Introduction
The Afghan Hound is believed to be one of the most ancient domestic dog breeds, with records showing its existence as far back as 4000 BC. Playfully referred to as “Affie”, its thick, flowing coat is its most distinct feature. Apart from being the breed’s crowning glory, the coat also helps protect Affies from the cold weather conditions in the mountainous areas where they usually work. While the Afghan Hound might seem a bit aloof, it eventually shows its wacky side, providing lots of amusement to its human companions. Do not be fooled by its glamorous look though, because the Affie is a hunter through and through. Hence, owners of the breed would benefit from letting the dog play outdoors. The Afghan Hound has the perfect personality mix of shyness, independence and humor, making it a great pet to have in your home.
Afghan Hound Dog Names in Pop Culture
Because of its idiosyncratic look, the Afghan Hound can be seen in a number of film animations. One of the most notable appearances of an Affie is in the 1988 animated musical film entitled Oliver & Company. Produced by Walt Disney Pictures, the film is a comedy-drama animation which centers on Oliver, an orphaned kitten who meets and befriends a group of street dogs.
In the film, Oliver finds himself lost in the streets and chances upon a stray named Dodger, who helps him acquire food. Oliver follows Dodger and ends up in a barge where a gang of dogs are staying. One of the dogs is an Afghan Hound named Rita. She is the only female member of the gang and agrees to take Oliver under her wing. After Oliver becomes an official “member”, they come up with ways to help the gang leader pay off his debt to a loan shark. Thus begins a series of funny but challenging events involving Oliver and the dogs. At the end of the film, Oliver gets adopted by a girl named Jenny. He, however, vows to remain in contact with his the dog gang.
Like most Disney animated films, Oliver & Company became a success in the box office, having grossed $74 million worldwide. Rita’s character also made the Afghan Hound a more identifiable breed in the United States. In fact, the Affie can be seen in later Walt Disney animated films, such as the 1996 film 101 Dalmatians, its 2000 sequel 102 Dalmatians and the 2001 animation Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp’s Adventure. An Afghan Hound character named Sylvie can also be found in the 1995 live action film Balto, albeit in a minor role.
Other than animated films, the Afghan Hound has been frequently featured in literary works. A children’s book series called What-a-Mess, written by author Frank Muir, features a central role for the dog breed. The titular character, whose actual name is “Prince Amir of Kinjan”, is a clumsy Afghan Hound who seems to always find himself in sticky situations. The popularity of the series in the United Kingdom helped put the Afghan Hound on the map. Moreover, with its success, the book was eventually adapted into an animated series of the same name. Other literary works that feature an Affie include Between the Acts by Virginia Woolf, The Solomon Scandals, by David Rothman and a couple of Nina Wright’s mystery novels.
Afghan Hound Dog Name Considerations
The ancient Afghan Hound breed is one of a kind and rightfully deserves a name that shows how special it is. The physical attributes of the Affie leave a lot of room for name ideas. The most noticeable feature of the breed is its long, flowing coat. Many Affie owners elect to name their dogs after their epic coat. One good example for a name is “Silky”, which is an homage to the dog’s fur that resembles silk. You may also focus on the coat color of your Affie, which may come in black, cream or red. Likewise, you can use the disposition of your dog as an inspiration for a name. For instance, you can call your Affie “Hunter”, referring to the breed’s hunting skills.
To take things up a notch, you may opt to give your new pooch a name according to its country of origin. As its name suggests, the breed came from the country of Afghanistan. Hence, a sensible move would be to choose a meaningful Afghan name or any other name that is reminiscent of the Afghan culture. This also helps retain the novelty of the breed. For instance, you can give the name “Imam”, which means “leader”, to your new Afghan Hound.
