on May 28, 2008

"Stumpy" sounds good to me. Organic, too, since you are and he will be.
posted by notyou at 12:27 PM on May 28, 2008 [2 favorites has favorites]

Have you ever seen The Jerk? I always thought "Shithead" was the greatest name ever for a dog, but I'm sure you'd rather go with something less vulgar. I vote for "Dogmo", then.

Where did you get "Luc" from?
posted by Dreamcast at 12:28 PM on May 28, 2008

Archibald?
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 12:29 PM on May 28, 2008

Samson
posted by kalessin at 12:29 PM on May 28, 2008

I always thought "Yoda" a great name for a pug :-)
posted by merocet at 12:30 PM on May 28, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

Captain Pugwash
posted by djgh at 12:31 PM on May 28, 2008

Chauncey
posted by gnutron at 12:33 PM on May 28, 2008

If he's a pistol, how about Pistol?
posted by sondrialiac at 12:36 PM on May 28, 2008

Looks like a Winston to me.

I have no idea why, really.
posted by miss lynnster at 12:37 PM on May 28, 2008

I've always thought my next pet will be named Pokey, as stolen from former Red Sox player Pokey Reese.

I think Wooster is a nice name for a dog though.
posted by Corduroy at 12:37 PM on May 28, 2008

He looks like a Felix to me.
posted by Pax at 12:38 PM on May 28, 2008

Stump
posted by Heatwole at 12:40 PM on May 28, 2008

As somebody who was owned by a pug, I can only suggest you call him "Trouble" for short.
posted by SteveInMaine at 12:42 PM on May 28, 2008

I came here to suggest Stumpy, too, though there's always the time-honored GOD DAMN IT DOG WHY DO YOU DO THAT.
posted by fantabulous timewaster at 12:42 PM on May 28, 2008 [2 favorites has favorites]

Oliver or Wendell
posted by Hutch at 12:42 PM on May 28, 2008

Sixweek.

Cupcake.
posted by BorgLove at 12:44 PM on May 28, 2008

What's wrong with Holmes?

Okay, then how about 'homeskillet'? It certainly rang true in that Juno movie.
posted by box at 12:44 PM on May 28, 2008

Steve.
posted by The Esteemed Doctor Bunsen Honeydew at 12:44 PM on May 28, 2008

fantabulous timewaster - lol!!!
posted by Hands of Manos at 12:45 PM on May 28, 2008

Given that your older dog is named Beau . . . Geste!
posted by Clyde Mnestra at 12:45 PM on May 28, 2008

Frank Welker (voice of Nibbler)
posted by gauchodaspampas at 12:45 PM on May 28, 2008

Caesar
Hamlet
Macbeth
Brutus
Mothra
Marcus
posted by The ____ of Justice at 12:46 PM on May 28, 2008

Call him Mug. Mug the pug.
posted by a3matrix at 12:47 PM on May 28, 2008

He looks like a Bruce to me.
posted by Faint of Butt at 12:49 PM on May 28, 2008

Brian.
posted by jamesonandwater at 12:49 PM on May 28, 2008

Monster
Danger Dog
Aggro
Gus
posted by jet_silver at 12:53 PM on May 28, 2008

Clyde Mnestra: Given that your older dog is named Beau . . . Geste!

Or... Beau, meet Jeff.
posted by hangashore at 12:56 PM on May 28, 2008

Bogie.
I have an ex who's pug was named ... Pugsley. The ex was not very original. One of the many thousands of reasons I broke up with him. I also 2nd "Trouble." That dog's sole purpose in life seemed to be figuring out ways to further terrorize me.
posted by notjustfoxybrown at 12:56 PM on May 28, 2008

Axe
Sulphur
Matches
Blunt
Bull
Bob
Bat
Sprocket
Hammer
Pistol
posted by sully75 at 1:00 PM on May 28, 2008

How about the name "Nacious"? You know, as in pugnacious. On second though, forget I said that.
posted by taojones at 1:01 PM on May 28, 2008

jtron beat me to it. Torgo is a kickass name.
posted by malocchio at 1:02 PM on May 28, 2008

That is one cute dog you have there.

Plan 9
Nefarious
Optimus Prime
Stop Chewing That You Little Bastard

I also like the suggestions upthread: Torgo and Mothra.
posted by bedhead at 1:09 PM on May 28, 2008

Here's a fourth vote for "Johnson".
posted by nowonmai at 1:09 PM on May 28, 2008

My mom had a pug named Remington, Remi for short.
posted by wherever, whatever at 1:09 PM on May 28, 2008

Fireball Roberts
S. Johnson
Teen Wolf
posted by mattbucher at 1:12 PM on May 28, 2008

jaws :)
posted by wangarific at 1:14 PM on May 28, 2008

Man guys, such great names. So few pugs to adhere them to.

