Why do people say "Ergh... that's a dog's name!"?

[NatureAbhorsAHoover]

First it was Lily and Molly - people would say they knew a dog with that name, like that's a reason it should never be used on a human

Now I see the same for some boys names - Toby and Monty, I'm looking at you

This makes no sense to me. Names take a few years to filter into the public consciousness. I always thought we 'try out' names on our dolls and our pets as children ... and then when we're grown up we get to use the ones we like the most on real live babies!

I agree, The only time I wouldn't use a "dog's name" is when it was my dog that had the name.

If the child was called Fido, I'd think people had a point though...

I have been amused for years, though, that on Hampstead Heath, when someone calls 'Maisie!' or 'Poppy!', you can never tell whether a toddler or a labrador will appear.

But I agree that names are names in general - one of the names we're considering for our baby is the name of my parents' cat. I'm sure they will find that very odd if that's the name we go with, but that's their look-out.

well I suppose because when someone asks you your opinion on a name you respond with what first comes to mind. If you know/have a dog called Monty, that's probably what the name Monty triigers for you.

It's the same as Percy being a trains name or not using Inigo becuase there is a character in a 1980's kids film with that name, or not using Adolf because....

Can work the other way round though.

I love the name Ella and would have used it if my sister hadn't nabbed it for her b*dy dog first.

Ella is NOT a dogs name

I named my 2 cats Alfie and Archie because they were my 2 favorite boys names and at the time i was sure i would be having no more children. I then went on to have twins (B/G) and dts would have been called alfie if i hadnt used my favorite boys names on the cats. It turns out he suits his name to perfection and i cant see him having suited Alfie.

HolyNoShe - so you have a Pavlovian response to names you hear.

Oh the irony

I think everyone does don't they?

You can't say 'oh that's objectively a nice name/dogs name/posh name/horrible name etc etc' it's just what your response to the name is.

HolyNoShe It was a joke about Pavlov's Dog

coconutty - Spike is a sexy vampire name

I had an ex called Toby, but I'd never say it was a Dog's name the name of an utterly fucked up selfish wassok yes but not a dog

Hmm, my parents had dogs named Ben, Daniel and Sam. I liked the first and last for DS but it would have felt odd.
But it wouldn't occur to me to actually say 'that's a dogs name' to someone. Unless like Cupofbrownjoy says the name is Fido.

Dexter yeah, me too - we had to hurriedly rename our puppy when my uncle started going out with a woman named Ginny.

Dog got 'Toffee', which is a great dog name IMHO.

Uncle's GF didn't last

One of my dog's called Molly

I once witnessed a woman looking at those pens and things with names on with her little boy

she turned to him and said 'we never find anything with your name on do we?'

the woman running the shop asked the little boy's name and was told it was Rex

her response.....

'well you might find something in the pet shop!'

workshy

Next cat I get is going to be called Gavin just so I'm not ruining any names for anyone else

My mother always used to refer to some names as "Fat boy names" and now in teaching we have "bad boy/girl names" What is left? My mother's dog is Ben and we have had an Ella in the past, both lovely names and further reducing the available pool. Is it any wonder children are now named after brands? I know a Diesel, an Armani and a Lexus!

Nearly 30 years ago I had lot's of people telling me I could not call my DS Jake since it was an old mans name!
He's called after my much loved granda too.
Bloody cheek!!!
The name realy suits him and it's not uncommon these days.
Tell people to mind their own bloody business.

Maybe she should have called him Vexorg

Because they're rude fuskers. (My sister's name is Cassie... Not Lassie! Cassie. Perfectly good name for a human being.)

Unless its rover then I think anything goes.