For now her name is Puppy
.....
UPDATE: Just talked to Carol (Monday afternoon), and they have narrowed it down to a couple of names. She assures me they will have a decision by tonight, and I will let you know the minute she tells me. If she doesn't choose one by tonight I'm going to go over to her house and pee in her orange juice.
.....
Last week I started volunteering for the Humane Society of Utah, something I've been wanting to do for years but have never kicked myself hard enough in the butt to do. I announced this to Jon, just like that, hey, I'm going to the Humane Society, I'l see you in about three hours. And I thought it would go in one ear and shoot right out the other because he was reading political websites, and when he gets in that mode the only thing that can distract him is the sound of the dishwasher opening because that signals I am either loading it or unloading it and within seconds he's in the kitchen groping me.
But he instantly shook his head as if a fly was stuck in his ear, and he was all, you're what? And I was all, but the dogs, they need me! And he was all, WOMAN, IF YOU BRING HOME A DOG I'M MOVING TO MONTANA. BY MYSELF. So I promised him I wouldn't, and I had no intention of doing so, except I fell in love with a dog. In fact, I fell in love with the first dog that I walked. And I wanted to adopt that dog right then, but then I thought, hmm... I kind of like Jon. I would miss him if he moved. Who would leave computer cables all around the house and buy hundreds of dollars worth of unnecessary crap when allowed to shop at Costco alone?
So I didn't adopt the dog right then and instead spent the next three hours being knocked over by 120-pound boxers and pit bulls who were more than a little bit excited to be let out of their cages. I'd open a cage and it was like a humpback whale would fall right on top of my head. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, and one dog was so out of control that he worked his way out of the leash and headed for Montana. I had to chase him a half-mile down the road, and I was losing steam when it suddenly occurred to me to yell out in my high-pitched dog voice, the Make Coco's Head Explode voice, and it worked because the dog did a 180 and tackled me to the ground. The cuddling we did for the next five minutes right there on the sidewalk made me feel like I had cheated on my husband.
Yesterday when I showed up to do a few more hours of work I noticed that the dog I had fallen in love with was still there, had not been adopted, so I dove into her cage to take her for the first walk of the day. Bad idea, because my love had only deepened with the distance. Trying not to fall over in a bawling mess I took her out to one of the dog runs and let her play while I made an important phone call. Not to Jon, no, this story does not end in our divorce. Or with a long legal battle over custody of our espresso machine.
My friend Carol mentioned that they had been thinking about getting a dog, and did I have any advice since they'd never had one before. Advice? STAY AWAY FROM MINIATURE AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERDS. Also, I'd be doing some work at the Humane Society and I'd keep an eye out on a dog with a temperament and size similar to Chuck's. And this was that dog. A 27-pound black lab mix, one year old, submissive, adorable, cuddly. Doesn't jump up on people. Great with kids. Loves to play with other dogs. The only way she could be more perfect was if she could balance a pitcher of beer between her ears.
She made a few phone calls to her husband, called me back, I called her back, and six hours later I had her and her three kids in my truck on the way to the Humane Society. Luckily the dog was still there when we arrived, and I tell you what, she could not have put on a better show for that family. She snuggled up to each kid, jumped around the dog run happily, ignored all the other maniacal barking dogs nearby, and basically stole all their hearts. Within the hour she was in the back of my truck and we were all trying to figure out what to call her:
When she was dropped off two weeks ago she did not have a name and so the Humane Society just called her Blackie. None of the kids liked that one, so they started throwing out their own ideas: Isabelle, Pepper, Charlie, Dusty, B.B. Carol's eight-year-old son is pretty sold on the name he came up with and insists that no matter what the final name is he will call her Car.
No one could agree on anything, and this morning when Carol brought the dog over to play with Chuck and Coco she revealed that they still did not have a name. And I said, you know what? I bet I know some people with a few ideas and asked her if I could take this dilemma to you.
Internet, we need a name for this dog.
Carol has only a few criteria. It has to be two syllables, shouldn't be too girly or too hard to say, and it should definitely roll off the tongue. Carol's husband suggested that maybe the name should reflect their lifestyle. They're very outdoorsy people, love to hike and bike and ski. They love the blues (thus B.B. that was suggested above). Also, they're from the Midwest and pronounce everything the wrong way, so maybe it could be a name that would allow me to make fun of them endlessly when they say it.
Any ideas?
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Heather talks about public tantrums (from kids) on today's Momversation.
- RIP Louis Mortimer Armstrong: http://bit.ly/1R4tv6
- Hugs and kisses to you, too! RT: @Monkey_Tree: @dooce he probably committed suicide because he was tired of LISTENING TO YOU WHINE.
- Our fish just died. And I'm sitting here crying. And it wasn't even my fault!
300. Emma said:
I'm partial to my own dogs' names: Maude and Nina. I could see her as a Nina.
301. Anonymous said:
Sadie or Lucy (or Lucie).
302. Laura said:
Hi - I just had to comment for the first time due to this post. My kids and I just got a new puppy (our first) on Sunday, and being the big B.B. King fan I am, I decided to name him Riley B. This is because B.B. King's given name is Riley B. King.
So that's my vote!!
303. Mandy said:
Roxie.
304. Anonymous said:
I liked Kanga.
305. Anonymous said:
Lola
306. Leslie in Toronto said:
My rescue pup is a Phoebe. It's kinda fun to say and somewhat unique for a dog.
307. Melis said:
Is said pup a girl?
How about Lucy *short for Lucille, as in BB Kings name for his beloved git-tar.
I am so glad you found a fabulous home for the puppy!!
308. Candy said:
Mabel (rhymes with able). Or May-Bell.
309. Anonymous said:
Your dog looks like my Peggy. Peggy was first Poppy. I also like Tippy.
Peggy, Poppy, Tippy.
Those are my recs.
310. Anonymous said:
How about Linah?
311. Katie said:
Canyon or River?
