Saving Southern Dogs: Naming the Dog

Dora with her new name and a stick

These days, people tend to give their dogs human names, which supposedly reflects the fact that pets are really considered parts of the family, fur children, if you will. Pet names are also affected by popular culture - that’s why Bella (from Twilight) was the most popular name for female puppies in 2011.

Finding the right name for an animal is an almost mystical process. A likely name comes to you. You try it out, discover how it sounds when you call it out loud. You see if it matches the animal, if it fits. Some names sound right; some don't. You try a few and eventually something sticks.

When there are two of you naming the animals, it can feel like a bit of a competition. Gary was calling cat number four Whimsy for about a week after I had settled on calling her Wanda. (That's her name now.) When we got Wally, his name was Cletus. I thought that was a funny name for him and I was all for keeping it. After a few weeks, Gary changed it to Wally, but it was about a month before I capitulated and switched to the new name.

Other animals have been easier. Chase got her name from two things. One, when we got her, she liked to chase the cat - and so she earned her “Indian name,” Chasedacat. Two, she is a black and white and brindle dog, and, on one side, she has what looks like the image of a dog's head. When she runs, it looks like the other dog is chasing her. We didn't argue about that name at all.

Little Joanne is a bit of a mystery. She doesn't respond to that name, so it seems likely it was given to her at the shelter. What is her real name? When she was brought to the shelter, why wouldn't her name have come with her? Last night, we called her Skeeter. But that doesn't seem quite right. Maybe we can say names to her until we find one she recognizes. Maybe she can tell us her real name. I feel a little bit lost with her. What will we call her?

But then, this morning, Gary is out walking with her in the field. He comes back and says “What about Dora?”

She looks up at him, as if to say yes. “Hey Dora!” I say, and she looks at me. It would be an overstatement to say that she knows this name already, but it does seem familiar to her. And it works.

So now she is Dora. Dora the Explorer. Adorable Dora. Dori. She smiles at us and bounces in the air. Dora will work.