I'm really liking Torgo but I called up wife and she said a firm "No"

She likes normal names unfortunately. But damn, "Mothra" would just rule for that. And whoever said "Aggro" ...that's awesome, my wife would totally kill me for giving the dog a mmporg term. But aggro is right, you get within 6 inches of his face...and BAM, he's on you!
posted by Hands of Manos at 1:19 PM on May 28, 2008

Under the circumstances, I would name the dog "Johnson" only with great trepidation, and with full knowledge that it might be misunderstood.
posted by Clyde Mnestra at 1:20 PM on May 28, 2008

I will +1 Samson
posted by EastCoastBias at 1:27 PM on May 28, 2008

Avery. He looks like an Avery.
posted by banannafish at 1:28 PM on May 28, 2008

Lestat? If the pugs like to bite like a vampire...
posted by Sijeka at 1:29 PM on May 28, 2008

Or Hector?

http://www.in2greece.com/english/historymyth/mythology/names/hector.htm
posted by Sijeka at 1:30 PM on May 28, 2008

I vote Winston! (He's so cuuuuuute :D)
posted by neblina_matinal at 1:31 PM on May 28, 2008

Whitey.
posted by turducken at 1:35 PM on May 28, 2008

I wonder if I could slip "Lestat" by my wife. I doubt it. I'll mention Winston and Johnson to her (like I said, we'll probably end up naming him Pete or Luc...but I really wanted a strong name for him)
posted by Hands of Manos at 1:36 PM on May 28, 2008

Thug.
posted by FauxScot at 1:38 PM on May 28, 2008

turducken, I don't know what's funnier...that your name is half turkey, half duck...or the political correct consquences of calling him "whitey" (let alone the other guy that said "Kunta Kinte." While I think that's awesome...that's a fine line you are walking naming a black dog that)
posted by Hands of Manos at 1:40 PM on May 28, 2008

Rufus. But then I say that in every one of these threads.
posted by Evangeline at 1:40 PM on May 28, 2008

Seconding the Shakespearean names above. My black pug (25 lbs) is Oberon and it suites him. My fawn is Puck, btw.
posted by cestmoi15 at 1:42 PM on May 28, 2008

My rule for naming pets is to imagine yourself walking the neighborhood late at night, yelling it's name after it got out of the house. Anything you don't feel like a complete nimrod yelling goes on the short list.
posted by Thorzdad at 1:43 PM on May 28, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

Guppie or Guppy (PUG spelled backwards + PIE or PY)
posted by Plug1 at 1:47 PM on May 28, 2008

Hands of Manos, if being PC concerns you, or if you apply Thorzdad's test, probably steer clear of calling your small black dog "Johnson."
posted by Clyde Mnestra at 1:51 PM on May 28, 2008

Bertram Wilburforce "Bertie" Wooster or possibly even go with P.G. Wodehouse

The Dread Pirate Roberts or Inigo Montoya

"Biological Recombinant Algorithmic Intelligence Nexus" - Brain (of Pinky and The Brain)

Snowball (this is another Pinky and the Brain reference - I just think it would be fun to have a black pug named Snowball.)
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 1:53 PM on May 28, 2008

I recommend Mr. Anderson. You can satisfy your wife by having Andy for short, and still be content with a nice Matrix reference.

Whatever you choose though, every dog name is better with "Mister" in front of it.

Or, alternatively, you could go with a random animal name, such as "Squirrel" or "Wildebeast."
posted by Caduceus at 1:55 PM on May 28, 2008

One of my sister's pugs is Jaws, so I have a soft spot for that. When she booked his first appointment, her vet thought she was bringing in a big vicious dog, and was quite surprised when a pug puppy showed up.

I voted that she name her other dog Lumpy or Lugnut (her husband is a mechanic), but I was shot down.

