Indian word for dog

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What is the Indian word for dog?

Are you looking for some ideas for naming your dog?

Maybe you have recently adopted a new puppy or dog. Or maybe you’re considering adding a new dog to your family and would like to have some great name suggestions for your future dog.

You’ll realize that your dog’s name speaks volumes about your own personality, interests and passions, but you also want your dog to have a unique name that suits their looks, personality and spirit. Indian dog names are a great choice.

The seventh-largest country in Asia and the world’s second-most populous country, India is famous for its traditions, culture and heritage.

India is widely known as a culturally diverse country. These diversities exist based on religion, region, epic, class, etc.

The Indian language is certainly not an exception when it comes to the diversity. Approximately 350 languages are spoken in India. However, the Indian constitution recognizes only 22 languages.

India is also a country of wonders such as the Brihadeeswara Temple and Taj Mahal as well as delightful party destinations such as Goa and Rishikesh. Even the history of India can be traced to as far back as 3000 BC.

In fact, people in India traditionally considered dogs to be gods (Bhairava). With so much uniqueness, it’s no wonder people seek inspiration from the country when naming their dogs.

Therefore, Indian names are unique and can be an ideal choice for your furry friend!

The Best Indian Dog Names

Of course, there are no standard rules for naming your canine. However, some experts claim that dogs master some names faster than others. It’s all about the syllables.

Some studies have shown that most dogs tend to understand two-syllable names faster than shorter or longer ones.

When naming your dog, you will also want to remember the fact that you will be using your dog’s name for his entire lifetime. Therefore, you’ll definitely want to think twice before giving your dog any name.

The name you give your pup should be meaningful and easy to pronounce.

So, now that you know how to choose the best Indian name for your dog, let’s move on to the best Indian dog names for your male or female pup.

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Indian Names for Male Dogs

The best Indian names for male dogs will help boost the relationship between you and your canine. So, a name that improves the communication between you and your puppy is the best one for your best friend.

Fortunately, you can find such dog names in various Indian languages. While the Indian names represent the tradition and ethnicity, you can find some names for your boy dog based on history, heritage, epic etc.

For instance, you can name your boy pooch as ‘Ajit’, meaning someone who is invincible. This name would be ideal for a champion dog. On the other hand, the name ‘Arjun’ would be suitable for a white dog.

What you need to remember is that the name should be meaningful and easy to say.

If you own a male pooch, here are cool and funny Indian dog names to consider:

1. Adil: this name means ‘sincere’ and can be a great moniker for an easygoing dog.

2. Ajit: this Sanskrit term loosely translates to ‘invincible’ or ‘the future Buddha’. It is ideal for a champion doggy.

3. Ajitabh: means ‘conqueror of the sky’.

4. Akash: this term refers to ‘the sky’.

5. Alagan: if you think your dog is attractive, you should consider giving him this name. It means ‘good looking’.

6. Alok: a cry of triumph.

7. Amir: simply means ‘rich or wealthy’.

8. Amla: ideal for a ‘pure’ doggy.

9. Amrit: this Sanskrit word translates to ‘immortal’. You can give your companion this name since you want him to live forever.

