Tuesday, January 19, 2016

18th Century Dog names


I enjoy Eighteenth-century  hunting treatises, and as a dog lover I was very excited when I stumbled across
"A Catalogue of some general Names of HOUNDS and BEAGLES." from The Gentlemen's Recreation (1721 edition).  If anyone is ever in need of a name for a new pooch, inspiration can surely be found here.


Long standing favorites Lady and Rover are in the mix, as are a few less familiar names such as Sweetlips,  and Mopsie that George Washington utilized. 




The Lightfoot dog buttons at Colonial Williamsburg give us an insight into some other hound names used in Virginia in the period:

"Loiterer, Noisey, Ringwood, Rainger, Juno, Tinkerer, Tanner, Caesar, Blossom, Rover,  Piper... and two Trumpiters..."




At the very least you will likely be the only one calling  for Bluecap, Jolly boy, Spanker, or Soundwel at the dog park.