312. Shelley said:
Scout!
or
Lilah
Millie
Piper
Poppy
313. Sharon said:
Lucy
Springer (based on the picture with Coco)
314. RD said:
How about "Dooce" in honor of her rescuer?
315. Anonymous said:
I vote for Fargo. I also like Polly, but Fargo is my favorite.
Regardless of her name, she's an adorable dog!
316. Tabitha said:
Hazel.
317. RD said:
How about "Dooce" in honor of her rescuer?
318. Kelly Anne said:
I vote for Tahoe or something in that vein. I liked the suggestion of "Dusty," too. Not too girly, musical reference. If she's a mover, I've always like "Dervish."
Big points for you--two days on the job and you've already found a great dog a deserving home!
319. adrianne said:
Rizzo
Roxy (Roxie)
Gremlin
Cricket
Niblet
320. Anonymous said:
Punky
321. Bridge said:
My best friend had a dog named Arley - after the babysitter on Mad About You played by the brilliant Lily Taylor.
Of course, I am also partial to my dogs' names...my female dog is Pepper. But her name is so much cooler because her brother's name is Sargeant.
322. mommymae said:
bosco
323. Jessica said:
Marley!
324. Amy from CT said:
Juno or Jubal would be great for her. I thought of Juno first but with the movie...eh. Then I thought of the small black lab-mix we had when I was a toddler. Her name was Jubal and she was a sweetheart.
325. Jessica said:
Carly. Perhaps that is close enough to Car that the 8 year old would be happy.
326. Karen said:
My boyfriend and I just named our dog Bacon. It totally fits
327. jennielynn said:
Duh! Heather. The dog should be named Heather.
328. Kathy B. said:
Clapton
Etta
Susan
Dakota
Fargo
329. Anna said:
HAhahaha! Fargo! Totally.
330. abbynormal said:
I had a black lab very similiar to this one - had to put him down about 10 years ago when he was 13. He was the best dog I've ever known, or ever will know. I cried for months over losing him. His name was Willie. Would you consider naming her Willie ?
331. Kelsey said:
The name I've been holding onto for the 2nd dog we're not sure we'll have is Marzipan (Marzi for short). I'm partial to non-human names so I also like Carrot, Rugala (like the pastry, Rugie for short), Tater, etc.
If they like the outdoors then maybe go with tree/plant names? Willow, Aspen, Ginkgo, Magnolia (Maggie/Mags for short), Clover, etc.
332. Deb said:
Car-la
Layla
Beulah
Charlotte (in reference to Chuck, she really does have an insanely similar face)
Sidney
Geneva (one of the Great Lakes that's remotely feminine)
Lulabelle (I know, 3 syllable's, but she's AWESOME!)
333. Lora said:
I'm with the 8 year-old. I like the name "Car."
But if you want to extend it, how about Carmen (two syllables)? That way you can still call her Car for short...
334. Staci said:
I agree with #32.....Coleman!
335. Tasha said:
That dog is definitely a Lucy.
336. Anonymous said:
I like Shasta (recommended above). But I think the most fun word to say in the universe would also make a great dog name: Chiklis!!!!!
337. Megan said:
Izzy
Dezzie
Molly
338. chrissy said:
*motown / mo for short
*ding dong
cosmo
birdy
scooter
skeeter
truman
339. Anonymous said:
Etta, Ella, Maggie or Sarah are my votes!
340. Emma said:
Oh, and please don't name her Emma. After living most of my life being one of the few Emmas I knew, I now hear my name called all the time in public places - half the time it's for toddlers, the other half it's for dogs :(
341. Bluevartouhi said:
I also think Sadie is a good name for her... come on, she LOOKS like a Sadie. Don't ask me what that means.
342. Don said:
How about "Vespa"? It means wasp in Italian, and her ears do look like wings. She's certainly compact and zippy.
I have a tiny black dog with white speckled feet. Her mom was a beagle, and the dad was an overnight "visitor" to the farm. We named her "Moda Americana." She is indeed fashionable with her black uniform and speckled shoes, and you can't get more American than being a mutt.
Of course, we end up calling her Scoots most of the time, since Moda evolved into Moda Scooter.
Funny how that Moda Scooter comes back to Vespa....
343. Miriam said:
Etta.
Full name Etta James.
344. Shell said:
NERO
rolls off the tongue
italian for black!
345. amy j. said:
Clara
Sierra
Sadie
Maggie (my dog's name)
Ada
Scout
346. The Dalai Mama said:
Kota (as is Dakota--minus the duh sound)
Bogey
Stoli (yes like in the vodka)
Diamond
347. Joy said:
Layla
348. Stacey said:
My boys named our rescue dog...Happy.
Because that is how they felt for having the dog and they were both positive that was how the dog felt too for having a new home.
HAPPY.
Sadie is a good one too.
349. Smartin said:
I love the name Riley. Or Noche.
350. jenny said:
washer (will pronounce warsher)
lordy (will prounounce lardy)
no, but really... i love:
- canyon (love the way that one rolls off the tongue, especially when you scream it in anger!)
- river
- lucky
351. Hes said:
I agree that Dakota is a great name for a dog.
I think she looks like a Smokie.
352. Anonymous said:
Nougat
Beaker
Wingnut
353. Anonymous said:
I think "Aspen" fits her.
354. Amanda said:
She looks like a SALLY to me.
355. PhilosopherP said:
Hot Dish...
The quintesential midwestern food -- everyone loves them -- and, it could be taken as the food or that she's an attractive female dog.
356. Cate said:
Maggie. I used to know the sweetest rescued black mutt, the lovingest dog I ever met, and her name was Maggie.
357. Jama said:
***Shakes***
358. Anonymous said:
Tomato. I know it doesn't fit the criteria, but come on, she's totally a tomato.