10. Anant: everlasting or eternal.

11. Anish: means ‘the ultimate’.

12. Apruva: perfect for a ‘unique-looking’ dog.

13. Arav: calm and peaceful

14. Ashok: means ‘full of joy’. The perfect moniker for cheerful dogs

15. Bari: greatness.

16. Batuk: male/boy.

17. Beta: literally means ‘son’.

18. Buland: elevated.

19. Chottu: ideal for a mini-sized pup. It means ‘short’.

20. Dakshi: means ‘glorious’.

21. Doga: refers to a famous dog from a popular Indian comedy.

22. Drisana: the sun’s child (use it for cheery dogs).

23. Falgun: use it for pups born in ‘spring’.

24. Gaman: means ‘journey’.

25. Gayan: for dogs with high ‘intelligence’ levels.

26. Haddi: bone (use it for tough dogs).

27. Hafta: week.

28. Hardik: sincere (from the bottom of my heart).

29. Jani: beloved or loved one.

30. Jaysukh: the joy of triumph.

31. Kalia: black (use it for a black male dog).

32. Kalu: dark (try it for a brown or black dog).

33. Kanak: gold (use it for a dog with a golden coat).

34. Kaushal: creative/resourceful.

35. Kirit: crown.

36. Kumar: something with a princely standing.

37. Kuta/Kutta: Indian word for ‘dog’.

38. Laghun: of Marathi origin; means ‘quick’.

39. Laksh: means aim or target; ideal for any hunting dog.

40. Lalit: Indian word meaning ‘handsome’.

45. Lamba: Indian word for ‘long/tall’ (perfect for Dachshunds).

46. Lasaak: of Marathi origin, means ‘dancer’ (use it for a playful pooch).

47. Layaak: another Marathi word, meaning ‘clever’.

48. Loha: iron (pick it for canines that are as tough as ‘iron’).

49. Mahavira: a huge hero.

50. Mani/Niraj: refers to a precious jewel.

51. Mitesh: the desire to accomplish. Doesn’t this apply to all dogs?

52. Mohan: good-looking or handsome.

53. Nalin: the lotus flower.

54. Nikunj: garden (try it for pups that enjoy playing in the garden).

55. Nirav: calm and still.

56. Parth: warrior.

57. Praful: prosperous.

58. Prasoon: a cool Indian name for a cute dog; means ‘flower’.

59. Pratyush: the sunrise.

60. Praveen: the skilled one.

61. Preetish: this one is a lovely match for any dog; it means ‘the king of love’.

62. Prithu: gentle.

63. Puranjay: champion/ victor.

64. Purujit: means ‘the winner of love’. Every dog becomes ‘the winner of love’ the moment he comes to our lives.

65. Raftaar: speed

66. Rahul: perfect choice for an ‘efficient’ hunting dog.

67. Raj: ruling.

68. Raja: the king.

69. Rohit: red.

70. Ronak: radiance.

71. Safaid/safed: for ‘white’ pups.

72. Sagar: the rule of the ocean/water (use it for dogs that love to swim).

73. Sanat: everlasting.

74. Sanjiv: ancient (perfect for breeds with a long historical background).

75. Sanjog: your dog always has ‘faith’ in you, right?

76. Santosh: contented or satisfied.

77. Shera: lion (ideal for brave or fearless dogs).

78. Shvetank: means ‘excellent’.

79. Siddharth: one who has achieved his goals.

80. Sikander: Indian for ‘Alexander the Great’.

81. Suboth: another ideal moniker for intelligent dogs.

82. Sukumar: delicate.

83. Sumantu: consultant.

84. Sumit: best friend.

85. Swapnil: a dream or fantasy.

86. Taran: heaven.

87. Tej: excellence.

88. Teja: illuminated.

89. Tosh: contentment/satisfaction.

90. Tushar: winter.

91. Uday: rise.

92. Umeed: hope.

93. Vasuman: full of hope.

94. Vidvan: resourceful.

95. Vishal: huge/gigantic (would be a good fit for large breeds like the Great Dane).

96. Waghya: of Marathi origin, meaning ‘tiger’. Waghya was a legendary hybrid dog who served as a guide dog for the blind Chhatrapati Shivaji. The dog allegedly ended his life after the death of his owner.

97. Yash pal: protector of reputation.

98. Yasti: slim.

99. Yogi: the master of oneself.

100. Zanjeer: a brave Indian dog famous for saving many lives.

ALSO READ: Over 500 Super Unique Hawaiian Dog Names

Indian Names for Female Dogs

Female dogs are cute adorable creatures. So, giving your female puppy a cute name should make you feel special.

When it comes to unique Indian dog names, you’ll be able to find numerous names due to the diversities. In addition, you can find Indian dog names based on your dog’s physical characteristics.

So, you can name your girl based on the beautiful things that spring to your mind. For instance, the name “Sona” means ‘gold’ and would show her worth.

You can even name your female dog after famous party destinations like Goa. The most important thing is to ensure the name portrays the positivity of your pup.

