Disney’s 1955 Lady and the Tramp is far from the only dog-themed movie they’ve made, but it is one of their classics. Most people remember it for the “spaghetti scene” where Lady and Tramp share a plate of spaghetti together in a romantic, candlelit Italian restaurant. But the movie is full of memorable characters and Disney’s signature animation style.
If you have fond childhood memories of this movie, you might consider naming a new dog after one of the characters from Lady and the Tramp. You aren’t limited to just “Lady” or “Tramp” (which isn’t even his actual name, as it turns out). There are many names, both human and canine, that could work for a new pup.
We also have some links at the end of this post for our guides on how to get your home ready for a new dog.
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Tips for Picking a Great Dog Name
Your dog is wonderful no matter what you call them, but some names might be easier for them to understand than others. When picking a name, keep these tips in mind:
- Names that are shorter (1-2 syllables) may be easier for your dog to understand. If you pick a longer name, make sure you can shorten it to an understandable nickname.
- Likewise, names with hard consonant sounds will be easier for your pup.
- Try not to pick a name that rhymes with key words that you’ll use, for example “Lait” is a great coffee-themed dog name (as in, “cafe au lait”). But, it might cause confusion for your dog because it is pronounced “lay”.
Also, make sure that you’re comfortable with your dog’s name too! If you don’t feel comfortable yelling your dog’s name out the back door, or in a park, it’s probably a sign to choose a different name instead.
Lady and the Tramp
We’d be remiss if we didn’t talk about the two main characters from Disney’s Lady and the Tramp.
Lady is an American Cocker Spaniel who is given as a Christmas present from Jim Dear to his wife, Darling. Like many female Disney character, she is sheltered and has her worldview opened by the male character (in this case, Tramp). She’s nicknamed “Pidge“, short for Pidgeon, by Tramp.
Tramp is a mixed-breed dog, possibly a terrier of some sort. Some say that Tramp is a Schnauzer or Schnauzer mix, while others say he’s part Jack Russell Terrier.
He’s never actually referred to as “Tramp” in the original 1955 movie. Instead, he sees different families, “one for every day of the week” who call him different names, such as Mike or Fritzi. Reportedly, early versions of the script referred to Tramp as other names, because Walt Disney was worried about the negative connotation of “Tramp”.
What names, might you ask? Homer, Boris, Rags, and Bozo.
Lady and the Tramp-inspired Names for Male Dogs
Lady and Tramp also have a number of friends and acquaintances who help them out, and who they help rescue from the dogcatcher and other unfriendly humans.
Jock is the grey dog in Lady and the Tramp and friend of Lady. Jock is a Scottish Terrier and his character also speaks in a Scottish accent, voiced by Bill Thompson. Funnily enough, Thompson voiced other characters too: Bull, the policeman, Dachsie, Joe, and a friend of Jim Dear. This was true for many of the voice actors.
Another friend (and neighbor) of Lady and her family is a bloodhound named Trusty.
Bull is a bulldog and fellow stray. He has a Cockney accent. There’s also Dachsie, another stray and friend of Tramp who is a dachshund (with a German accent, of course).
Additionally, there’s Boris, a Borzoi who is another stray dog. And then there are other supporting stray dog characters including Toughy (a mixed breed dog with a Brooklyn accent), and Pedro, a Chihuahua.
Last but not least for dog names, there’s Scamp, who is Tramp’s son born at the end of the film.
As for humans in the film, there are a couple of male characters whose names would work well for a new dog. There’s Tony, the owner of the Italian restaurant where the famous spaghetti scene happens. There’s Jim Dear, who originally buys Lady for his wife, Darling.
You could also name your dog after some of the minds behind the film, including Walt Disney; story writer Joe Grant;
directors Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, and Hamilton Luske; and screenwriters Erdman Penner, Joe Rinaldi, Ralph Wright, and Don DaGradi.
There’s also Ward Greene as name inspiration–his 1943 short story inspired Walt Disney to make this movie.
Lady and the Tramp-inspired Names for Female Dogs
There are fewer female characters in the movie, but enough to merit their own section. Many of these names could be adapted for a new pup.
Lady is originally a gift for Darling, wife of Jim Dear (so yes, her name is Darling Dear). Darling is voiced by Peggy Lee, who also voices the two Siamese cats, Si and Am.
Not only is Peggy the actress’ name, but it’s also the name of a fourth character she voiced in the 1955 film, Peg the Pekingese, who is a friend of Tramp’s.
Si and Am are the cats owned by Aunt Sarah, who’s a bit of an antagonist in the film. She’s voiced by Verna Felton. While Aunt Sarah maybe isn’t the character you’d like to name your dog after, Verna certainly is a unique throwback name!
Female dogs that are mentioned in the movie but not really included directly in the story include Trixie, Fifi, and Pedro’s sister, Rosita Chiquita Juanita Chihuahua.
Lady also has three female puppies at the end of the film (in addition to Scamp). These pups are named Annette, Collette, and Danielle.
Last but not least there’s “Bella” after Bella Notte, the song played during the spaghetti scene:
Conclusion
We hope you’ve enjoyed this post! If you are looking for other name ideas, check out our dog name generator, or our other posts on dog names including coffee names, spice names, food names, Lord of the Rings names, blonde names, preppy names, and more.
We also have guides on how to get your home ready for a new dog, and what you need to buy and prepare before they arrive at your home.