I liked Mug mentioned above - what about Mugwump, which would then shorten to Mug (or Wumpy). I just checked the meaning of that word, and I'm not sure if would be offensive, but some of the description certainly applies to the pugs I know. :)
posted by melissa at 1:58 PM on May 28, 2008

Be oblique and call him Fulton, which is the town in Missouri where Churchill gave his "Iron Curtain" speech.
posted by brujita at 2:08 PM on May 28, 2008

Stumper
posted by tachikaze at 2:09 PM on May 28, 2008

Yes, I would name him Winston. Or Patrick Duffy.
posted by cabingirl at 2:10 PM on May 28, 2008

Genghis

Attilla
posted by thewalrus at 2:14 PM on May 28, 2008

Pepsi
posted by PenDevil at 2:21 PM on May 28, 2008

Kingsford....like the charcoal briquette.
You can call him King.
posted by Mr.Me at 2:21 PM on May 28, 2008

Just don't call him Julius or Lord McMuffinPants; those two are taken ;-)


He looks like a Saul to me for some reason. Although Lugnut is pretty good too...
posted by baggers at 2:29 PM on May 28, 2008

Hasbro.
posted by steef at 2:35 PM on May 28, 2008

i like oscar and chumley.
posted by thinkingwoman at 2:45 PM on May 28, 2008

Mitch

Marty

Beauregarde Tiberius Canis Lupis Familiaris
posted by and for no one at 2:52 PM on May 28, 2008

(oh well, you've already got a Beau...)
posted by and for no one at 2:57 PM on May 28, 2008

God I want to mark all these as "best answer."

Man you guys are great. But I can see as I go down this list with my wife "no, no, no, well....no, no, no."

and for no one, yeah we call him Beauregarde :)
posted by Hands of Manos at 3:02 PM on May 28, 2008

Thuglife.
posted by Succa at 3:26 PM on May 28, 2008

Optimus Prime
posted by nax at 3:47 PM on May 28, 2008

I have always wanted to get a pug and name him Luggage. It's not very noble but it's very pug-y.
posted by kate blank at 4:42 PM on May 28, 2008 [2 favorites has favorites]

"Wheezer the Pug: the labored breathing makes him cute!"
posted by wfrgms at 4:46 PM on May 28, 2008

My wife suggested Cerberus. I know he's only got one head, but he can bite for three...
posted by baggers at 5:01 PM on May 28, 2008

My fawn pug's name is Hoggle, from The Labyrinth. One day we plan on getting a black one and naming it Ludo.

And my neighbor's big fat pug's name is Freeway - which I think is a pretty awesome name for a husky pug.
posted by AsRuinsAreToRome at 5:24 PM on May 28, 2008

Crom.
posted by homunculus at 5:39 PM on May 28, 2008

Corduroy: "I think Wooster is a nice name for a dog though". Have you ever read any of P.G. Wodehouse's Jeeves stories? Surely not!
I shall leave it at that before going apoplectic.
posted by lungtaworld at 5:40 PM on May 28, 2008

A friend of mine had a dog named Sir Galahad, who always seemed to command respect. I think, though, if you're a fan of Manos the Hands of Fate (or just MST3K), you might really consider the previous suggestion of Torgo. I could also see Domo. Domo!!! or even Majordomo. Oh, I also know a bulldog named "Patron" (Spanish pronunciation, accent over the "o" like the tequila brand but it means the head honcho). Boy, dog names can get silly!

Ultimately, I'd go with the previous suggestion to make sure it's something you wouldn't mind yelling while desperately trying to get your dog to "come here". Two-syllable names are also considered favorable for dogs - easier for them to recognize.
posted by belau at 5:44 PM on May 28, 2008

Sonny Von Bulow
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 6:07 PM on May 28, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

GARY FISH JOE
posted by ncc1701d at 6:11 PM on May 28, 2008

Well guys, thank you for all the great names. I lol'd many times at some of the names and I thought some of hem were just great. But for the sake of peace between my wife and I, we went with "Captain Pete"

It's not the strongest name in the world, but I always liked Petey from the Little Rascals
posted by Hands of Manos at 8:12 PM on May 28, 2008

Sparticus

Rufus

Lando

Apollo Creed

Failing that... nthing Sampson
posted by answergrape at 8:57 PM on May 28, 2008

Oh yeah, be careful about those names. Sometimes their name becomes their destiny.

Ripley the pug... lives up to the gun-toting namesake.
posted by answergrape at 9:04 PM on May 28, 2008

Wesley
posted by The Light Fantastic at 10:35 PM on May 28, 2008

I think the idea is that nominations have closed.

Even so: "CAPTAIN PETE"? While you're at it, why not Sybian's Pride of Buttsniff, and a ribbon at Westminster?
posted by Clyde Mnestra at 10:47 PM on May 28, 2008

I second Sybian's Pride of Buttsniff.
posted by homunculus at 10:52 PM on May 28, 2008

Smooth Criminal
Ivan the Terrible (or anything The Terrible)
posted by Beardman at 11:24 PM on May 28, 2008

Change one word from your current choice and you've got the right name for that little rascal: PISTOL PETE.
posted by dinger at 12:18 PM on May 29, 2008

Ajax
posted by battlecj at 12:59 PM on May 29, 2008