If you own a female dog, check out our list of Indian dog names and meanings below:

1. Aaba: ideal for cheerful dogs.

2. Abha: great beauty, need we say more?

3. Abhati: light or splendor.

4. Abhilasa: is your pup full of ‘desire’?

5. Acira: or is she ‘fast or swift’?

6. Adhira: impatient or restless.

7. Adhiti: freedom.

8. Advika: unique.

9. Adya: unparalleled.

10. Agrata: leader (ideal for alpha dogs that show leadership skills).

11. Ahilya: Indian for ‘maiden’.

12. Ajanta: a holy Buddhist cave.

13. Alisha: god’s protection.

14. Ameya: huge.

15. Amisha: truthful and honorable.

16. Amiya: for pups that bring a lot of ‘joy or delight’ to our homes.

17. Amrita: immortality.

18. Anamika: for ‘ring finger’. It reflects a lifetime of devotion.

19. Anandi: jovial.

20. Anju: our dogs are ‘close to our hearts’.

21. Anya: different; because no two dogs are the same.

22. Apsara: celestial beauty.

23. Archana: adoration or worship.

24. Arshia: heavenly.

25. Arunima: a cute name for a cute dog, it means the ‘glow of dawn’.

26. Arushi: the red sky at dawn or early in the morning.

27. Asgari: devoted follower.

28. Asha: hope.

29. Ashna: friend; because your dog is your best friend, right?

30. Aslesha: star.

31. Atasi: blue flower.

32. Avani or Bhoomi: the earth.

33. Bala: beautiful, young girl.

34. Bhagya: the Indian version of ‘lucky’.

35. Bhavna: ideal; for calm dogs who won’t mind keeping your company when you are in the mood for ‘meditation’.

36. Bijli: lightning.

37. Binal: princess.

38. Champak: flower.

39. Chandra: bright/shining moon.

40. Devi: a goddess.

41. Hetal: affectionate.

42. Indra: rainbow.

43. Jasmin: a flower.

44. Jhilmil: shining.

45. Jihan: cosmos.

46. Jyoti: bright light.

47. Kaali: black goddess; ideal for female dogs that are ‘black’ in color.

48. Kahkashan: stars.

49. Kerana: bells.

50. Kirtana: a worship song.

51. Komal: smooth and soft.

52. Komala: pleasant.

53. Krupali: ‘someone who forgives.’ truer words have never been spoken.

54. Laksha: white-colored rose.

55. Lalasa: love, doesn’t this also describe your pup?

56. Lavanya: true beauty.

57. Ladki: lady or girl.

58. Maanikya: jewel.

59. Magan: considerate.

60. Magna: thoughts.

61. Manjula: friendly.

62. Nandita: a person who always comforts others.

63. Neeta: ‘someone sincere or loyal.’ you can find a better name for your best friend?

64. Neha: cherished or beautiful.

65. Nimmi: a person with sparkling eyes.

66. Niral: stunning.

67. Nitara: someone with deep roots.

68. Nivedita: god’s dedication.

69. Niyati: chance or fate.

70. Phoollen: named after ‘Phoolen Devi,’ a bandit woman. Is your dog somewhat naughty?

71. Prama: ‘a very knowledgeable person.’ does your dog seem to be very knowledgeable?

72. Preyasi: darling.

73. Pritika: darling one.

74. Pulkita: joyful.

75. Rani: queen.

76. Rasna: delight.

77. Ridhi: rich or wealthy.

78. Ritu: timer.

79. Riya: songster.

80. Roshni: bright light.

81. Rubaina: helpful.

82. Sagara: the ‘ocean’; for dogs who love to swim.

83. Saheli: friend or companion.

84. Sahila: ‘guide’; for exceptional guide dogs.

85. Sajni: darling.

86. Sakari: lovely.

87. Sakti: power.

88. Saloni: beautiful.

89. Sampriti: love.

90. Sanjula: magnificent.

91. Sapna: fantasy.

92. Sarika: bird or vocalist.

93. Saryu: this word has two meanings – the name of a river and moving air.
94. Seema: ‘limits or boundary.’ For pups that know when to come back.

