Legend Inspired Dog Names

Throughout history, dogs have been representative of many different traits and ideas. Although they may be exaggerated in myth and legend, the mere existence of the folklore that surrounds them indicates that they are intended to provide meaning and explanation for a world we still do not fully understand. Although many cultures have had one, if not many, mythical beasts or deities, we’re going to take a look at some of the most prominent and legendary examples. 

Perhaps the most common theme with dog-inspired myths is a link to death and the afterlife. Cerberus, the multi-headed Greek hellhound, was the guardian of the gates of the underworld who served to keep the dead from escaping to compromise the spoils of life. Anubis, who bore the head of a jackal, was the Egyptian god of embalming and the dead, his purpose to stand watch over the deceased. 

Numerous cultures have a shared belief of a large black dog that appears as a harbinger of death, often acting as a substitute for the grim reaper himself, such as the Barghest of English folklore and the Cu Sith of Scottish origins. Many of these creatures share similar traits from their massive size to their black coats, silent approach and terrifying overall appearance, all of which are wholly representative of many cultures’ fears that surround death, namely that it is often difficult to see, approaches unexpectedly, can pounce without warning and can be surprisingly scary when seen up close and personal. But however frightening, those creatures still end up being something familiar to take us into the afterlife. 

Of course, not all mythological dogs are seen in such light either. Argos, the dog of Odysseus in Homer’s Odyssey, is representative of endless faith. After ten years of fighting in Troy, Odysseus returns to find his homeland turned upside down, and yet, his endlessly devoted and patient dog, even in his old age, still waits for him to come home before finally passing away. Sirius, the dog star, stems from Greek mythology and is representative of loyalty and guidance, his myth and his star proof of what true companionship can provide. 

Regardless of what they actually represent in the long run, it stands to reason why dogs are often the subject of such stories: as one of the only animals on Earth we’ve kept by our side so long, they always seem to provide a greater understanding of a world we’re still making sense of.