A Look at Popular Dog Names of the Past

Popular dog names range from the trendy to the classic. For an example of a trendy dog name, I offer my own mistake. Several years ago, Bud Light made some popular television commercials featuring the term "Waz-up?" the term caught on at about the same time that I got my lab puppy who I named "Waz-up?" Now, few people use "Waz-up?" in ordinary conversation and my six-year-old puppy is stuck with his somewhat goofy name. When naming your new puppy, it might be a good idea to look at popular dog names from the past. These classic dog names promise not to go out of style.

Fido—Fido is probably the most traditional name for a dog, at least in America. The word is Latin for "faithful" and faithfulness is the quintessential quality found in pet dogs. Fido is such a traditional name that it is almost synonymous with "dog".

Rover—Rover is probably the second most popular of the traditional dog names. This name has been popularized in a cheeky folk song (I'm looking over my dead dog Rover) and is the name of the dog in the popular cartoon, Red and Rover. The name Rover means "One who wanders" and it makes a great name for a curious dog that likes to roam.

Bowser—Bowser is another popular name for dogs. While it is not synonymous with "dog" like the names Rover and Fido, it is still a classic dog name in that if you hear the name Bowser you will automatically think of a dog. The name Bowser doesn't have a meaning that deals with dogs, in fact, the only meaning associated with the name Bowser is some sort of a tanker ship. Still, if you name your dog Bowser, you will enjoy a classic and fun dog name that will never go out of style.

Spot—Spot is a popular old-fashioned dog name for dogs with, you guessed it, a prominent spot or spots. This name isn't as closely associated with dogs as some of the other names listed here, in fact, any pet featuring a spot might be named Spot. Some people name their solid colored pets "Spot" due to potty training accidents such as a "spot" on the rug. The name spot means exactly what it sounds like it means: an area that has a visibly different color than the background color.

Snoopy—Snoopy is a popular dog name from the past due to the Charlie Brown comic strip. Snoopy may very well be the most beloved dog of comics; he is Charlie Brown's pet beagle and a World War II flying ace.

Bandit—Bandit is a popular name for masked Huskies because they look just like bandits. The name is the name of old fashioned out-laws who lived by cunning and thievery. Even if your dog isn't a masked dog, he may still be a great bandit if he is the type of dog who sneaks food from the table and acts the part of a ner-do-well.

Names from movies—there are plenty of dog names from the past that come from old, classic movies. A dog named Lassie brings to mind the much-loved collie that was the best friend a boy ever had. Sounder is a classic name from a book about the Deep South. Benji was a great dog character of the 60s and 70s. Scooby is a name made famous by the classic cartoon, Scooby-doo. Choosing a name that has historical roots is a great choice if you want a solid, classic name for your dog that will never go out of style.

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