359. Anita said:
I keep a list of names that I like for my future bulldogs (or whatever mutt I am lucky enough to adopt):
Ramona
Harriet
Oliver
Calvin
Lincoln
Petunia
Betty
But possibly, Carson, might work. Car would be an excellent nickname and Johnny Carson was always like my Uncle Johnny to me.
360. Amy said:
"Lucille - after BB King's guitar...Lucy for short of course!" I second this!
Of course, I have family in Michigan and I crack up everytime they pronounce my Aunt's name, so how about...
Bonnie.
361. MichaelTLH said:
Dingo
Gidget
Monroe
Roro
Rabbit
362. Theresa said:
Kaliope or Kali
363. Molly said:
Crayon. definitely Crayon.
364. Kelly G. from Memphis said:
Unless I missed it, I did not see this suggestion:
Elvis
Of course, black dog... Memphis is the home of the blues, and Graceland. Elvis was big into the blues. It all fits.
Of course I named my dog Niblet. Not because she nibbles things, which she does, but because that was Spike's nickname for Dawn in Buffy.
365. Stephanie said:
Harvey.
P.S. Meet Jackson, my delightfully crazy black lab mix who happens to be Harvey's identical twin.
http://lettersedge.blogspot.com/search/label/jackson
366. Suzannah said:
I second Piper.
367. Myia said:
Piper
Maizey
Ella/Elly (both of which lead to many adorable nicknames...such as ella-bell, ella-bella, smelly-elly, elly-belly, you get the idea.)
368. Marilee said:
Along the lines of post #41, how about Kipper? (Play on 'Keep Her', 'Keeper', kipper...)
She also reminds me of a friends dog named Molly.
369. Pamela said:
Lady.
I grew up with the worlds best black lab--just as you describe 'Blackie'--and her name was Lady. She would dive 6 feet under water to bring up the biggest rock known to man so she could roll on it, my Mom would let her out to go do her business in the afternoons and she would take off through multiple farm fields to sit outside our school door (and then ride home on the bus) and she lived forever. Ok, I got mushy and wordy but I suggest Lady because I wish everyone could have a Lady.
370. Anonymous said:
Gryphon
Griffin
371. Anonymous said:
Bedilia Humperdink Sassafrass Apalachia Montgomery Kazoo....no it's not two syllables, but it'd be funny.
372. Kecia said:
This is my gift. I work at an animal hospital and I am the official bestower of names! Her name is...
Haley short for Mahalia...as in Jackson.
your welcome.
: )
373. Penny said:
Just before I was born, my parents found a stray puppy in their backyard who was a lab mix. They had just returned from seeing the movie "Freebe and the Bean" So they named her Freebe and she was the best dog ever!!
374. Beth said:
Someone up there said Bailey - I second that! Bailey is my last name and also the best possible thing to pour over vanilla ice cream. : )
375. Brionna said:
Toby
376. Elizabeth said:
Garmin. (Minnie for short.) The outdoor types will get it.
377. Anonymous said:
Chauncey
378. monkeysmom said:
Cha-cha
379. Tracy said:
What about Lucille? Isn't that BB King's guitar's name (and I think it is black)? mmmmm maybe I am crazy.
Also I think it is awesome you are volunteering at the Humane Society. I tried it for a couple of weeks and I couldn't do it, it made me too sad and I just was too much of a pussy to deal with it. Anyway, good for you.
380. Kristy said:
Leki - for Leki hiking poles
381. Zoot said:
She looks just like my lab/beagle mix which we named "Sweetie" (picture here: http://flickr.com/photos/misszoot/2452445503/).
I personally think she looks like a Daisy.
382. Aleatha said:
Beebo Brinkler. As long as they don't have anything against fictional lesbians.
383. Nicole said:
Logan or Brighton
384. Beth said:
Daisy. That dog should be named Daisy.
385. Stephen Farrar said:
Tater is a great one! (pronounce tay-ter, as in potato)
386. Sittercity.com said:
Since they are outdoorsy...here are some tree themed names...
•Maggie (short for magnolia)
•Willow
•Oakley
•Chestnut
•Dogwood (hehe)
•Juniper
•Sassy (Sassafras)
387. Amanda said:
Memphis
or Delta
388. Aaron said:
I vote Carly.
It likely breaks the "too girly" rule, but at least it meets the 8-year-old's requirement. :)
389. heighlo said:
Hazel
390. Karen S said:
Straying from the rules but...
Mrs. Butterworth (Butter for short)
Rubby (my cat's name)
Cousin Pam (best pet name ever)
Smee (only one syllable but so cute)...
391. Annie said:
Mona.
Not sure why, but she seems like a Mona.
392. Anonymous said:
Lola
393. mariya said:
khan
ghengis khan.
394. Phoo-d said:
She looks like a Sierra to me! Other thoughts:
Alta
Dakota
Lucky
Minnie (like minney mouse or minnesota)
What a sweetie!
395. Allison said:
I'm sure someone has suggested this but I don't have time to wade through all THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-ONE comments.
Obama.
396. Anonymous said:
Ahhhh, very cute! How about Sooty??? could go for boy or girl
397. Dork du Soleil said:
Tulip
Pebbles
Punky
398. K said:
Sundance. Her eyes have a sunset color to them and she doing a dancers leap in the photo where she is chasing Coco. Nicknames could include Sunny and Dancer.
399. Katelynn said:
Gilligan or Pizza Face. :)
400. Chris C. said:
How about Rilla? That's what I was going to name the black cat I ended up not getting a month ago. (I work across from the humane society -- almost as bad as volunteering there!) The name is from the Anne of Green Gables books, by L.M. Montgomery, but it always makes me think of creeks in spring -- that rolling, bubbling sound they make :-)
401. Theresa said:
Caledonia / Callie for short
402. Mindy said:
Jambalaya..she is after all a mix of stuff...
They could call her Jam for short...or jamby
403. Anonymous said:
It's a shame that Furious Magician doesn't fit the criteria. Because that would be ALL RIGHT.
