Introduction
Compared to others of its kind, Rugrats might seem like a bit of an afterthought, thanks in no small part to a delayed response to its impending popularity. And although it focused on a group of babies and toddlers, when that popularity finally peaked, Rugrats proved to be endlessly entertaining for people of all ages. Children could enjoy its imagination and simplicity while older generations could grasp onto its not-so-subtle plays on pop culture. In the end, viewers were left with a laundry list of clever storylines and with it, a cast of interesting and humorous characters that make a perfect list of inspiration for potential dog namers.
Rugrats Dog Names in Pop Culture
More often than not, shows created from a child’s point of view usually seem to offer a unique and playful perspective of the adult world, and in this sense, Rugrats hits the nail on the head. Through their carefully defined characters, their developmental arcs and a creative angle that allows them to appeal to adults and kids alike, the creative minds behind the show were able to make some pretty large statements within the confines of their cartoon.
While the kids alone offer unique insight into a world that most parents don’t see, this is further emphasized by one of the show’s most popular characters: Spike the dog. As a member of the Pickles family, Spike is seen by owners Stu and Didi as a somewhat “dumb” but pleasant member of the family, generally treating him well even if they do often ignore his attempts at communication. But Spike’s responsibilities go far beyond that of a simple family dog. He often acts as the overseer of the children and is witness to much more of their activities than even the adults are, a playful poke at the reality that parents may be much less in tune with their kids’ thoughts and endeavors than they may well think.
In the show, Spike, a fictional breed named the Siberian Tiger Hound, seems to have just as much impact as nearly any other character. Even though he’s not often a main subject in the episodes or movies, he frequently plays pivotal roles, including guiding the babies through numerous endeavors most parents might find far too adventurous — Spike, on the other hand, plays and acts without judgement, and seems satisfied having fun and helping, even in the most intense situations, which could also account for his popularity. In fact, he’s such an integral part of the franchise’s many iterations, that he appears in nearly seventy-five percent of the episodes alone and that doesn’t count his storylines in any of the films, comics or video games that followed the original series. By the time Rugrats movies hit the theaters, Spike was popular enough to warrant a bit more consideration and was even given a love interest in Rugrats in Paris: The Movie, in the form of a purple Parisian Poodle named Fifi.
As all good stories go, Spike ends up “marrying” Fifi and having a few adorable puppies, further expanding the scope of good, lovable animals in the show and further cementing his place as a paternal figure, human or not.
Rugrats Dog Name Considerations
When trying to come up with the most appropriate Rugrats inspired name for your dog, it’s best to first consider their most prominent or defining traits, whether that’s their looks, quirks or personality, as this will be the easiest point of reference when comparing to our list of characters.
For instance, if your dog is particularly brave or courageous, then the names Tommy and Pickles would both be suitable. If they’re a bit more cowardly or have a bright orange coat, then the name Chuckie would be perfect. If your dog is a bit bossy and likes to bark orders at your or others, the name Angelica would be a good fit. If your dog happens to be a bit of a monster or terror, any beast-related names from the kids’ favorite show, such as Reptar, Dactar or Thorg would all be suitable. If they remind you of a popular TV personality or character, you could even come up with a Rugrats-style name of your own, much like they did with “Dr. Dooser” (Doogie Howser) or “Alan Quebec” (Alex Trebek).
The only limits are the vast list of characters and your own imagination, so follow in the show’s footsteps and get those creative juices flowing!
Male Rugrats Dog Names
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Tommy
After Tommy Pickles, the bravest and the leader of the babies
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Chuckie
The orange-haired and easily frightened best friend of Tommy's
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Stu
Tommy's easy going but absent-minded toy inventing father
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Carmichael
After the Carmichael family, of which Susie is part of
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Spike
The Pickles' family dog
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Reptar
The Godzilla-like TV dinosaur all the kids adore
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Robosnail
One of Reptar's arch enemies
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Blasto
As in Captain Blasto, a take on Captain Video
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Thorg
Reptar's gorilla-like enemy
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Quebec
After Alan Quebec, the game show host voiced by Alex Trebek
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Archer
The somewhat paranoid character from Tales From the Crib
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Phil
After Phillip "Phil" DeVille, the little boy of the twins
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Lou
After Grandpa Lou, Stu's father
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Chas
Chuckie's dad and Stu's best friend
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Igor
One of the Banana Brothers, who runs a traveling monkey circus
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Sergei
One of the Russian Banana Brothers
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Barker
A minor but rough-looking character with bad teeth
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Barnaby
After Barnaby Jones, the character Angelica makes up as a reminder to the babies to believe in monsters
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Oxwinkle
After Blocky and Oxwinkle, Stu and his brother Drew's favorite TV show as kids
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Bucky
Didi's prankster younger cousin
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Dactar
The pterodactyl who often fights Reptar
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Beast
After Dog Beast, the feisty purple Poodle
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Dooser
After Dr. Dooser, a take on Doogie Howser
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Mutterly
After Dr. Mutterly, the veterinarian
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Goober
After Goober the hug-happy stuffed gopher
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Melville
Chuckie's first pet, a pillbug he tries to train to do circus tricks
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Scar
After Scar Snout, one of the antagonists from the Rugrats Movie
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Spokes
The bike-riding antagonist of "Uneasy Rider"
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Stuvon
The octopus/elephant alien
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Herbie
Susie's highly intelligent gerbil
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Female Rugrats Dog Names
Votes | Name | Vote |
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Pickles
After the Pickles family, who include a vast array of interesting characters
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Angelica
The spoiled, bratty blade haired cousin of Tommy
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Dil
After Tommy's little brother Dylan, "Dil" for short; can't speak but does babble
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Susie
Angela's friend who is nearly the opposite of her; can talk to both babies and adults
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Melinda
Chuckie's late mother's name
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Alice
The ginger-haired girl who likes to turn everything upside down
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Queeg
The three-eyed alien from the Rugrats Adventure Game
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Peaches
The football player whose medical records gets mixed up with Angelica's
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Argenta
The longer-haired women who tries to woo Chas
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Moo
After Aunt Moo, the anthropomorphic cow from Tales From the Crib
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Lil
After Lillian "Lil" DeVille, the little girl of the twins
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Didi
Tommy's somewhat eccentric mother who is a part time teacher
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Lucy
Susie's Harvard-educated supermom
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Kira
Chuckie's stepmom and Kimi's mother
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Banana
After The Banana Brothers from The Rugrats Movie
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DeVille
After the DeVille family, who includes Phil and Lil
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Binky
After Big Binky, Emma's bully-ish older brother
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Blocky
After Blocky and Oxwinkle, a take on Rocky and Bullwinkle
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Cheddar
Dr. Brander's experimental rat, who, like Chuckie has a bad nose
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Coco
After Coco LaBouche, the antagonist of Rugrats in Paris
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Pepper
One of the puppies of Spike and Fifi
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Shark
After Marky Shark, the shark-hat wearing shark-show runner
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Fifi
The purple Parisian Poodle Spike falls in love with in the second movie
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Phoebe
Phil's orange-haired love interest for a time
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Piggy
The creepily wide-smiled mascot of Piggy's Pizza Palace
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Pumpkin
The cute stray dog Kimi finds in All Grown Up!
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Lulu
After Louise "Lulu" Jonston, Lou's second wife
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Wawa
Chuckie's favorite teddy bear
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Wuggles
After Wuggles the television mule
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Spiffy
One of Spike and Fifi's puppies
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