Harry Potter fans have a lot to celebrate, what with the opening of the new Diagon Alley at Universal Orlando’s Wizarding World and creator J.K. Rowling adding an exciting new coda to her beloved series of books starring the boy wizard and his intrepid friends on her Pottermore website.
Cleverly penned as if Daily Prophet gossip queen Rita Skeeter were reporting on the old gang’s attendance at the Quidditch World Cup, the article describes how all the grown-up members of Dumbledore’s Army seem to be doing quite well, as is Rowling, who’s at her hilarious best as describing the 33-year-old Harry: “there are a couple of threads of silver in the famous Auror’s black hair, but he continues to wear the distinctive round glasses that some might say are better suited to a style-deficient twelve-year-old.”
By the way, if you sign up to access Pottermore, the site automatically assigns you your choice of several user names. I got NimbusSilver26591 and SunCauldron9335 as well as the one I chose, SparksWombat8313, which I kinda love for a dog name.
Speaking of which, Rowling’s magical imagination is also responsible for plenty of creative pets and pet names. Remember Harry’s owl, Hedwig; Hermione’s cat, Crookshanks; and Ron’s evil toad Scabbers? And who could forget Hagrid’s three-headed guard dog Fluffy? While all of these are perfectly acceptable dog names for any Potter fan, DoggieNames.com has come up with some more interesting choices inspired by the still-popular series.
1 Hairy Potter
Perfect for the shaggy dog in your life. And you can’t go wrong with Harry Pawter or Harry Pugster, either.
2. Luna
Luna Lovegood made her mark as a trusted and important member of Harry’s inner circle, even though, like her name, she’s known to be a little loony. Luna also means “the moon,” and the word’s construction — two strong syllables with vowel sounds — makes it easy for animals to respond to. It’s become an increasingly popular dog name, akin to Lilly and Lola.
3. Gryffindor
Harry and his friends belong to this house, one of four at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The names of the other houses — Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw –- are fine choices too, but they just don’t roll off the tongue the way a good pet moniker like “Gryff” does.
Of course, you could just slightly alter them and get Gryffindog, Slobberin, Huffleruff, and Roverclaw, if you prefer.
4. Dobby
The ever-so-grateful house elf, freed from indentured servitude from the Malfoys by Harry. This would be a great name for a pet with large, soulful eyes; big floppy ears — and/or a hairless breed, like an Italian Greyhound or a Chihuahua.
Definitely a Dobby by Shutterstock.com>
5. Muggle
J.K. Rowling coined this term in her brilliant novels to describe a person who does not possess magical powers. But how cute is it for a dog or cat name? We predict it’ll be this generation’s Gizmo — one of the most popular dog names of the last few years — derived from the ’80s movie Gremlins.
6. Snitch
A small golden sphere with wings that zips around the playing field in the wizarding sport of Quidditch, Snitch would go nicely with a blonde or golden dog, especially one that moves fast. In fact, Quidditch would make a great, sporty name, as would the balls used to play it –- Quaffle and Bludger.
And while we’re on the subject, Nimbus, the brand name of Harry’s flying broom, would fit a nimble pet perfectly.
7. Patronus
An animal protector cast by a spell as a way to defend against dark creatures. A very regal name for a guard dog, perhaps.
8. Sirius/Padfoot
Harry’s godfather, Sirius Black, transformed into a large black dog named Padfoot in order to escape the dreaded prison of Azkaban. Fittingly, Sirius is another name for one of the brightest stars in the galaxy, also known as alpha Canis Majoris — the Dog Star.
9. Grawp
Hagrid’s half-brother is a full-fledged giant, so this name fits a large breed of dog quite well. Plus, it’ll definitely make an impression when you call for your buddy at the park. Hagrid would also be a fine fit for a hefty canine.
Portrait of a Neapolitan Mastiff by Shutterstock.com”>
10. Fang
And last but definitely not least, who could forget Hagrid’s dog, Fang, known for his copious slobber. He was identified in the books as a boarhound, but was portrayed in the films by a series of Neapolitan Bull Mastiffs.
According to the Potter wiki, Fang was played by a veritable pack of dogs named Hugo, Bully, Bella, Vito, Luigi, Monkey, and Uno.
If you can think of any more great “Harry Potter” dog names, we’d love to hear them!
Read more about dog names:
- Girl Dog Names: A Wealth of Cute and Unique Choices
- The World’s Most Popular Dog Names for 2013
- Let’s Talk: What’s the Strangest Dog Name You’ve Ever Heard
- Would You Change Your Dog’s Name If Nobody Could Pronounce It?
- Let’s Talk: How Do You Choose Names for Your Dogs?
- Six Cooler Names I Wish I’d Given My Dog
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