404. kariberi said:
How about "Daisy"
405. liz said:
She's definitely a Sadie, and I've already seen at least one other person suggest that.
(BTW Heather, I LOVED the post about the election - the one for which you unfortunately received death threats. I agree with you completely. Just wanted to tell you.)
406. Amira said:
Casey.
407. 'wela said:
I like Lulu or Pippa. I've been dying to get a little girl dog so I could name her one of those.
408. Mrs. Hudson said:
Mabel
Dolly
Memphis
Prozac
Lena
409. Bobbi said:
Walter! I love it when dogs have human names. The world needs more Walters, be they dog or human, don"t you think??
410. Lindsay said:
outdoorsy types?
how about:
Patagonia (patti for short)
411. Lily said:
CARMEN (so he can call her Car!)
although I'm all for Lily too!
412. Rachel B said:
My top 5 are:
1. Yuba
2. Moab
3. Moki
4. Taylor
5. Kanarra
All based off up great outdoor places in Utah. Hopefully she likes them.
413. Natasha said:
Danica...
I like Luka too!
How about Daphne?
414. pokeyann said:
Bounce, it's the first name that came to me when I saw the pictures, she seems awfully awesome! Congratulations!
415. Erin said:
I always wanted to name a dog "Kitty."
It'll make you giggle every time you call her: "Here Kitty!"
416. Aimee Greeblemonkey said:
Bryan has an infatuation with naming our next dog "Yogurt." In that dog's case it I suppose would almost have to be "Blackberry Yogurt" with it's shiny black color - but the name certainly would fit in with your midwestern accent thing.
417. Katrina said:
Bella Blue
418. Dutchess of Kickball said:
I think she looks like:
Cooper
Riff
Daphne
419. Bill said:
Hobo.
Boxcar.
420. Jill said:
ROXY!!!!!!!!!!
421. jules said:
how about lucille or lucy in honor of their bb king love. or dooce? or tosca?
422. Amy Howard said:
Lucky.
Either that or Barack.
Obama has a nice ring to it, but that breaks the two syllable requirement.
423. Elizabeth Marie said:
Definitely Charlie. Such a cute name for a girl or a boy dog!
424. Patrick said:
Casey. As in "at the bat." Best dog name ever. Yes, I am biased.
425. Heidi said:
I was at a Neko Case concert last night, and Neko dedicated every song to a different animal she had met at the Humane Society of Minneapolis on a tour in the afternoon. Example "this song is for snowball the cat, who purrs really loud and sleeps on her litterbox" etc.
So, Heather, I suggest the name Neko.
426. Bobbi said:
oops, totally missed the part that the dog is a girl! Still, walter is a great name!
427. Scarlett said:
I think Court's suggestion (#29) of Satchmo is brilliant!
428. tracie said:
I am not allowed to walk dogs at the humane society because I would bring one home...for sure.
Names:
Tendo (as in Nintendo)
Taco
Billy
Spaghetti
429. Meredith said:
Skipper. She totally looks like a Skipper.
She's adorable!!
430. Laura said:
I like the name "Noodle". Know why? Cause it's an awesome name. And who doesn't like noodles? Communist that's who. Wait...China is communist, so scratch that. But "Noodle" still rocks.
431. Kathy from NJ said:
Cinder
432. jessica said:
How about "lucky"?
As in... she is so very lucky to be adopted by a wonderful family!
433. Molly said:
Do. Not. Name. Her. MOLLY!
The sheer number of pet dogs named Molly around me growing up gave me a serious complex.
There's a small concentration of the people in the Midwest who pronounce milk "melk." So "Melky"? But she's black. Damn.
They also pronounce "Bowl" wrong, but it's imperceptible to the untrained ear--and to transliteration. How about "Bowler"? Like a cute little bowler hat? Or a bowling ball?
434. Chelle said:
She looks just like the dog I had growing up. Her name was Chelsea and she was just awesome. I am so glad she has a new home with a loving family.
435. CarolM said:
I think the kid already has it right: how about Carra? Then he can call her "Car" and all will be right with the world? You just know she's going to have a gazillion nick-names in no time at all anyway...
436. Kirsten said:
I'm absolutely horrible coming up with names for anything. My kids are lucky they have "normal" names. I just wanted to say that she is adorable and can you pick me out a new dog too?
437. Anonymous said:
Stormy (since she has that cloud on her chest)
or Star (since the white patch is a little star)
I admit one of these is my dog's name and no one ever knows that she's a she. But that sounds like one of your qualifications anyway.
438. Kacey said:
Harper...
439. Anonymous said:
Cinder ....
as in a live, flameless coal; ember
NOT as in Cinderella the princess - lol
Phoenix ......
a person or thing that has become renewed or restored after suffering calamity or apparent annihilation.
440. Anonymous said:
Libbey
441. Dawn said:
Wow, it seems like the ones I like have already been mentioned:
Scout seems to fit her personality from the pictures. Love it!
Maggie is also tres awesome, though.
So glad to see a happy puppy. Thanks for what you did!
442. Staci said:
How 'bout Sierra? I've always loved that name (& the Sierra Nevadas!). Plus, it totally reflects the outdoor lifestyle: you can hike, bike AND ski on a mountain :) Ok, so it breaks the 2 syllable rule, but I think we have a winner!
443. Jenifer said:
That dog is a DARBY if I ever saw one. I had a black lab just like that many years ago that was named Bogart. But this girl...she is definitely a Darby.
444. Anonymous said:
piper. definitely piper
445. stealingsand said:
Call her Besos (Spanish for kisses) :D
446. GEORGE! said:
Shithead. Or Sadie Beth. Either or.
447. mary said:
Bia (Goddess of violence).
448. Golden said:
Celie.
As in Miss celie from the Color Purple....there was jazz and blues in that movie!
449. Chris said:
The first name that came to mind when I saw her was Molly. She sure looks like one!
And she is beautiful, Heather. No wonder you fell in love with her. Your friend's family is lucky!
