Dog Names from Fiction

Introduction

Are you a reader? Do you love a good, wholesome tear-jerker story that manages to get you wrapped around the paw of the fictional dog in the story? Well, some of us experience exactly those feelings when we read stories which utilize comical, mischievous, endearing and sad antics of our furry friends. Many writers use dogs to grab the attention of the reader, knowing that many of us have tender spots in our hearts for the canine cast members of the story, even if they aren’t a main character of the story. This allows the reader to identify with the story more closely and helps to maintain interest. Fictional dogs also help embed the story more deeply into our memories as well and, naming your pup after one of these fictional dogs can help bring those warm and pleasant memories back time and again.

Dog Names from Fiction in Pop Culture

Featured Famous Dog with a Name from Fiction

Olive

Dogs and other animals have long been a favorite topic of writers, many of whom center their stories around the animal, as well as others who include them as building blocks in the story line. Both writing techniques can quickly and solidly bring the reader (or the movie watcher) into the story and keep them there for the duration of the story...and sometimes beyond. Let’s take, for example, the story in the book and children’s animated movie, Olive, the Other Reindeer, and the adventure that causes Olive, a Jack Russell Terrier, to save Christmas.

In the story, Olive, the Other Reindeer, Olive, not acting particularly dog-like, goes to town to make a Christmas purchase. After returning home, she overhears her owner grumbling about there being no Christmas this year, while putting away his Christmas decorations. Eventually, finding out that the reason for his grumbling was an injury to Blitzen, one of Santa’s reindeer, leaving Santa’s reindeer team short one essential reindeer, then she mishears a radio report, given by Santa, saying he hopes to continue Christmas activities with “all of the other reindeer”. Olive, thinking she heard “Olive, the other reindeer” on the radio, immediately decided that Santa needed her, and so as one might expect, she headed for the North Pole. During the course of the story, she encounters the Postman who is not happy about the extra mail and package delivery work he must do because of Christmas. When he becomes aware of Olive’s mission, he works very hard to thwart her efforts to get to Santa. While the antics are hilariously funny, sinister and endearing, Olive gets to the North Pole, the Christmas gifts are delivered and Olive is given “reindeer” antlers and a ride back home on Comet.

Another great and fun example of doggy determination can be found in the book and movie, 101 Dalmatians. Who could forget the dogged determination (pun intended) of Pongo and Missis, coupled with that of Perdita, Colonel and the Dearlys as they worked together to find and rescue Pongo and Missis’ 15 puppies, Perdita’s lost puppies and the others stolen by the heinous villainess, Cruella Di Vil for the purpose of killing them and using their coats to make furry garments for herself. The comical antics, inventiveness, miscellaneous skills and comradery, whether animal or human, are pitted against the sinister plot of Cruella, showing how much dogs really are family and pack oriented, ultimately enabling them to save the 97 puppies which have been accumulated by Cruella and her thugs. Though these examples are fictional stories written for children, they both depict the tenacity and loyalty which is well known in the canine world. Many of the traits of affection, loyalty, courage and sociability that are found in our furry friends are also traits we look for in our human companions.

From Fiction Dog Name Considerations

When I think of dogs in terms of loyalty, affection and courage, some breeds pop into mind more quickly than others. For example, those more seemingly affectionate breeds like the small lap-sitting breeds of Yorkie, Toy Poodle and Maltese come to mind, while the thought of loyalty brings to mind the Saint Bernard, the Collie and the Corgi, and courage brings the German Shepherd, Doberman and Rottweiler to mind. Many of these traits can be found in almost all canine breeds, but, due to our personal experiences, these are the ones which come to mind when considering the naming of that cute, cuddly canine that hubby brought home for Christmas or that sad-looking rescue dog that captured your heart at the dog pound or Humane Society.

The color of your new pet could also help you find more name possibilities. For example, a white dog might be called Blizzard if you’re living in an area of the country which experiences those, or maybe a name that is fluffy or angelic in nature, like Sprite or Angel might work well. If your pup is light brown or cream, you could name her after a particular spice resembling that color, like Ginger or Nutmeg. For those dogs having a reddish coat, names like Pepper, Cinnamon or Cayenne could work. It is because names are so important that we strive to consider all of the possibilities in an attempt to find the perfect moniker for that new furry family member. Those names can come from books, TV shows, movies or short stories of the fiction genre.

