'People say the name I gave my dog isn't normal – but I love it'

Daily Record

23-04-2025

While you'll find plenty of dogs named Luna and Baileys frolicking in the park, it's not every day that a dog's name grabs your attention. That's precisely what happens when one woman takes her golden retriever puppy out and about, having chosen an unconventional name just for kicks. Sharing her story on Reddit, she wrote: "She's my first dog as an adult, and I put so much thought into naming her, wanted something elegant, unique but not ridiculous, a little literary but still cute." The woman went on to describe why she chose the name Ellowyn, which evokes "forests, old poetry and a fairy-tale" for her, aiming for something "Not made up, not trendy-trendy, just... whimsical." Yet, the name has drawn some unexpected reactions when she calls out to her pet in public, with some even suggesting she opt for different names for the sake of the dog. Recounting the responses she's received, she said: "Here's some of the feedback I've gotten from people I thought would be supportive. My roommate, 'Oh. That's... a name. Are you gonna call her Ellie or something normal?'" She added: "A friend from college, 'Is that, like, Elowen? But spelled wrong? Or... Tolkien?' My brother sends me a meme about white girls naming their pets like Renaissance babies. "My mum: 'Are you sure that's not going to confuse people at the vet?' She's a dog. Not enrolling in kindergarten!' "And for what it's worth, Ellowyn responds to it already, and it suits her perfectly. She's calm and a little goofy and loves pinecones." The owner concluded: "Anyway, lesson learned: maybe I won't announce the name next time until it's on the dog tag and too late to argue." In response to her post, one follower commented: "I think if it were a child it would be, but pets kind of have different rules. They don't need to know how to spell their name and they won't know if anyone makes fun of them. The only person who will have to correct people on spelling is you! "I mean, my cat is called Inspector Clawseau. And the dog is Bruce Springersteen. And many pet rats with silly pun names. If it make you happy then who cares?" Another chimed in with some practical advice, saying: "It's a dog. Name as you please, but from years of experience with dogs it's not a name that rolls off the tongue when trying to train them or call their name from danger. That can be the official name but I suspect that Ellie will get a better response from the dog." A third shared their own experience, adding: "My dog was named Elphaba three years ago, way before the movie came out and only theatre nerds knew who she was. I caught so much crap from family and friends who were convinced the dog would never learn her name. "But Elphie had the last laugh. She answers to Elphaba, any nickname you could dream up, and the whole family kept getting it wrong until the movie made it mainstream (insert eye roll here, you're welcome)."