Introduction
When it comes to movies, having a fanbase is almost a sure thing. Some people may like a movie, some might not. However, one sub-genre that breaks all the norms is a cult film. This genre refers to a movie (usually a polarizing one) that has developed a massive, dedicated fanbase, known as a cult following. These followers try to determine the film’s crux and then create an entire sub-culture based on this. Repetitive viewing of their chosen cult film is also a custom. More often than not, cult films are eccentric and unique. This is the very reason why a lot of cinephile animal lovers have taken inspiration from these cult films when naming their pets.
Cult Film Dog Names in Pop Culture
In the world of cult films, there is no shortage of featured dogs. Perhaps one of the most famous mutts to ever be featured in a cult film is Cujo, the wild Saint Bernard from the movie of the same name. The film, released in 1983, is an adaptation from the novel written by renowned horror writer Stephen King. Cujo is about a happy-go-lucky Saint Bernard who turns violent after being bitten by a bat. This transformation leads to a series of events involving an uncontrollably mad Cujo attacking and harming several individuals who gets in his way. He also attacks every person he comes across. At the end of the film, Cujo is eventually subdued and the family he is trying to harm reunites.
The horror movie, like most Stephen King novels that were adapted into the big screen, consists of an unconventional storyline that leans towards a morbid plot. Cujo achieved mild success in the box office. Despite this, however, it gained a huge cult following years after it was first released. With a loyal fanbase, Cujo remained relevant and is still being talked about to date.
Another classic cult film featuring a dog is the 1975 sci-fi comedy film A Boy and His Dog, which was inspired by the series of narratives of the same name written by author Harlan Ellison. The film has a post-nuclear war setting that tells the adventures of 18-year old Vic and his telepathic dog, named Blood. Together, the duo team up to try and survive in the wasteland that was left after the war. Although their relationship is largely hostile and they get on each other’s nerves a lot, they recognize that they need each other to stay alive. While they briefly part as the movie goes on, at the end, Vic realizes that his loyalty is with Blood and he comes back for him.
Despite the seemingly innocent title, A Boy and His Dog is anything but. In fact, it is not your ordinary “man and dog as best friends” plot. It is composed of a lot of explicit and violent content, which is one of the things that made it appealing to some cult followers. Even though it flopped in the box office, it grew a loyal fanbase and even inspired the creation of a video game called Fallout.
Other examples of cult films featuring dogs include 1982 drama film White Dog and 1989 animated movie All Dogs Go to Heaven. The cult following of these films played a role in increasing the number of cult film-inspired dog names.
Cult Film Dog Name Considerations
Once you have decided to name your new pup after a famous cult film or character, you might find yourself overwhelmed with all the possibilities. There is an extremely long list to choose from so take time to consider a few things before settling with a name. One of these considerations is to choose a name that’s not too overly complicated.
There are a lot of unique names or characters in these cult films and you might find it tempting to choose an exotic-sounding one. While this may seem like a good idea at first, remember that dogs do not retain long names easily. Hence, if you’re think the name Dr. Frank N Furter (from the Rocky Horror Picture Show) seems like an awesome name for your dog, think again. This name might not be easily picked up by your dog. If you really want to give such a name, make sure that you have a shorter version for when you are calling your dog, such as “Frank".
Another one is to choose a name that is reminiscent of your dog’s physical appearance or personality. With all these cult films to choose from, you will surely find a name that goes well with your dog’s look or temperament. When it comes to picking cult film-inspired dog names, the possibilities are endless.