450. rj said:
Ok, I put "dooce" in the Sarah Palin Baby Name Generator:
http://politsk.blogspot.com/2008/09/sarah_13.html
I believe we have two very scientifically devised options, both containing 2 syllables.
Goalie
Sanka
451. Nicole said:
We had the hardest time coming up with a name for our dog, when a friend suggested a town/city name. So we looked up the list of cities in South Carolina where our dog is from and found Duncan.
Just browsing the A's - E's in Utah I liked the following:
Alma
Blair
Brendel
Clover
Delle
Its worth a shot.
452. Anonymous said:
Regina, and call her "Reggie"
I also have a black lab mix rescue, and she is the best dog I have ever had. Her name is Casey (after Casey Stengel); my Beagle is Pudge (after Carlton Fisk- can you tell I like baseball?) Feel free to use.
Dooce, you're aces for helping the animals.
453. Anonymous said:
looked at the picture and said Sophie. I see that is one that a lot of people suggested. I know it has nothing to do with their lifestyles and is very girly, but I saw her and I think she is Sophie.
454. Stephanie said:
Onyx.
455. Lyz said:
I'm from Fargo, and although it's a great city and all, I can't picture naming your dog after it. Even though it's great for our accents, doncha know.
I was thinking Lucille also, and Scout (the character in To Kill a Mockingbird is such a cute tomboy - plus it's outdoorsy.)
Our chocolate lab was named Elsa - "either she comes, or elsa she don't" - Dad is such a joker!
456. Heather said:
Joffre (pronounced jaw-free)or Juneau
457. lisa said:
Crap! I was going to say Crayon. But what about Tinsley?
458. Anonymous said:
Sammy - near and dear to my heart - she's a girl that is a little manly - hence the name
How about
Someone said Sadie - I like that
Lucy
Olive
Midnight
I second Millie too
My family went through a whole list when naming our last loyal companion - he ended up a Murphy
http://littlebit-mt.blogspot.com/
459. thelibrarianne said:
My first thought was Nina, as in the great singer Nina Simone. I'm sure it's already in the comments, but it seems to fit her. What a pretty dog! Love her eyes!
460. kate harris said:
She's beautiful!
Reminds me of my first dog, who was also a shelter dog (a stray) that we absolutely fell in love with. Her name was Brodie, which I think would be a wonderful name for this beautiful girl. It was also an easy adjustment for her - she'd been named Blackie by the shelter, too, and they sound enough alike that she responded to the name right away.
461. Renee said:
My two syllable named black-labXwhippetXwho-knows rescue is Beta.
462. Dana said:
Our family dog just passed away recently, and he was the sweetest golden retriever on earth. I would love it if they named the dog Tahoe!
463. Amanda said:
Memphis or Delta
464. Amanda said:
Memphis or Delta
465. Jenn said:
I knew a couple once who were big into hiking and mountain biking, and they loved to go to a place called Tsali, NC. They adopted a yellow lab, and then named her Tsali. It's pronounced Sah-Lee. I don't know how someone from the mid-west would pronounce that, but surely there is something in there to mock.
466. Anonymous said:
Blossom or Montana
467. Jeff said:
I see I'm not the first to think CRAYON.
Seems like Princess ought to be in the mix too.
(Should I be worried that my captcha words are "unrest" & "divorce?")
468. Betsy said:
My boyfriend refuses to let me name any of our pets RUBY... I'm not sure what his aversion is to RUBY but I am just enamored with it and would love to see a cute little pup named RUBY!
469. Anonymous said:
Bingo
470. Tesa said:
My vote is for "Timber"
Timmmmmmmbeeeeeeeeeeeeeeer!!!!!
471. Jen said:
Stevie - as in Stevie Ray Vaughan. If they are blues fans, they may like Stevie.
Sawyer is adorable, too. There is a girl at my daughter's school named Sawyer, so it can be used for a female.
Good job saving this sweet puppy!
472. Mental P Mama said:
Lucky
473. make art every day said:
my daughter suggests "elise". perhaps because it is her middle name?
474. Supposed to be working said:
I think the internet ate my comment . . .
Several people suggested Bailey, which is the perfect name. It's my last name and also the best thing to put on vanilla ice cream.
475. Kim said:
How about Mojo? It means magic charm. It is also is a word in a lot of blues songs (see Wikepedia) Or Kismet? ...as in it was fate that we be together!! That dog is great! Good luck!
476. Vi said:
Car sounds like a winner to me. How about Shampoo?
477. Anonymous said:
Tillie.
Because they're gonna love that little doggie tillie world do end.
478. E-Lo said:
Jersey. I think it's cute. And who knows, maybe she has the accent to match.
I volunteer at my local humane society too - I love it. I do their website photos, design their newsletters and event flyers, and of course, CUDDLE!!! It's the best. Good for you for putting your heart out there... that's how I found my buddy Red. It was love at first sight and he's been my shadow ever since!
479. Capree said:
What about Wrigley? We just got a dog and named him Wrigley, but I think it's a pretty unisex name and would work for a girl. We named ours after Wrigley Field because my husband and his family are huge Cubs fans.. in fact the other dog in his family is named Cubbie.
480. koz said:
Palin? Your heroine!
Mrs. Haversham
Pumblechook!
Jane Eyre
Josphine, Meg, Beth, Amy, Laurie (any to be followed by March)
Ohhh - Nelly Dean!
Anything from the REI brands page? http://www.rei.com/brands
I really need to stop.
481. Jen said:
I say Jo-Jo
I am a firm believer that every dog should have a middle name with which you can holla when you are really mad they are squating on your flowers.. ours is OREO - Joe.
A previous dog (not with us anymore) was Jezabelle Michelle.. very girly but rolled off the tongue nicely.
She's beautiful - best of luck naming her!
482. Amymarie said:
Taco!
483. Anonymous said:
Bunny!