Male Dog Names from Fiction

Votes	Name	Vote
8	Pluto A goofy accident-prone canine character from Disney Cartoons
7	Mike An Irish Setter who, from birth, was a runt and never expected to be a successful hunter, but he proved them all wrong, from the book "Irish Red"
6	Cujo The book, written by Stephen King, features a Saint Bernard who is bitten by a rabid animal
6	Sherlock A great name for your mysterious new pooch, referencing the Sherlock Holmes books, TV and movie series
6	Skip The title character from the book "My Dog Skip" who befriends a lonely 9 year old boy in a small Mississippi town and teaches him some lessons on growing up
5	Pongo The proud father of 15 puppies in the movie 101 Dalmations
5	Bodger One of the trio of pets who traverse some very rugged wilderness in search of their human family in the book "The Incredible Journey"
5	Old Yeller Considered a "good for nothing old mutt", Old Yeller befriends a teenage boy, his mother and younger brother as they work to save the farm
4	Ribsy In the book "Ribsy", Ribsy is a curious canine who always seems to find himself in interesting situations
4	Tramp The male protagonist from the movie Lady and the Tramp, a stray mutt who falls in love with the pedigreed Lady
3	Buck The central character in the book "Call of the Wild", which is set in the Yukon during the gold rush era
3	Chewie Chewbacca, a legendary Wookiee Warrior from the Star Wars movies
3	Snoopy The main character who believes himself to be a fighter pilot as well as "contemplater of the universe"
2	Astro The Jetson's family dog seen in the TV series "The Jetsons"
2	Old Dan A hunting dog who is truly devoted to hunting but also just as devoted to his boy, Billy, from the book "Where the Red Fern Grows"
2	Trusty A bloodhound who is a close friend of Lady in the movie "Lady and the Tramp"
1	White Fang A mixed dog -wolf who is the main character in the book of the same name, written by Jack London
1	Lad From the book "Lad: A Dog", Lad is a real life rough Collie, who demonstrates extraordinary strength of character and spirit
1	Snitter Part of a canine duo who face many challenges in the wilderness, from the book "The Plague Dogs"
1	Watson The "sleuth in training" medical doctor/friend of Sherlock Holmes, from the "Sherlock Holmes" books, TV and movie series
0	Carl A Rottweiler in the book "Good Dog, Carl" who gets into some interesting situations with Madelaine, the little girl for whom he is responsible
0	Huck The central character in the book "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn", set in Mississippi and written by Mark Twain
0	Krypto Known as Krypto the Superdog, Superman's pet dog who has the same powers as Superman
0	Luath One of the trio of pets who traverse rugged and dangerous terrain in search of their beloved human family in "The Incredible Journey"
0	Scooby Doo The main lovable canine character who's afraid of his shadow, in the TV cartoon series of the same name
0	Shiloh Marty Preston, an 11-year old boy, rescues an abused young beagle, names him Shiloh and a wonderful, heart-warming friendship develops in the book series
-1	Buster From the wonderful children's series "Arthur"
-2	Jock One of the main characters in the book "Jock of the Bushveld" in which Jock was saved from drowning by old Percy Fitzpatrick
-2	Patrasche Formed a strong bond with Nello. the story of their life together is "A Dog of Flanders"
-3	Rowf Rowf, with his pal Snitter, face many terrors in the wilderness, from the book "The Plague Dogs"

Female Dog Names from Fiction

Votes	Name	Vote
8	Dorothy The main character from the book and movie "The Wizard of Oz", who dreams an amazing adventure after receiving a minor head injury
8	White Queen Also known as Mirana of Marmoreal, is the real ruler of Underland in the book "Alice in Wonderland"
7	Antonia The title character in the book "My Antonia", a book which is both unpredictable as well as sentimental
5	Eowyn A noblewoman, who is described as a shield maiden, in the "Lords of the Rings" book and movie series by J.R.R Tolkien
5	Laelaps A mythical dog who was gifted from Zeus to Europa; she is said to have never failed to catch what she chased
4	Alice The title character from the book "Alice in Wonderland" who goes on an interesting fictional journey
4	Louisa The third oldest of the Von Trapp children, Louisa is mischievous and regales in playing jokes on people, from the movie "The Sound of Music"
4	Nala From the movie "The Lion King", Nala is a fictional lioness whose spouse is Simba
4	Toto Dorothy's precious pup from the "Wizard of Oz: movie
3	Kashtanka A rescued dog who get lost in a crowd, is found by a circus owner, becomes part of the show and eventually returns to her original master when called during a circus performance
3	Peg From the movie "Lady and the Tramp", Peg is a dog who is rescued, early in the film, by Tramp from the horrible fate of the dog catcher's net
2	Ginger A new puppy, purchased by Jerry Pye, who forms strong family bonds which become stretched when he suddenly disappears, from the book "Ginger Pye"
2	Leia A warrior Princess from the "Star Wars" movies series
2	Sophia Sister Sophia, from the movie "The Sound of Music", opens the movie with a beautiful soprano voice and graceful moves
1	Lassie The title character, from the TV series of the same name, who captured the hearts of TV viewers in the 1960's
1	Perdita The female dog who was selected to be the surrogate nurse mother for the new 15 puppies belonging to Pongo and Missis, from the movie "101 Dalmatians"
1	Wendy Wendy Darling, the imaginative story teller who mesmerizes her brothers on a nightly basis with stories of swash-buckling and sword-wielding adventures, from the movie "Peter Pan"
0	Lady The lovely and demure pedigreed female coddled canine from the movie "Lady and the Tramp"
0	Little Anne Part of the duo who are credited with helping Billy Coleman learn to appreciate true friendship, from the book "Where the Red Fern Grows"
0	Martha The title character from the book "Martha Speaks", which tells a story about a dog who was fed alphabet soup and became able to talk
0	Tinker Bell The sparkling flirty little fairy from the movie "Peter Pan"
-1	Brigitta From the movie Sound of Music, she is the "queen" of the Von Trapp children who is not afraid of speaking her mind, regardless of its outcome
-1	Gretl The youngest of the Von Trapp children and the one who always feels unappreciated, from the movie "The Sound of Music"
-1	Jane An orphaned girl who lives with her aunt and cousins, living the stereotypical "orphaned" life, from the book "Jane Eyre"
-1	Lolita Controversial novel written by Vladmir Nabokov
-1	Maria The postulant who left an Austrian convent, who eventually married the man for whom she was governess, from the movie "The Sound of Music"
-1	Missis Pongo's mate, Missis is the original mother of the 15 puppies which are eventually stolen in the movie "101 Dalmatians"
-2	Ariel The mermaid character from the movie "The Little Mermaid" which chronicles her quest for true love on land with a human man
-2	Nana From the movie "Peter Pan", Nana is a dog who has been portrayed as a St. Bernard but, when the script was first conceived, she was a Newfoundland
-3	Rosebud From the children's book "The Last Basselope", Rosebud, the last "basselope", is a Basset Hound and antelope mix