Dog Names Inspired by TV Shows

If you are thinking about naming your dog after a famous TV dog, there are several options to choose from. Dogs are extremely common in pop culture, and they have made appearances in countless television shows. Whether you are a fan of drama, comedy or even reality TV, there is most likely a famous dog from whom you could draw inspiration.

When it comes to famous TV dogs, though, few are as well recognized as Lassie. In 1954, the Emmy-winning television series Lassie premiered, and the name became well-known in households around the world. Lassie was a female Rough Collie played by a dog named Pal. For 19 years, Pal and her descendants appeared on the beloved series. The Lassie character is still played by descendants of Pal today.

The character was originally created in a short story by Eric Knight called Lassie Come Home. The story was published in The Saturday Evening Post in 1938 and then turned into a full-length novel in 1940. The novel was adapted into a film with the same name in 1943. The movie was a major success and spawned sequels, a radio show and, eventually, the television series which many people associate with the beloved canine character.

Lassie aired from 1954 until 1973. During the first several seasons, the lovable Collie resides on a farm with her young male master, Timmy. She is well-known for rescuing Timmy from a variety of perils. Whether he fell down a well or encountered some of type of trouble, Lassie’s help was never far away. In later seasons, rangers of the U.S. Forest Service became the dog’s companions. She was on her own for one season, and in the final season, she resides at a ranch for orphaned children.

Lassie is one of only three animals to ever receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She is also one of just a few fictional characters to earn a spot on the Walk. She was also named one of the “100 Icons of the Century” by Variety and is the only animal on the list. Lassie remains one most famous dogs in pop culture. In addition to marketing pet food and making personal appearances, she is also on a pet care TV show called Lassie’s Pet Vet. She was also featured in a Canadian animated TV series known as The New Adventures of Lassie from 2013 until 2016.