95. Sevati: ideal for a white dog.

96. Sevita: adored.

97. Shaila: for pups that enjoy climbing up the hill.

98. Shaili: manners of traditions.

99. Shanata: a sanctuary.

100. Shandra: the moon.

101. Sheetal: fresh.

102. Shikha: top spot.

103. Smita: happy face.

104. Sneha: friendliness or companionship.

105. Snigdha: gentle and nice.

106. Sona/Sonakshi: golden.

107. Suchi: holy and righteous.

108. Suchitra: means beautiful.

109. Sudha: means wealthy, superb, or pure.

110. Sujata: decent and well-mannered.

111. Sukana: a beautiful lady.

112. Sundara: beautiful.

113. Suprabha: glittering or dazzling.

114. Supriti: true love.

115. Surabhi: aromatic or fragrant.

116. Surupa: wonderful or amazing.

117. Sushanti: still or peaceful.

118. Sushma: bright or good-looking.

119. Suvrata: a good lover.

120. Swati: a star.

121. Tanvi: a lady.

122. Tarala: dynamic.

123. Toril: ideal for dogs with a well-balanced temperament.

124. Triveni: a place where some sacred rivers pass through. It’s a wonderful name that reflects a sacred connection.

125. Vida: intelligence or wisdom.

126. Vilina: means dedicated.

127. Yamini: night.

ALSO READ: 500+ Beautiful Names for Black Dogs

Conclusion: Indian Dog Names and Meanings

Thanks to migration, foreign dog names are becoming more and more common.

For example, Asian Indians are some of the most well represented minorities in America. While many of them have American or English names, there still some who use Indian names to name their dogs and other pets.

Indian dog names are quite common in the United States because they still sound unique. That’s why more and more dog owners are giving Indian names to their dogs.

When it comes to Indian names, names like Bari, Goa or Yash Pal easily come to mind. Nonetheless, there are many other exotic names you might want to consider. Try to find cute names that are not boring, so your dog can have a unique name.

Indian dog names often have several meanings, depending on how it is written or pronounced. If you are considering choosing an Indian name for your dog, be sure to do some research first to ensure the name is suitable for your pet.

Also, remember to consider how it sounds since you want to be comfortable while using it.

Dog Native American Symbolism These animals were acting as guides, hunting companions, and camp guards. The Native American spirit dog is representing protection, unconditional love, and, most important, loyalty.

What is the Indian word for ghost?

bhoot

What is the Indian word for dog?

Animal Spirit Dog Names From Indigenous Languages

Name	Tribe or Language	Meaning
Animosh	Algonquin	Dog
Omitaa	Blackfoot	Dog
Makwa	Algonquin	Bear
Nokosi	Seminole	Bear

How do you say wolf in Native American?

There is not a single “Native American Language” – there are over a thousand separate languages. For instance, in Comanche, “wolf” is “tseena,” while in Cherokee the word is “waya” or “wahaya”.

What is the Lakota word for wolf?

Sunka: (shoon-kah) General description for all dogs. When you say “sungmanitu tanka” a description of a wolf, we imagine a figure similar to a coyote but much larger.

What is the Cherokee name for wolf?

Waya

What is the Lakota word for warrior?

Akicita

How do you say baby in Lakota?

In the Lakota language, the word “Wakanjeja (wah-ky-yeh-jah)” translates in the English language to “Child.” This word includes the Lakota word “Waka” which means sacred and “yeja (yeah-jah)” means gift.

How do you say hello my name is in Lakota?

Maȟpíya Lúta él wabláwa. * Hello, my name is Dave I am from Wounded Knee.

How do you say green in Lakota?

Lakota. In the Lakota Sioux language, the word tȟó is used for both blue and green, though the word tȟózi (a mixture of the words tȟó meaning “blue (green),” and zí meaning “yellow”) has become common (zítȟo can also be used).

How do you say Eagle in Lakota?

The Wanbli (eagle) is known as the one with the ability to fly the highest.

What does Wasichu mean in Lakota?

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Wašíču is the Lakota and Dakota word for people of Western European descent. It expresses the indigenous population’s perception of the non-natives’ relationship with the land and the indigenous population.

What does Tatanka mean?

Big Beast

What does Winyan mean in Lakota?

MAN-WICASA (wee-cha-sha) WOMAN-WINYAN (wee-yah) Wiċasa and Wiƞyan are often translated “man and “woman” without a complete explanation of the terms. They imply a position of honor. Wiƞyan means a woman has achieved a good education, maturity, and responsibility.

How common are white buffalo?

White buffalo are extremely rare; the National Bison Association has estimated that they only occur in approximately one out of every 10 million births.

What does a white buffalo stand for?

The American buffalo or bison is a symbol of abundance and manifestation, and the lesson learned by the Lakota that day is that one does not have to struggle to survive if the right action is joined by the right prayer. The birth of a sacred white buffalo is a sign of hope and an indication of good times to come.

What causes a white buffalo?

“When we get a white one, it’s special,” said Vern Anderson, an animal scientist at North Dakota State University. Scientists say three things in nature can cause this kind of spontaneous genetic mutation: radiation, chemical exposure and a natural accident in the process of the cell duplicating DNA.

