Dog Names

[Shannanigan]

So, I'll be adding a puppy to my family soon...hopefully Saturday, if we get the Basenji we've been looking at. (Picture is not of *the* puppy I'm getting, just one that looks like what he will look like.)

My guy is letting me name the dog, and, given my love of literature, I want to name him (we're definitely getting a male) after an author or literary character. I really want to name him "Beowulf," but my friends think that the Basenji, with a maximum height of 17", is too small for the name.

I love EAP, but don't like the name "Poe," and as far as I know, Poe didn't have a dog (or any dog stories) I could name my dog after. I don't want to call him "Edgar" or "Allan," either, lol.

The dog is African, Egyptian, if I'm not mistaken. Hmm...perhaps the name of an Egyption god, or Anansi? What famous dogs of literature am I not thinking of?

Help me!

[Scheherazade]

Not an Egyptian name but he looks like a "Lancelot" to me...

[Shannanigan]

Lol, he does have a bit of a knightly look about him, doesn't he? The curly tail perfects the Lancelot flair, too; that name'll be on the list.

[kasie]

He may not look like a Beowulf on the outside but I'll bet he feels like one inside!

I wanted to call our much-loved Alsation Boudicca but she 'told' me her name was Jenny - yes, really, the name just popped into my head the first time I looked at her: she had been staring at me, willing me to turn away from her rumbustuous sister and pay her attention and when I said. 'You're Jenny, aren't you?' she came and sat quietly beside me. So Jenny she stayed. Then years later, when we had an Old English mastiff, we called her Bella but the name never seemed to sit easily on her: she was three years old before I realised this was the dog that should have been called Boudicca - invaders into her territory crossed her at their peril! Maybe your new friend will have a 'natural' name that you will learn as you get to know him.

[Shannanigan]

I've definitely realized that it might be easier to wait until I spend some time with him to come up with a name...I've never actually named a pet before they were in my house, but this will be the first dog that is "mineallmine" and I've always wanted to name a dog Beowulf. We'll see how it fits, and if it doesn't...guess I'll have to keep adopting dogs 'til I find Beowulf!

[qimissung]

Well, the important thing is not what your friends think but what you think. If you want to name him Beowulf, go for it. My submission is Jack for Kerouac, he of "On the Road" fame.

[JuniperWoolf]

Laelaps was this ancient greek dog that was blessed by the gods so he caught everything that he ever chased, but then one day he was ordered to chase a fox that was blessed by the gods so that it could never be caught. Sort of the unstoppable force meets an unmoveable object. They chased and ran forever until one of the gods (I think maybe Apollo) turned them to stone.

Laelaps. Cool name.

[Scheherazade]

How about "Robin" after Robin Hood?

[Veho]

Hmm, Ptolemy? The name of all the Macedonian rulers of Egypt. The dynasty ended with the death of Cleopatra.

[Virgil]

Shan, optimum name for a dog (optimum in the sense of how will pick up on it and respond) is a two syllable word ending in a vowel. Good luck. Nothing loves life like a puppy.

[mtpspur]

If the heart is set on Beowulf--then so be it. As to literature dogs all I could think of was Cerebus (the three headed guardian of the door to Hades). Of course there is Lad from Albert Payston Terhune's books. Not sure if the dog from the Odyessey had a name or not--the one that waited for Ulyesses to come home.

[JuniperWoolf]

If the heart is set on Beowulf--then so be it. As to literature dogs all I could think of was Cerebus (the three headed guardian of the door to Hades). Of course there is Lad from Albert Payston Terhune's books. Not sure if the dog from the Odyessey had a name or not--the one that waited for Ulyesses to come home.

He did, his name was Argos.

[Shannanigan]

Thanks, all! I spent all yesterday thinking of more names as well - I think I'll compile a list and see which one fits him best when I meet him.

How about "Robin" after Robin Hood?

Methinks you were perusing some older posts in the "LitNet Crushes" forum, Scher!

[Scheherazade]

Methinks you were perusing some older posts in the "LitNet Crushes" forum, Scher!

Didn't have to! I still remember...

[Shannanigan]

Didn't have to! I still remember...

Lol; what a great memory! I know I won't be forgetting