Male Cult Film Dog Names
Votes | Name | Vote |
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2 |
Keyser
From Keyser Soze, a character from the film The Usual Suspects
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2 |
Vader
From Darth Vader, a character in the film Star Wars
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2 |
Ferris
From Ferris Bueller, a character in the movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
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2 |
Wyatt
From the character of the same name in the movie Easy Rider
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2 |
Vega
From Vincent Vega, a character in the film Pulp Fiction
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2 |
Monty
From the cult classic Monty Python and the Holy Grail
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2 |
Ash
From Ash Williams, a character in the film Evil Dead 2; can be a good name for a gray dog
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2 |
Dante
From the character of the same name in the film Clerks
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2 |
Harold
From the character of the same name in the film Harold and Maude
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2 |
Logan
From the character of the same name in the film Logan’s Run
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1 |
Flash
From the film Flash Gordon; also a good name for a fast dog
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1 |
Darko
From the film Donnie Darko; good for a black or dark-colored dog
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1 |
Riff Raff
From the character of the same name in the movie The Rocky Horror Picture Show
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1 |
Maddox
From Otto Maddox, a character in the movie Repo Man
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1 |
Willy
From Willy Wonka, a character in the film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
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1 |
Rushmore
From the Wes Anderson film of the same name
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1 |
Montana
From Tony Montana, the character in the film Scarface
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1 |
Barton
From Barton Fink, a character in The Coen Brothers’ film Barton Fink
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1 |
Otto
From Otto Maddox, a character in the film Repo Man
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1 |
Freddy
From Freddy Krueger, a character in the film A Nightmare on Elm Street
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0 |
Dude
From Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski, a character from the film The Big Lebowski
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0 |
Tyler
From Tyler Durden, a character in the film Fight Club
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0 |
Gizmo
From the character of the same name in the movie Gremlins
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0 |
Travis
From Travis Bickle, a character in the film Taxi Driver
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0 |
Pee-wee
From Pee-wee Herman, a character in the film Pee-wee’s Big Adventure; a cute name for a small dog
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0 |
Marty
From Marty McFly, the main character in the film Back to the Future
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0 |
Leon
From the character of the same name in the movie Leon: The Professional
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0 |
Alex
From Alex DeLarge, a character in the film A Clockwork Orange
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0 |
Tetsuo
From the character of the same name in the Japanese film Akira
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0 |
Rocky
From cult film classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show; good name for a big, strong dog
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Female Cult Film Dog Names
Votes | Name | Vote |
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1 |
Cher
From Cher Horowitz, a character in the film Clueless
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1 |
Mia
From Mia Wallace, in the film Pulp Fiction
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1 |
Divine
From the character of the same name in the film Pink Flamingos
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1 |
Mathilda
From the character of the same name in the movie Leon: The Professional
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1 |
Buttercup
From the character of the same name in the film The Princess Bride
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1 |
Clementine
From the character of the same name in the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
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1 |
Romy
From the character of the same name in the film Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion
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1 |
Scarlett
From Scarlett O’ Hara, a character in the film Gone With the Wind
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0 |
Maude
From the character of the same name in the film Harold and Maude
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0 |
Amelie
From the French film of the same name
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0 |
Leia
From Leia Organa, a character in the Star Wars franchise
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0 |
Nomi
From the character of the same name in the film Showgirls
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0 |
Chloe
From Chloe Villette, a character in the film In Bruges
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0 |
Alice
From the character of the same name in the 1951 film Alice in Wonderland
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0 |
Carrie
From the 1976 film of the same name, adapted from a Stephen King novel
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0 |
Laure
From Laure Ash, a character in the film Femme Fatale
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0 |
Santanico
From Santanico Pandemonium, a character in the film From Dusk till Dawn
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0 |
Heather
From the character of the same name in the film Heathers
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0 |
Elle
From Elle Woods, a character in the film Legally Blonde
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0 |
Marnie
From the 1964 Alfred Hitchcock film of the same name
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0 |
Sandy
From the character of the same name in the film Grease
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0 |
Rosemary
From cult film classic Rosemary’s Baby
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0 |
Thelma
From the 1991 Ridley Scott film Thelma & Louise
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0 |
Charlotte
From Charlotte Blackwood, a character in the film Top Gun
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0 |
Holly
From Holly Golightly, a character in the film Breakfast at Tiffany’s
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0 |
Blanche
From Blanche Dubois, a character in the film A Streetcar Named Desire
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0 |
Juno
From the 2007 coming-of-age film of the same name
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0 |
Dorothy
From the character of the same name in the film The Wizard of Oz
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0 |
Maria
From the character of the same name in the film Sound of Music
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0 |
Bridget
From the character of the same name in the film Bridget Jones’ Diary
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