Is Miracle the white buffalo still alive?

His last white buffalo, a female named Miracle, died in 2004 at the age of 10. Thousands of people came to see the animal, whose coat became darker as it aged. The second white buffalo born at the nearly 200 acre farm was born in 1996 but it died after three days, he said.

Is white buffalo turquoise the same as Howlite?

Howlite is also sold in its natural state, sometimes under the trade names of “white turquoise” or “white buffalo turquoise,” or the derived name “white buffalo stone” and is used to produce jewelry similar to how turquoise is used.

Is there an American buffalo?

The American bison or simply bison (Bison bison), also commonly known as the American buffalo or simply buffalo, is an American species of bison that once roamed North America in vast herds.

Is buffalo and bison the same?

Though the terms are often used interchangeably, buffalo and bison are distinct animals. Bison are found in North America and Europe. Both bison and buffalo are in the bovidae family, but the two are not closely related.

The bison and the domestic cow belong to the same family (Bovidae) and are genetically similar. They are also very similar in their grazing habits and preferences”. Not surprisingly, because of the assumed similarities between the two animals, it is claimed that cattle are nothing more than domestic bison.

Does Yellowstone have bison or buffalo?

Yellowstone is the only place in the United States where bison have lived continuously since prehistoric times. The largest bison population in the country on public land resides in Yellowstone.

What is a female bison called?

cows

Where is the largest buffalo herd in the United States?

Yellowstone. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming tops the list with 4,600 bison.

Who owns the largest buffalo herd?

The Turner bison herd across 15 ranches is comprised of approximately 45,000 bison, which is the largest private herd in the world.

India has
its own set of native dog breeds here but the love for dogs in people here is
never-ending.

People here
love all breeds equally and have a soft spot for them and they treat dogs with
affection and care.

Indian people give Indian Names For Dogs as a show of their affection with respect to the Indian language while some prefer to name an English one.

Individuals
give Hindi Dog Names to show
affinity to their dogs and have a sense of our culture and traditions by using
our native language but again the language differs in different regional
regions which we will discuss further in this article.

Indian Dog Names For Male Dogs With Meaning

Choosing Male Indian Dog Names is not as hard as
you think and you might be confused right now that’s why you are surfing
different sites but we know it’s only because you want the best for your little
cutie.

And you are
in the right place as in this article we are going to help you choose the best
for you and your dog.

Though, make
sure you choose the name carefully as he’s going to be your best friend and
also that you will saying that a lot so you don’t want to bore yourself and you
will be saying that in public too so make sure you find a name you are
comfortable with.

Let’s start
with Indian names for dogs (Male) also you can see what it means in front of
the names in brackets:

Indian Dog Names For Male Dogs

⮚ Amir (rich) ⮚ Akash (sky) ⮚ Alagan (good looking) ⮚ Adil (sincere) ⮚ Batuk (boy) ⮚ Beta (son) ⮚ Dakshi (glorious) ⮚ Falgun (spring) ⮚ Haddi (bone) ⮚ Kumar (prince) ⮚ Kutta (dog) ⮚ Loha (iron) ⮚ Lamba (long) ⮚ Lalit (handsome) ⮚ Mowgli (the boy from jungle book) ⮚ Mani (jewel) ⮚ Raja (king) ⮚ Raj (ruling) ⮚ Sumit (best friend) ⮚ Tej (excellence) ⮚ Vishal (gigantic) ⮚ Yogi (master of oneself) ⮚ Bhavin ⮚ Aksrsh ⮚ Chag ⮚ Chand ⮚ Gopi ⮚ Guggu ⮚ Guddu ⮚ Kadal ⮚ Ganesha ⮚ Bhrama ⮚ Ishan ⮚ Jai ⮚ Kanak ⮚ Mardava ⮚ Maanvi ⮚ Nehal ⮚ Puneeth ⮚ Purna ⮚ Ranjan ⮚ Rathi ⮚ Khan ⮚ Salman ⮚ Kirpan ⮚ Vishnu ⮚ Rudra

These are the few Indian Names For Dogs (male). I hope you have found what you wanted if not don’t worry we have just started.

Indian Dog Names For Female Dogs With Meaning

Here, you can find some Female Indian Names For Dogs but it’s important that your little friend agrees with you so try a few names and see to which one she reacts well.

