Philosopher Inspired Dog Names

Kyon is a cool name, period. But, wrapped around that coolness is something much more important, a bit more meaningful, and just a tad more complicated than one would normally expect from a dog name. Put your safety belt on, adjust your goggles, and let’s drive 100 kilometers an hour into the fantastic world of cynicism!

Kyon, the star of the show, is actually a word that originates all the way back to Ancient Greece, the time of philosophers, mathematicians, and the time when the laws of physics we know (and love) today were set up. Kyon (κύων) means dog in Ancient Greek, and was the word that inspired the name of a very big branch of philosophy – cynicism. Cynic, the word, originated from the word kynikos which means dog-like, because the cynics used to call themselves dogs. But why is that?

According to historical evidence, the first of the cynics, a guy called Antisthenes, used to teach in the gymnasium called Cynosarges, which translated means “the place of the white dog”. Apart from that, cynics were also criticized heavily for their dog-like behavior, since they refused to follow the conventions, they lived in the streets, and they stripped off all their earthly possessions in favor of the freedom of the mind. One of the most famous cynics, Diogenes, was the one most often referred to as “dog”, since he lived in a barrel on the street and because of his famous saying – “dogs bite their enemies, I bite my friends to save them”.

Cynics did not allow the nickname “dog” bring them down. They knew that dogs are noble creatures and that they are, unlike humans, actually free. They proudly called themselves dogs and did not take offence to nasty people trying to discourage them. Moreover, they listed a number of reasons why they accept the name! First off, they considered dogs to be the epitome of indifference. Cynics, much like dogs, ate in public, made love in public, refused to wear shoes, and slept in the streets. Secondly, they considered dogs to be shameless animals, but not in a bad way! They actually elevated the shamelessness to the superior level, rather than being modest and insincere. Dogs are also the animals who can distinguish between enemies and friends, and thus refuse to associate with people who do not have their best interests in mind. Finally, they considered dogs to be faithful guards, just like they guard the pillars of philosophy.