484. Wonton said:
I'm a big fan of nature-type names>>>
Hazel (my rabbit's name)
River
Basil
Sassafras
Rain
Fern
Cedar
Cheyenne!!
Echo!!
Comet
485. Sonja said:
Too frickin funny that the first person said Harry... either knows Carol and was being funny, or has never looked at Carol's blog to see her son is Harrison. Since they are from Green Bay, what about Packer (unless they hate the Packers, which would be a sin in WI). I like Rory or Cleo.
486. AnnaMarie said:
I've always wanted a dog named Juball. (as in, joo-ball)
487. mkonkol said:
Springer came to mind when I saw the picture of him springing after Coco
488. Toni said:
As soon as I saw her, and I don't know why, I thought of Soleil, which means sun in French...and is pronounced so-lay. I am not being snooty. I just look at her, and that is what popped into my head. Then I thought, someone will think I am snooty, so then I thought of other names (Frida, cuz she reminds me of Frida Kahlo, Imogene, but I don't know why, and Scarlet, because it is pretty.) In the end, I came back to Soleil. Dooce, if you read this, I think I may love this puppy as much as I love Chuck. It's those eyes. I hope her new people love her, and I hope they bring joy to each other. Good luck with the naming. :)
489. Lynn said:
Come to think of it, why not just call her Puppy? We attempted to name our cat but I always called him my little buddy. I never called him by his "official" name, so now, 12 years later, he's Buddy. Whatever affectionate nickname they call her most should be her name.
490. Angel said:
Betty.
Or Veronica.
Or Thelma....maybe Louise?
Or....Prancer.....
491. shannon said:
Snookie~ It's actually what my sister nicknamed my oldest son when he was a baby, I smile every time I hear it
Jessie~ All American, sporty, great name for a dog!
492. slub said:
Tooker.
You fell in love with her and "took'er" home!
493. Lisa said:
Sticking with the outdoorsy theme, I'm going with:
Rossi
It's sort of a play on Rosie and the ski brand Rossignol's nickname.
She's adorable! Congratulations on making one dog and a bunch of people very happy.
494. Cate said:
Carbon
Guinness
495. Kristen said:
Tootsie! Tootsie means sweetheart and is a "pet" name for some, so you have the sweet/cute aspect of it.
The puppy is dark, like a tootsie roll.
But a tootsie roll also looks like poop, which is funny.
496. Karen said:
Carly (like Car, but a little bit better!)
Ella (for Fitzgerald)
Lucy
Sadie
Belle
497. Fungusblogs said:
Ms. Obama!
498. Carey said:
We currently have a Roscoe and lost a Bubba about a year ago. Can you tell we live in the midwest? My dh even has quite an accent that you could really make fun of, I do. I grew up 90 miles north of him and didn't get an accent, none of the people in CA where I lived for 12 years could tell I was from the midwest.
How about:
Maggie
Bridget
Lula (this is my personal favorite
499. Wonton said:
Leeloo
500. Molly Amanda said:
Pearla
Pronounced pearl-ah, because she's a gift!
Dictionary definition of a pearl; Something valued because of its excellence or beauty.
501. Kristina C. said:
I just wanted to let you know that I think that it is great that you are volunteering for The Humane Society! I want to volunteer, but can't, because either I'd be bawling my eyes out all the time or adopting all of the animals!
Your post was both hilarious and touching! I'm so glad that "BABY" has been adopted! (Baby is my choice for her name!)
502. Jessica said:
I like Scout - like Scout Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird.
503. haley said:
ahhhhhhh she is ratty tattty and adroable looking! Name her Janis Joplin the dog that is who she looks like. You could call her JJ, joppy, Jjop, Jopliny oohhh so many reeeediculous dog nicknames that are kind of embarassing to say for the first time. But after the 5th or 6th time you call her dog brains or joppymoppyjuu or J Dawwwg it just becomes so hilarious that the feeling of silly embarrassment disappears!
Cheers!
504. Kristina said:
Name that dog Maverick. Please. Or Iceman. But I think a girl dog named Maverick is officially the coolest thing in the world.
505. Lily said:
I've always like the name Piper, however, based on the last picture, Sheba seems quite appropriate.
506. Meg said:
Aspen
Cinder
Weezy
507. Peggy said:
Mamie or Bessie, after Mamie Smith or Bessie Smith (the first blues music women).
508. Shawna said:
How about Lucky? She seems like she's lucky to have found you and her new family! =)
509. Noelle said:
OK, as a Midwesterner, I'm feeling defensive. Hrmph.
My suggestions for the name:
Mila
Dakota
Moxie
Honore ("on-er-ray")(street in Chicago, not sure where they are from.)
Madison
Spooky
Sparky
Blue
510. DeAnna said:
Kamir (Kuh meer)
(pronounced almost like "come here")
or Piper.
I liked Fargo too.
511. Acher said:
My husband is determined that if we ever get a dog that we can actually name, that we name him/her Phideaux. I'm not sure he actually realizes that when we call the dog Fido no one is going to get the "special" spelling just from the pronunciation.
This is all very unlikely, though, since we seem to only adopt older dogs (ok, middle aged, like 5 and 7) that already know their given names.
512. nora said:
Pot Roast! The name was a heavy contender when i got a corgi earlier this year. I just love saying it. Pot Roast!
513. Lauren said:
How about Roo! The picture of her jumping made me think of it. Like a kangaroo. It rolls off the tongue and it's easy to make cutesy names out of when necessary.
She also reminds me of:
Roxy
Sam
I am so glad that she found a good home.
514. KatnYak said:
Samantha... Sammie for short. She looks just like our original Sam. Sounds like she has the same personality, too!
515. Anonymous said:
Molly?
516. lisa v. said:
i concur with the lucille/lucy suggestions above. also like sophie - but please, not shadow/onyx/etc. blech!!