You can also
name her on the basis of her color or you might have something in mind and you
can name her related to that if not below are some names you can choose from.

The name can
be related to art, our culture, heritage anything you want it from you just
have to use your imagination.

Below is a list of Indian Names For Dogs (female) and its meaning:

Indian Dog Names For Female Dogs

⮚ Anya (different) ⮚ Asha (hope) ⮚ Bala (young girl) ⮚ Chandra (shining moon) ⮚ Champak (Flower) ⮚ Dakshi (the glorious) ⮚ Devi (goddess) ⮚ Jasmine (flower) ⮚ Kerani (bells) ⮚ Kaali (black goddess) ⮚ Lalsa (love) ⮚ Ladki (girl) ⮚ Laksha (white flower) ⮚ Magna (thinking) ⮚ Neha (cherished) ⮚ Pritika (Beloved one) ⮚ Riya (singer) ⮚ Rasna (joy) ⮚ Ritu (clock) ⮚ Smita (happy face) ⮚ Sona (golden) ⮚ Tara (star) ⮚ Sita ⮚ Shweta ⮚ Sonam ⮚ Anvi ⮚ Advika ⮚ Bhavya ⮚ Charvi ⮚ Chairal ⮚ Charu ⮚ Jasbir ⮚ Jehan ⮚ Geet ⮚ Keerti ⮚ Madhu ⮚ Priyanka

These were some Indian Names For Dogs for your female friend and the list just goes on so keep reading.

Indian Dog Breed Names (Sorted By Indian Breeds)

We will Indian Dog Names List according to
their breed as the commonly they these breeds are given these types of names.

If you don’t
know which breeds are Indian breeds you can click here and know more about
Indian breeds.

These breeds
are easy to find in India at a low price and if you decide to adopt a street
dog you will get it for free and with that, you will get a true, loyal friend
who will love and care for you.

Some of the
breeds are below though some names might repeat but it’s according to the
breed:

Rajapalayam

Male	Female
⮚ Chinnu (creative) ⮚ Akash (sky) ⮚ Arjun (a mythological name for sharp dogs) ⮚ Batuk (boy)	⮚ Cinnamon (Indian spices)

Indian Pariah Dog

Male	Female
⮚ Hardik (sincere) ⮚ Yogi (master of oneself) ⮚ Raja (king) ⮚ Shvan (linked to lord shiva)	⮚ Browny (short form of brownie)

Rampur Greyhound

Male	Female
⮚ Jihan (cosmos) ⮚ Sundar (beautiful) ⮚ Tiger (symbolizes tiger)	⮚ Champak (flower) ⮚ Falgun (spring)

Indian Gaddi

Male	Female
⮚ Badshah (king) ⮚ Bagira (loving) ⮚ Daaku (bandit) ⮚ Gabbar (from Sholay Indian movie)	⮚ Maaya (mirage)

Bakharwal Dog

Male	Female
⮚ Nirav (calm) ⮚ Bolly (short for Bollywood) ⮚ Indra (drops of rain)	⮚ Mani (jewel) ⮚ Manat (wish)

Above were some Indian Dog Names for Indian breeds and some names you can use to name your Indian dogs.

Indian Names for Dog Breeds (Foreign Breeds Sorted By Language)

These Indian
names are suitable for given dog breeds:

Golden Retriever

This dog is highly active
and loving with a perfect fit for a family.

This dog is medium-sized
and loves to play hence, it needs more space then an apartment.

The shiny coat needs your
lot of attention as it sheds and has grooming needs.

Male	Female
⮚ Aslan (male name) ⮚ Basusaahil (male) ⮚ Captain (male) ⮚ Dagdu (male) ⮚ Papu(male) ⮚ Rana (male) ⮚ Yuri (male)	⮚ Arya (female name) ⮚ Kaaya (female) ⮚ Kajal (female)

German Shephard

This attractive and strong breed is very strong and loyal.

They are full-sized dogs and they require more space to exercise
and play as they are highly active.

They require regular grooming as they shed a lot so they need
regular brushing.

Male	Female
⮚ Appu (male) ⮚ Bagheera (male) ⮚ Badshah(male) ⮚ Bhairav (male) ⮚ Kaliff (male) ⮚ Ramboo (male) ⮚ Soni (male)	⮚ Jinni (female) ⮚ Kiki (female) ⮚ ita (female)

Rottweiler

The affectionate, fierce-faced dog is very noble and protective of
its family as they are called “family dogs”

They are prone to obesity so exercising and maintaining diet is
important for them.

