A DOG NAMED DARRELLE?

I happened upon a Rover.com list last month of the most popular dog names for 2023.  Topping the

charts for the males: Charlie (also my grandson’s name); for girl dogs, it was Luna, followed closely by Bella.  This jibes with my personal experience at Winslow dog park, where I’m pretty sure half the female dogs are named Luna, and the other half, Bella.

Here are the A-list names:

For Males

1. 1. Charlie
   2. Max
   3. Cooper
   4. Milo
   5. Buddy
   6. Teddy
   7. Rocky
   8. Bear
   9. Leo
   10. Duke

For Females

1. Luna
2. Bella
3. Daisy
4. Lucy
5. Lily
6. Lola
7. Zoe
8. Sadie
9. Stella
10. Bailey

And here’s another fun fact for you.  Though I’ve had two dogs over the last 20 years, I’ve yet to have the privilege of naming a dog myself.  Even though I was in charge of the care and maintenance of Ricky the Beagle, he was nominally Robby’s dog.  We got him when Robby was 10, after he’d been “requesting” a dog every day (aka badgering me) for the previous two years.  Long-time BEAGLE MAN followers might recall that Robby named his dog for Ricky Williams, the Miami Dolphins star running back at the time.  When Williams was tossed out of the NFL for drug violations, Robby tried to change the dog’s name to Travis, who took over the starting RB spot.  Cooler heads prevailed.

And though Kemba the Duck Toller was much more clearly my dog, Robby still outmaneuvered me to snag naming rights.  After I’d selected the little ball of fur at four weeks out of his Nova Scotia litter, but before I was able to bring him home to CT, Robby went and purchased a whole set of bowls and place mats, all with the name “Kemba” engraved.  Sealed the deal.  To be fair, Kemba Walker, the UConn basketball legend, was a Herman family hero, so there were no objections.

What would I name a dog if I ever had the chance?  Well, I’ve actually been keeping a running list of candidates pretty much from the time I became a dog owner.  On the girl’s side of the ledger, the list is extremely short.  Since a.) I have 3 sons (no daughters), and 5 grandsons (no granddaughters), and b.) the two dogs I’ve had have both been males, and the other dogs in our family (Greg and Kelly’s Ruckus; Robby and Brianne’s Pickle) are also male, I’ve kind of assumed I’d never need a girl’s name.  (For

the record, the leader in the clubhouse, should the situation arise, is Stella — for my mom.)

The boy’s list is way more crowded.  Some of my favorites: D’Brickashaw (former Jets great; could call the dog “D’Brick”); Merv (Carol’s revered uncle, deceased); Chauncey (former NBA All-Star; name hits me as both endearing and jaunty); Melville (literary; would go by “Mel”); Mookie (beloved Met of 1986 Bill-Buckner-grounder fame); Hank Jr. (why not?); Rudy (fictional Notre Dame movie hero), and Darrelle (Jets Hall of Fame corner).

Now if I can only get Kemba to live forever, I won’t have to make that choice. ❤️

YOU CAN ALSO FOLLOW BEAGLE MAN, KEMBA, AND RICKY ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM.