Gothic Dog Names

There are several periods in history that can be described as Gothic, and the 19^th century is a particularly mysterious era.  Gothic literature produced during that particular time period includes Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.  In Ireland, Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu wrote Carmilla which is about a female vampire, and in the 18th century, Matthew Gregory Lewis wrote The Monk, a Gothic romance novel, so it was also popular much earlier.  

In modern times, Gothic culture regularly appears. Movies like Dawn of the Dead, Blade, World War Z, and Twilight display Gothic elements, as do TV shows like Buffy the Vampire Slayer and more recently, The Walking Dead.  The character of Hannibal Lecter also screams Gothic, as well as horror. Mystery has a way of seeping into and merging with other genres.  There’s something very Gothic about Arthur Conan Doyle’s, Sherlock Holmes character.  There are many adaptations of Sherlock in literature, film and TV,  but nevertheless, all still display Gothic elements. With much inspiration and so many links to popular culture, it can be really difficult to narrow down your preferences. 

The spotlight name for this guide is Ophelia, inspired by William Shakespeare’s, Hamlet.  Hamlet, like many of Shakespeare’s writings, certainly embodies Gothic traits.  Sources suggest that a key eerie trait in Hamlet is the constant mention of death.  Ophelia’s story is of course, tragic.  The men who love her all contribute to her unhappiness. Her brother warns her from Hamlet, she loses Hamlet's love when she lies for her father, and then her father is killed by Hamlet.  Her grief drives her mad and her madness eventually causes her death.

Ophelia is the name of Ariana Grande’s beloved chocolate Labradoodle.  Ophelia has regularly appeared in the limelight.  She first appeared on Twitter in September 2013, and she also starred in Ariana’s music video, Right There, at 1 minute and 6 seconds.  Sources suggest that Ophelia now lives with Ariana’s mother. 

Gothic dog names are common in popular culture. You may consider Instagram phenomenon, Donnie Barko, inspired by the 2001 movie Donnie Darko.  As a Brussels Griffon, Donnie Barko is described as a little dog with a big attitude.  Jennifer Love Hewitt has a Boxer named Mona; there is actually a children’s TV show named Mona the Vampire.  You could also be inspired by Fang, who stars in the 2012 movie, Vampire Dog.