They have low grooming needs leaving the basic grooming for them.

Male	Female
⮚ Anni ⮚ Barnko ⮚ Bheem ⮚ Chaba ⮚ Robbie	⮚ Akira ⮚ Chini ⮚ Razia ⮚ Sonali ⮚ Teja

They are bred as guard dogs and are large in size but they are
possessive and protective of their family.

They are huge dogs and they love to spend their time outside and
exercise is necessary for them.

All you have to do is take care of their grooming needs and brush their hair thrice a week.

Tibetan Mastiff

They are bred as guard dogs and are large in size but they are
possessive and protective of their family.

They are huge dogs and they love to spend their time outside and
exercise is necessary for them.

All you have to do is take care of their grooming needs and brush
their hair thrice a week.

Male	Female
⮚ Bruno ⮚ Rambo ⮚ Sheru ⮚ Buzo ⮚ Sewak ⮚ Yudhistir	⮚ Atlia ⮚ Sultana ⮚ Zara ⮚ Zozo

Saint Bernard

This dog is patient, loyal and always willing to please though
this breed always prefers more open ground as they are very active.

This is a large-sized dog and also cat-friendly and don’t really
have any barking tendencies.

They need proper grooming and care as they are large in size they
shed twice a year.

Male	Female
⮚ Arjun ⮚ Ballu ⮚ Sartaj ⮚ Dodo ⮚ Gollu ⮚ Laddu ⮚ Romeo ⮚ Samrat	⮚ Beeshma (female) ⮚ Falko (female)

Indian Dog Breed Names (Sorted By Indian Languages)

Tamil Dog Names

This language is spoken in 4 states of India which makes this language 5^th most spoken language in India so below are some Tamil dog names.

Tamil Dog Names

⮚ Arkita ⮚ Bhavi ⮚ Dikshan ⮚ Harshika ⮚ Girik ⮚ Jovita ⮚ Lipika ⮚ Rakshan ⮚ Tasha ⮚ Vallabh

Kannada Dog Names

Over 33 million people in India can speak this language also this
language is very common in south India.

Kannada Dog Names

⮚ Anamika ⮚ Chandra ⮚ Dhananjay ⮚ Gagan ⮚ Haresh ⮚ Ila ⮚ Kailash ⮚ Lalasa ⮚ Neel ⮚ Manjula ⮚ Taj

Telugu Dog Names

Over 88 million people in India can speak this language also this
language is very common in south India.

Telugu Dog Names

⮚ Aabhas ⮚ Aadi ⮚ Aakaanksha ⮚ Aadarsh ⮚ Chaaru ⮚ Chaand ⮚ Kaal ⮚ Kaalik ⮚ Kaamod ⮚ Chakor

Bengali Dog Names

3 states in India speak Bengali language.

Bengali Dog Names

⮚ Bullu ⮚ Gogi ⮚ Dulal ⮚ Ajoy ⮚ Lolo ⮚ Joo ⮚ Lussy ⮚ Nipa ⮚ Romio ⮚ Sabuj

Punjabi Dog Names

This language is most common and well-spoken by many people in India, below are some dog name in the Punjabi language.

Punjabi Dog Names

⮚ Amrit ⮚ baljeet ⮚ Balvindra ⮚ Daler ⮚ Dhyan ⮚ Kamaljeet ⮚ Jasmit ⮚ jay ⮚ Siddhu ⮚ Veera

This language is most common and well-spoken by many people in
India, below are some dog name in the Punjabi language.

Marathi Dog Names

This language is the most spoken language in India and over 83 million people in India can speak this language.

Bengali Dog Names

⮚ Ina ⮚ Datt ⮚ Kailas ⮚ Maahir ⮚ Kaarin ⮚ Maanvir ⮚ Saha ⮚ Maadhav ⮚ Irma ⮚ Writi

We know some
of you out there have a funny bone and love your dog but also want to have fun
so we understand.

There is no
harm to relax and name your dog for fun or maybe you just have a goofy dog with
you.

Some of you
get lucky and probably end up with your partner in crime and your teammate
needs a name so we will help you people with some funny names.

Below are
some funny names for Funny Indian Dog
Names Male.

