Come Again? Trendy and Unusual Pet Names

Holly Golightly, the character made famous by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast At Tiffany’s, proclaims that her cat’s name is simply “Cat.” She sees him as a wild thing that doesn’t belong to her, a stray not unlike herself.

While naming a pet feline “Cat” makes a certain kind of sense (even Peter Falk called his Basset hound “Dog” on Columbo), there are endless other options from which to choose. And just like human baby names, unusual pet names are taking center stage.

The Movie Star

Speaking of animals that have appeared on film, pets like Orangey from Breakfast at Tiffany’s have made enduring contributions. Looking for a little Hollywood inspiration? One of these unusual pet names might be the perfect choice for your new addition:

• Abraham – If you like the Chihuahua breed, consider this name from Ren and Stimpy.
• Andromeda – Played by a wonderful German Shepherd in the original The Parent Trap.
• Astro – You know, the cartoon Great Dane from the Hanna-Barbera cartoon The Jetsons.
• Beasley – The adorable, slobbery Dogue de Bordeaux from Turner and Hooch.
• Brinkley – Speaking of Golden’s, Tom Hanks lovingly plays Brinkley’s owner in the rom-com You’ve Got Mail.
• Bruno – The dedicated Bloodhound from the original animated Cinderella will always warm our hearts.
• Chiffon – The Shaggy Dog film franchise highlighted the talents of the English Sheepdog named after the frilly fabric.
• Moose – The Jack Russell terrier that smartly portrayed the character of Eddie in the sitcom Frasier is a favorite.
• Nana – Perhaps an odd choice, but perfectly apt for the Newfoundland in Peter Pan.
• Pongo – From 101 Dalmations, a jaunty name for any pet.
• Winn Dixie – The several Berger Picard dogs that played the title character has reignited this special French breed.
• Won Ton Ton – A great name for any pet, this character from The Dog Who Saved Hollywood was played by a German Shepherd named Gus (also a totally great name!).
• Zolton – Probably one of the more unusual pet names out there, Zolton was played by a Doberman Pinscher in the 1978 film The Hound Of Dracula.

The Hard Worker

While there are loads of trendy pet names to choose from, the classics are making a bit of a comeback. The following are some unusual names of animals who really left their mark:

• Barry – The charming St. Bernard who saved more than 40 lives as a mountain rescue dog in his native country of Switzerland.
• Belka and Strelka – These amazing mixed breed dogs were sent into space aboard Sputnik 5 and returned unscathed.
• Laika – In 1957, Russia sent Laika into space as the first canine.
• Hachiko – The movie Hachi immortalized the real life Hachiko, an Akita with an extraordinary level of devotion to his owner.
• Balto – This Siberian Husky overcame great odds to save the lives of Alaskan youth.
• Togo – Another Husky and sled dog, Togo might be the winning name for your pet.
• Zorba – The English Mastiff who broke the Guinness Book Of World Records in 1987 as the world’s heaviest and longest canine (343 pounds and over 8 feet long!).

Unusual Pet Names

Just for fun, we thought we’d include these unusual pet names that make us giggle:

• Shakespurr
• Augustus Finknottle
• Fuzzy Britches
• Walter Cronkat
• Al Poochino
• Catpoochino
• Ferret Fawcett
• Purrsnickety

We hope our unusual pet names come in handy for you or someone you know. Please let us know if you have any suggestions of your own!