517. jayrose said:
i second stella. i have a yellow lab named stella and it lends itself perfectly when chasing her down the street or calling her name in a pack of playing dogs....steeelllllllaaaaaaaaaaaa. a la streetcar named desire, but we named her for a song...stella blue...
this is fun in general to read everyone's posts, naming a dog is a weighted task...
518. Finn said:
Scout, from "To Kill A Mockingbird." She reminds me of the girl from the movie.
Second choice: Cooper
519. Anita said:
In honor of nearby Wasatch-Cache National Forest:
ALTA
520. Anonymous said:
Maggie! What a sweetie pie!
521. neena said:
I like Petra, and it means solid or rock (greek origin). It always been one of my favorite names.
522. Krista said:
Hmm... what if you visit the Sarah Palin Baby Name Generator at http://politsk.blogspot.com/2008/09/sarah_13.html and enter some ideas... I entered Coco and it came back with the name "Recoil Mush Palin." Seems like as good an idea as any... (like Track, Trig, Bristol, Willow, or Piper)
523. Anonymous said:
Cubbie
Peyton
UffDa
Ernie
524. Kim said:
First choice: RAVEN
I also like the name: LUPINE
525. Lins said:
Sprocket!
526. Katherine said:
I don't have a suggestion just undying gratitude that I am not the only volunteer in the world who has accidentally let a dog loose. (Thankfully he didn't get out of the building, but the angst and near fainting makes that point irrelevant.)
527. Rebecca said:
She looks like a Samantha. Shortened to Sam or Sammy. Just look at her. Don't you agree?
528. simone said:
Issie
Canyon
rylee
sky (skyla)
starry
529. Anonymous said:
Lena? Sadie? Dinah? Josie? Frankie?
530. Anonymous said:
Lucille?
Wasn't that what BB King called his guitar?
531. Sara R said:
Ella... (Fitzgerald)
532. Aly Beth said:
I knew a dog named "Licky" short for Licorice. She was an incredible dog. She reminds me of her completely!!
I'd love to know what their final decision is!
533. Tanis said:
Pepper
534. Inthru said:
It might be different with children who can't agree, and probably with dogs, huh, because they're supposed to come when you call them, so they need to know their names. I haven't used my cat's name to her face in forever, but I think the most useful names come up in sort of a job interview a la free-associating with your new pet. It's crazy a little, but that is how I can come up with a new name for my cat at any time (today, as of 3 or 4 minutes ago, she is 'designated driver') and she doesn't know how cute or useful it is to me to call her that. She thinks her name is hand or ready.
I'd name a dog people, or janice, or hodie, maybe deve. It's probably not a good idea, that last one, for raising children, like I said. They seem like friendly names, they're kind of just syllables to me. Happy is a good name. Some people like dignified names, but they always shorten to a "calling name," what it seems like you're asking for. Cute story and glad you're helping out the pups.
535. Casper said:
Voodoo (that is the name of my black cat)
Salem
Cooper
Wiggles
Porter
536. ChristineQ said:
I vote for Dolly!
537. sara said:
Darlin'.
538. Kristy said:
I'm surprised no one has said Lucky!!! She certainly seems lucky to have found such a great family and Luck and Chuck rhyme!
539. cmomof4 said:
I think 'Eja' is a gorgeous name. Pronounced 'Asia' --- just seems simple, yet elegant and asexual.
540. Kim said:
Name her Kitty. Then you can call "Here, Kitty, Kitty" and a dog will come running.
541. Perfectly Disgraceful said:
I know this is totally unoriginal and doesn't fit any of your criteria, but that dog looks exactly like my old dog, Murphy. He was such a good dog, I miss him. I once gave him a rolled-up pancake to eat. He held it in his mouth for about ten minutes, drooling, because he didn't know what to do with it and he was so sweet that he wasn't about to gobble it down without my full permission. Good old Murphy.
I'm not at all sporty or outdoorsy or into the blues, so I shouldn't even be posting anything, but definitely Murphy. Or Billie Holiday. Because then you could sing to her all the time Billie Holiday-style, like David Sedaris.
542. Anonymous said:
I like the Fargo suggestion, but only if they're from the far northern midwest. Otherwise, I think Dubuque is a good one, or if they're from the southern midwest: K.C. (or Casey), or Cairo (pronounced kay-roe).
But I also think she looks like a Louise.
Great story.
543. Sal said:
Hi,
I'm new!
Names... Well, when I saw they like to hike, I thought of Hikey (pronounced Hi-key).
Khaki (car-key. Geddit?)
Scooby
Freda
Rocky
Bella
544. Lindsarella said:
Cara.
If the 8 year old likes "Car" just make it "Cara" (pronounced Car-ah)
545. graymatter said:
Looking at that face, I just think "Sweetie"
546. McKenzie said:
What about Carly? That way Harry still can call her Car...
547. Anonymous said:
I know it's longer - but Sierra is so pretty and outdoorsy...
548. Fig said:
Was leaning toward Marvin until I re-read and discovered he's a she. How I missed that the first time, I don't know.
I like the suggestions of Lucy, Sadie, and Molly from above . . . although I personally prefer fusty old fart names for my animals (my bulldog is Harvey). In that vein, I like Phyllis, Gertie, Harriet, Doris, and Eunice. Oh, and Margo. She'd be a GREAT Margo.
549. Anna said:
To me, she looks like her name should be Christmas Pup. I can't tell you why. she just does. good luck.
550. jeff said:
what about Midwest?
551. bek said:
Lyla!
552. Anonymous said:
Shasta like the beautiful lake in northern California
553. Mo said:
Coming from a household where we name all our pets after jazz legends and totally get the blues thing, I think she looks like a beautiful Bessie.
554. Luann said:
Bella
555. Briana said:
How's about. . .
Poplar?
There are so many "blues" names out there, I like:
Stormy (like Stormy Weather!)
Bluenote (expressive dog = expressive blues scale?)