Male Afghan Hound Dog Names
Votes | Name | Vote |
---|---|---|
5 |
Lobo
Means “wolf” in Spanish
|
|
2 |
Copper
A reddish metal; good for red Affies
|
|
1 |
Mateen
Afghan name meaning “well-mannered person”
|
|
1 |
Caesar
Latin name meaning “hairy”
|
|
1 |
Taj
Arabic name meaning “crown”
|
|
0 |
Prince
Title given to the royal son of the queen and king
|
|
0 |
Chaos
Complete mayhem or disorder; for Affies who like to make a mess
|
|
0 |
Boomer
Dutch name meaning “gatekeeper”
|
|
-1 |
Rafee
Arabic name meaning “noble”
|
|
-2 |
Sheik
An Arab leader
|
|
-2 |
Nadim
Arabic name meaning “friend”
|
|
-2 |
Taimur
Afghan name meaning “as strong as iron”
|
|
-2 |
Yar
Means “companion or friend” in Persian
|
|
-2 |
Hamid
Arabic name meaning “praiseworthy”
|
|
-2 |
Aryo
A famous Iranian hero
|
|
-2 |
Ilias
A prophet who lived during King Ahab’s reign
|
|
-3 |
Tazi
The local name for Afghan Hounds
|
|
-3 |
Asadi
Afghan name meaning “strong like a lion”
|
|
-3 |
Amir
Arabic name meaning “king”
|
|
-3 |
Nicholas
Greek name meaning “victory of the people”; can be shortened to “Nick”
|
|
-3 |
Jaeger
German name meaning “hunter”
|
|
-4 |
Imam
Means “leader” in Afghan
|
|
-4 |
Rayi
Afghan name meaning “amazing”
|
|
-4 |
Faireh
Afghan name meaning “bringer of happiness”
|
|
-4 |
Crimson
Of a deep red color; good for red Affies
|
|
-4 |
Noor
Means “light” in Arabic
|
|
-4 |
Ramin
Arabic name meaning “warrior”
|
|
-4 |
Metro
Short for metropolitan; good for city-living Affies
|
|
-4 |
Jalil
Arabic name meaning “great”
|
|
-5 |
Adel
Arabic name meaning “righteous”
|
Female Afghan Hound Dog Names
Votes | Name | Vote |
---|---|---|
5 |
Zia
Arabic name meaning “light”
|
|
5 |
Callie
Greek name meaning “beautiful”
|
|
4 |
Kali
Swahili name meaning “fierce”
|
|
4 |
Sheba
An old Arabian kingdom frequently mentioned in the Bible
|
|
2 |
Tara
Derived from Afghan name “Taara”, which means “apple of the eye”
|
|
2 |
Sasha
Greek name meaning “defender of mankind”
|
|
2 |
Beta
Persian name meaning “unique”
|
|
1 |
Rae
Scottish name meaning “grace”
|
|
1 |
Karima
Arabic name meaning “precious”; can be shortened to “Rima”
|
|
0 |
Camila
Latin name meaning “free-born”
|
|
0 |
Lela
Persian name meaning “dark-haired beauty”; good for black Affies
|
|
0 |
Tillie
German name meaning “powerful battler”
|
|
0 |
Meeko
Japanese name meaning “child of prosperity”
|
|
0 |
Raina
French name meaning “queen”
|
|
0 |
Tasha
Shortened version of “Zartasha”, which means “made up of golden stars”
|
|
-1 |
Kamisha
Afghan name meaning “a happy soul”; can be shortened to “Misha”
|
|
-2 |
Naz
Derived from "Kinaaz", an Afghan name meaning “pride of the king”
|
|
-2 |
Delara
Persian name meaning “beloved”; can be shortened to “Lara”
|
|
-2 |
Farah
Arabic name meaning “joy”
|
|
-2 |
Lida
Russian name meaning “beloved by all”
|
|
-2 |
Vida
Latin name meaning “life”
|
|
-2 |
Jett
A black gemstone; good for black Affies
|
|
-3 |
Damsa
Means “a silk of white color” in Afghan; top name for an Affie
|
|
-4 |
Naderah
Arabic name meaning “rare”
|
|
-4 |
Shabana
Arabic name meaning “belonging to the night”; good for black Affies
|
|
-4 |
Hesther
Afghan name meaning “star”
|
|
-4 |
Asman
Afghan name meaning “sky”
|
|
-4 |
Zahab
Arabic name meaning “gold”
|
|
-4 |
Roshan
Persian name meaning “bright”
|
|
-4 |
Sia
Old Norse name meaning “victory”
|