Dog Names Meaning Sun

While many people might first think of the radio or Harry Potter when they hear the name Sirius, the name stretches much farther back into history than what’s established in pop culture. The origins of Sirius may not be one hundred percent canine, but the mythological, scientific and historical significance of the “Dog Star” are certainly not to be dismissed, especially considering that every corner of the Earth that was inhabited by humans has their own relation to it. 

The name itself is actually the Romanization of a Greek word meaning “glowing” or “scorching”, an apt title for the star system — and star itself — that contains the brightest star in the Earth’s night sky. Known for being the most prominent part of the constellation Canis Major, which also has a dog-based meaning (Greater Dog), it is one of the most tenured celestial objects ever documented, as it appeared in just about every one of the earliest astronomical records. Ancient Egyptians even used it as a seasonal marker, as its heliacal rising indicated both the flooding of the Nile and the impending onset of the “dog days” of summer — they even believed its emanations had a direct effects on canines (though much could now easily be attributed to the reaction to the change in weather and resources). 

Although modern Western references to the star are mostly related to its Greek origins, many cultures also attributed the star with dog-like qualities or mythological stories. Many North American indigenous peoples also associated the star with canines. The Seri and the Tohono O’odham, both tribes of the Sonoran, had beliefs that the star represented a dog that followed sheep. The Cherokee paired Sirius’ origins with Antares, considering it a dog-star guardian, while the Pawnee called it a “wolf star”. In Chinese astronomy, it is considered something similar: the “celestial wolf”. 

But regardless of its origins, the star (and, in turn, the mythological dogs behind it) has always held significance in terms of its use. Much of the mythology that surrounds each culture’s interpretations of it gave it that distinction because, much like a dog’s inherent sense of direction, it was used as a navigational tool. As the brightest star in Earth’s night sky — which is thanks to both its inherent luminosity and proximity — it was always easiest to find, allowing the viewer to calibrate their position on a consistent basis depending on the time of day and season, making it one of the most powerful canine references and uses to exist in human history.