Spooky season is upon us, and that means tricks, treats, and – dogs?! That’s right, October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, making Halloween-time the best time to adopt a dog. Because, you know, what’s scarier than ghouls and goblins? It’s how many dogs need homes. That’s why this October, Adopt a Pet is helping all those homeless pups by covering adoption fees at select shelters, showcasing adoptable dog spotlights, providing adoption tools (so that the process itself doesn’t become a nightmare), and sharing a bit of Halloween fun along the way.
Like wacky dog names! In the spirit of Halloween and to inspire your own adopting, our friends at Nationwide shared a lineup of creative dog names from their members. As America’s #1 pet insurance, Nationwide is here to make your move from adopter to pet parent less scary. They’ve got you covered with the PetRxExpress℠ automatic claims submissions and preferred pricing for medications to avoid sticker cost fright, plus tools like their 24/7 vethelpline for when things go bump in the night. Consider Nationwide for peace of mind, so that you can focus more on the fun stuff, such as Halloween treats and wacky names.
Read on to meet this year’s wackiest contenders, see the winner, and learn the stories that inspired each pup’s naming along the way.
And The Nominees Are …
Whiskey Tango Furball
“I own a distillery, and Whiskey comes to work with me sometimes to — well, make whiskey,” says pet mom Christine R. The natural connection to spirits was enhanced by the spirited way that her pooch approaches life. “Australian shepherds are known for being rambunctious and mischievous,” she adds. Add a couple of choice letters from the international phonetic alphabet and a subtle twist, and Whiskey Tango Furball was named.
— Christine R.
The Dude LeBowWowSki
Doggie dad Josh J. says, “The Dude is really chill — like medically, too chill. He has Addison’s disease, and his body can’t produce the stress hormone cortisol.” His laid-back demeanor makes him an outstanding snuggler, especially on cold nights.
— Josh J.
Sir Arthur Cowvin Moo Moo The Great
“Sir Arthur’s fur-brother’s name starts with ‘Your Lordship,’ so of course Arthur was destined to be of noble descent,” says Kerry B., pet parent to the canine-knight in question. She continues, “Sir Arthur also looks like a little cow with his black spots — that’s where Cowvin Moo Moo comes in.”
Unlike his knightly brethren, Sir Arthur’s obsession is less with the Cup of Life than with what goes in it: Ice. Kerry continues, “He’s obsessed with ice. You can’t even get a drink without him coming running.”
— Kerry B.
Scooby Moo
Doggie dad Bill D. says, “The whole family loves Scooby Doo — especially our daughter — and our Scooby Moo is mostly Great Dane, too. He’s also black and white like a cow. Combining the two, we came up with ‘Scooby Moo.’”
— Bill D.
Maple Bacon on a Biscuit
Early into training, pup mom Riley J. noticed a trend with her new pooch: “We discovered [she] loved bacon-flavored training treats, leaving her breath to always smell like bacon.” Over several weeks, the pup’s nicknames were honed to connect with her unique personality — and taste for treats — from bacon bits to maple bacon to Maple Bacon on a Biscuit.
That wasn’t the only thing that was unique about Maple. She has anophthalmia, a condition that caused her to be born without eyes. Despite this challenge, she faces the world fearlessly, even helping others by acting as a therapy dog for nursing homes. Riley says, “Watching her navigate the world and face challenges … without fear has always been my favorite thing about her.”
— Riley J.
Everybody Loves Raymond Orr Else
Doggie dad Brad E. says, “It’s a combination of one of the shows we like and the names of two of the Boston Bruins’ best defensemen, Raymond Bourque, and another Beantown hockey great, Bobby Orr. Also, he unofficially has the initials JBD at the end for Ray Donovan, a fictional character from South Boston. My niece wanted to be able to call him Donnie.”
— Brad E.
Captain Good Boy
“When I decided to adopt a dog, I knew I would be constantly telling him what a good boy he is — so I decided to incorporate that into his name,” recalls dog mom Lilly A. “He is black and white, which reminded me of a captain’s hat, so I determined that he was the captain of all the good boys. That’s how I landed on Captain Good Boy for my best friend’s name.”
— Lilly A.
Boolaloobalala
A pet name like “Boolaloobala” connects with the listener, in part because it has such a unique, sonorous flow. No surprise it has a musical origin: “[It’s] a Cuban song about a wild girl,” says dog parent Rise B. “She was a crazy and wild puppy.”
— Rise B.
Barkimedes
“Not sure if it was inspired by our love of math or hot baths, but we had the name ‘Barkimedes’ on our short list of dog names for several years,” says Sarah G., doggie mom of nominee Barkimedes.
— Sarah G.
And the winner is …
Doc Pawlliday
“My favorite western movie has always been Tombstone, and Doc Holliday is my favorite character,” says dog mom Amber H. “I realized in his puppy photo that he looked like a ‘Doc,’ and ‘Pawlliday’ came soon after.”
— Amber H.
