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Names for Roman Dogs


Nephele

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Punctum - "Spot"

 

;)

 

Hahaha! Truly a classic dog name, as even Ovid includes a Greek "Spot" among Actaeon's hounds in his Metamorphoses: "Sticte".

 

-- Nephele

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Punctum - "Spot"

 

:)

 

Salve -

 

No where did I see one named Rover; but. . . a dog that roves (roams?) a lot isn't very convenient or family friendly, perhaps.

 

What would the Latin equivalent be for a Rover? ;)

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Punctum - "Spot"

 

:)

 

Salve -

 

No where did I see one named Rover; but. . . a dog that roves (roams?) a lot isn't very convenient or family friendly, perhaps.

 

What would the Latin equivalent be for a Rover? ;)

 

Rover is yet another classic dog name. In his translation of Ovid's Metamorphoses, Charles Martin gives "Ridge Rover" for Actaeon's hound named Oribasos.

 

There is also a "Rover" (as translated by classicist E.S. Foster) listed in Xenophon's Kynegetikos ("On Hunting with Dogs"). Polus or Poleus is the dog's name, but I didn't include Xenophon's dogs in my list as I limited my list to names of dogs from Roman writers, or from people writing about the Romans.

 

As for a direct Latin translation of "Rover" for a dog... I guess "Vagator" (meaning "rover; tramp") would be a good choice. D. Herbert Abei of Loyola University wrote an abridged, Latin translation of Disney's Lady and the Tramp titled Domina et Vagator, for The Classical Journal (January 1956).

 

Getting back to "Spot" -- there were a couple of cognomina for humans meaning "Spot" (or "spotted"): Macatus and Macula. Since dogs throughout history have frequently been named after people, presumably these cognomina could have been given to dogs, as well.

 

-- Nephele

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What did the ancient Romans name their four-legged best friends?

Gratiam Habeo for that excellent post (as always), Lady N.

 

For comparison purposes, here is the list of the most popular pet names on the 2007 veterinarian survey of ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals):

 

1. Max

2. Sam

3. Lady

4. Bear

5. Smokey

6. Shadow

7. Kitty

8. Molly

9. Buddy

10. Brandy

11. Ginger

12. Baby

13. Misty

14. Missy

15. Pepper

16. Jake

17. Bandit

18. Tiger

19. Samantha

20. Lucky

21. Muffin

22. Princess

23. Maggie

24. Charlie

25. Sheba

26. Rocky

27. Patches

28. Tigger

29. Rusty

30. Buster

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Gratiam Habeo for that excellent post (as always), Lady N.

 

For comparison purposes, here is the list of the most popular pet names on the 2007 veterinarian survey of ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals):

 

Thank you, Asclepiades. And thank you also for the top dog names list.

 

Now, I charge you with the mission of translating each of those names into plausible Latin (or Greek) names for Roman dogs! ;)

 

-- Nephele

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Notwithstanding your excellent research, Asclepiades, when I read those names, I do feel sorry for poor pooches everywhere. A cat would die of shame to have a name like that! ;) (Well - mine would, anyway....) However, I can't be too critical - as I actually named the only dog I possessed 'Max'. B)

Edited by The Augusta
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Gratiam Habeo for that excellent post (as always), Lady N.

 

For comparison purposes, here is the list of the most popular pet names on the 2007 veterinarian survey of ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals):

 

Thank you, Asclepiades. And thank you also for the top dog names list.

 

Now, I charge you with the mission of translating each of those names into plausible Latin (or Greek) names for Roman dogs! B)

 

1. maximus

2. samuhel

3. domina

4. ursus

5. fumosus

6. umbra

7. catti

8. maria

9. conpotor

10. bacchus

11. subrufus

12. infantulus

13. nebulosus

14. puellula

15. capsicum

16. Iacob

17. latro

18. tigris

19. samuhela

20. fortunatus

21. panis

22. principissa

23. margarita

24. carolus

25. sacramentum

26. petrosus

27. centunculi

28. tiggris

29. aeruginosus

30. domitor

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Gratiam Habeo for that excellent post (as always), Lady N.

 

For comparison purposes, here is the list of the most popular pet names on the 2007 veterinarian survey of ASPCA (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals):

 

Thank you, Asclepiades. And thank you also for the top dog names list.

 

Now, I charge you with the mission of translating each of those names into plausible Latin (or Greek) names for Roman dogs! B)

 

1. maximus

2. samuhel

3. domina

4. ursus

5. fumosus

6. umbra

7. catti

8. maria

9. conpotor

10. bacchus

11. subrufus

12. infantulus

13. nebulosus

14. puellula

15. capsicum

16. Iacob

17. latro

18. tigris

19. samuhela

20. fortunatus

21. panis

22. principissa

23. margarita

24. carolus

25. sacramentum

26. petrosus

27. centunculi

28. tiggris

29. aeruginosus

30. domitor

 

Bravo, Asclepiades! Mission accomplished! *applause* ;)

 

-- Nephele

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4. ursus

 

Uh, oh ... messing with a Legate? That's a baaaaaaaaaad move, A!

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  • 7 months later...

Salve, Lady N

 

Xenophon was certainly no Roman and you probably have read this one before, but as one can never be sure and it may be useful, here comes Cinegetica, (Κυνηγετικός / On Hunting), cp. 7, sec. 5:

 

"Give the hounds short names, so as to be able to call to them easily. The following are the right sort:

 

Psyche, Thymus, Porpax, Styrax, Lonch

Edited by ASCLEPIADES
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Salve, Lady N

 

Xenophon was certainly no Roman and you probably have read this one before, but as one can never be sure and it may be useful, here comes Cinegetica, (Κυνηγετικός / On Hunting), cp. 7, sec. 5:

 

Yep, I'd seen Xenophon's Cinegetica,, but decided to limit my listing to Roman writers.

 

Here's an on-line translation of Xenophon's Cinegetica by H. G. Dakyns. Dakyns also offers up English translations of the dogs' Greek names, in list format. (Scroll down to VII).

 

Interesting how both Xenophon and Columella gave the same advice, regarding the naming of dogs -- that the dogs should be given names that are short, so that they might recognize their names more quickly and obey when called.

 

-- Nephele

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Gratiam habeo for that link, Lady N. Note the additional bibliography.

 

"For other names see Herodian, {peri mon. l} (on monosyllables), 12. 7; "Corp. Inscr." iv. p. 184, n. 8319; Arrian, v. 6, xix.;

Colum. vii. 12, 13. According to Pollux, v. 47, Xenophon had a dog named {ippokentauros} (cf. "Cyrop." IV. iii. 17).

 

Interesting how both Xenophon and Columella gave the same advice, regarding the naming of dogs -- that the dogs should be given names that are short, so that they might recognize their names more quickly and obey when called.

 

Good advice even for present times. Even so, I guess Columella and later writers were mostly retyping Xenophon and other earlier writers. Consequently, we should expect lots of Greek names among Roman and even medieval canines. I wonder if even Xenophon himself was original.

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