556. Nichole said:
Tiz
When you call for the dog it's, Here Tiz, Here Tiz and who knows what will come or what the neighbors will think...
557. Moriya said:
I love the name Sophie.
Beautiful dog, she's a keeper!
558. Anonymous said:
midnight
lake
559. Kristen said:
Hunter
Dakota
Nugget
Shadow
Scout
Smoky
560. Jodi said:
Bonnie for sure, after Bonnie Raitt.
561. Amanda said:
She looks like a Bailey to me :)
562. Michelle said:
Shelby
Roxy
Bella
563. Charity said:
Ever
It is cute, girly, but not too girly and since they loved her so much they will keep her for ever.
564. Anonymous said:
Chepa.
As in the french fast pronunciation of "je ne sais pas" meaning "i don't know" (what his name is)
565. Andrea said:
Indy (I'm from the Midwest too - Indiana)
Layla
Banjo (friend's dog named this and it's so cute)
Sammy
Magic
566. MissyB said:
I agree with Crayon.
I also thought:
Smokey, for the mountains.
P.I.T.A short for Pain In The A** (My husband once convinced a friend to name his cat this without telling the meaning. He would laugh every time they called the cat.)
Oreo for the white spot on the neck.
567. Meghan said:
Love this post, but more importantly, LOVE that dog! That is the exact kind of dog I want and have been looking for here in Seattle.
Anyways, my two cents:
Max-multiple endings (fill in the rest of the name - Maximillan, Maximus, etc.) You could make a lot of variations on that name.
Hudson - My favorite - name it after a river.
Cash (someone already said it) but my best friend's dog is Cash, and we have all sorts of variations for her - my favorite is "Cash-man-du".
I also think a middle name is just as important!
568. Teresa D said:
Miss June Carter Cash. Miss June for hollering purposes.
569. JENNY T said:
Did anyone say LUCILLE yet? It's the name of BB King's guitar. It's really a fabulous name for a dog. Or a guitar.
570. Maria said:
Muddy!!
Covers the outdoors, the blues and it's 2 syllables.
571. El said:
Coltrane
572. ali said:
Gypsy
I had a dog almost identical to that one growing up, but his name was Chuck, and I'm pretty sure that's taken. ;)
573. Jan said:
Awwwww. She's beautiful. The eyes!
Topaz
Choco
Daisy
also like Mica, suggested by someone else
574. Ben said:
My sister in-law's black labs name is Chester. However, my two year old daughter renamed him and it stuck.
Chachi
575. Ana said:
MARLEY
576. Kelly said:
Bella! As evidenced by the other replies, she's a Bella.
577. Anonymous said:
we had a black lab female rescue that we named Marmie - a play on Marmaduke -- it's a cute name.
578. Sheshie said:
Mango
Basa (Ba-za)
Ruger (Roo-ger)
Monkey
Aja (means come here in Punjabi)
579. Emmy said:
I like Ryan and Sadie from other people's comments. Also, she looks just like a dog we had named Mel. (He was a boy, but it could be short for Melanie...?)
580. Heather said:
*Sweet Pea*
awwwww
581. Carol said:
Cedar
Powder
Marin (bicycle manufacturer)
SheBeest (cycling jerseys)
582. liz said:
i think pet names just happen. when i adopted my dog, her name was nyobi. i, of course, had to change it immediately but i couldn't just make one up. i had to get to know her first. so i took her back to my friends place and she just sat around. i went up to pet her and i said, 'geez, guys, this girl is soooo mellow...they call me mellow yellow (hearing the gap commercial song)...i'm just mad about saffron. saffron's mad about me. her name is saffron.' and i love telling this story. if i gave it some more time, i would probably have named her bitey or crazy or something (not really) but saffron stuck. and she took to it right away. and when she hears that song, i swear, she smiles.
583. Leala said:
What about Boudreaux (nicknamed Boo!)If anyone pronounced the 'x' there would be plenty of cause for name-calling, pointing and laughing!
584. denise said:
What state in the Midwest are they from??? Maybe a cool name of one of the towns from there Home state....
585. marlene said:
darla
586. Shannon said:
Etta
587. Anonymous said:
shanie! (pronounced SHAY-NEE)
love this name for a dog
588. gladcow said:
she reminds me of my sweet big dog, so her name should be LOLA!
589. Erin Brown said:
I agree with Fargo, Annie, and Layla. I have an Amos...he needs an Andee...She could be his Andee.
Kudos to you Heather for your work at the humane society. I am an RN and since I got my Amos, I've considered becoming a Vet Tech...*sigh* maybe someday. I agree that you should totally do a daily pet section. You could advocate for SO MANY PUPPIES!!!
590. Sally said:
Ella (Fitzgerald)
Etta (James)
Nina (Simone)
Lucille/Lucy/Lulu
Sadie
591. Perfectly Disgraceful said:
Now I'm just stealing names from a friend, but he had a dog named Truckie. He swears that his next dog will be named Ericclapton, all one word, because it will make him laugh when he calls the dog. He also has a cat named Rooster. He's a genius not only at naming animals but also at making mixed drinks, quite a friend.
592. Michele said:
Chloee
593. Erin said:
I am going to agree with Sadie, I think that is a lovely name! It isn't too girly, and has some blues history: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Sadie
594. Leigh said:
Boogaloo. I know it's more than 2 syllables, but it's the perfect name. Boo for short.
595. Sundance Moods said:
Austin, which is my dog's name but I'm willing to share...
My dog is also a black lab mix :)
596. Angela said:
Angel
Because you were watching over her and made sure she found her people.
597. Tiffany said:
I had a black lab mix named Babe when I was growing up. Or how about Jazzy?
598. Olivia said:
well, I would say Koko, After Koko Taylor.. but that name seems to be taken.
How about Shameika? or Watermelon? or Vaughn?
599. Anonymous said:
I thought of more...
Cosmo
Bogey
Barley
Clancey
Roley
Lacey
Sadie
Piper
Isis