Male	Female
⮚ Gabbar ⮚ Doga ⮚ Phoolan Devi ⮚ Sambha ⮚ Dinko ⮚ Ranjha ⮚ Zanjeer ⮚ Sikander ⮚ Gogo ⮚ Porus ⮚ Mowgli ⮚ Baburao ⮚ Bhadra ⮚ Mogambo ⮚ Rocket ⮚ Shakaal ⮚ Sher ⮚ Kesari ⮚ Haider ⮚ Goonda ⮚ Sultan ⮚ Teja ⮚ Pakhandi ⮚ Kaya ⮚ Munna ⮚ Vigilesh ⮚ Shah Jahan ⮚ Jani ⮚ Sipahi ⮚ Jagat Samrat ⮚ Kaalu ⮚ Buland ⮚ Heera	⮚ Beeshma ⮚ Falko ⮚ Saathi ⮚ Heera

Cute Indian Dog Names

Who doesn’t
want cute names for their cuties? All you have to do is go through the Indian Dog Names List below and you’ll
find the cutest names for your furry friend.

Don’t get
confused just choose a name you like to say and the one which catches your
heart and your little friend will agree with you.

We will
cover Famous Indian Dog Names here
along with cute ones so you will probably get the popular one from here.

Below is the
list of cute and famous Indian dog names:

Male	Female
⮚ Alladin ⮚ Babu ⮚ Barfi ⮚ Babloo ⮚ Bebo ⮚ Bagira ⮚ Bajraangi ⮚ Bitoo ⮚ Dost ⮚ Kalu ⮚ Niki ⮚ Raja ⮚ Rani ⮚ Renne ⮚ Sartaj ⮚ Simba ⮚ Sultan ⮚ Surat ⮚ Tiger	⮚ Zorro ⮚ Ammu ⮚ Coco ⮚ Candy ⮚ Fifi ⮚ Gudiya ⮚ Jasmine ⮚ Laadli ⮚ Lolo ⮚ Lolita ⮚ Dolly ⮚ Pooja ⮚ Pia ⮚ Pikku ⮚ Sasha ⮚ Suri

Above are some of the Indian Dog Names you can refer to for your dogs also some of you would like to name your dog with a western name but it won’t really give you a sense of affinity with them with respect to every language.

These are a
few of the breeds you can look for names if you have them and if you want other
names or have other breeds all you have to do is click here
to know more.

We hope you found Indian Names For Dogs you were looking for here whether it was for your male dog, female dog or you were trying to find some unique name for them, or maybe you just wanted to give that name some Indian touch.

If you wish for more names you can get them here.

Even if you
are not satisfied reading these names all you have to do is use your
imagination to have the name you were looking for.

Maybe you
can even use our India’s history or maybe even have look at your family tree
for some inspiration and even though we have tried to give some Bollywood touch
to these names you can give different Bollywood name to them or your favorite
animal, food, place or anything as long as it makes you and your little friend
happy about it.

This was all
about all the loving, funny, popular names you can give your dog.

Give your
thoughts down in the comment section.

Stay with us
to know more about dogs and different breeds!

Happy Petting To You
Guys!

Last updated: January 12, 2023

The pre-contact Anishinaabeg had only one significant domestic animal, the dog (animosh). Dogs were kept as pets and companions, used as draft animals, sometimes eaten, and sacrificed for certain particularly important ceremonies. The Great Lakes region lacked any other suitable large domesticable animal.^[1]

With the arrival of Europeans, however, the Anishinaabeg were of course exposed to many new and unfamiliar domesticates. This post will look at the names of each animal in various Ojibwe dialects. As might be expected, since these represented unfamiliar concepts and Ojibwe evinces a general preference to create new vocabulary based on existing roots rather than directly borrow foreign words, there is often a great deal of dialectal variation in these names.

Table of Contents

Domestic Animals / Livestock Horses Pigs Cattle Cats Chickens Sheep Goats Donkeys/Mules Terms for Male and Female Animals Sources Used

Domestic Animals / Livestock

There are several general names for “domestic animal” or “livestock” (as opposed to wild animals, which are (bagwaj(i)-)awesiinh). Awakaan, which originally referred to war captives/slaves, has come to mean primarily “domestic animal; livestock; pet,” what with war captives not being an especially common part of daily life anymore. Another word for “pet” specifically is bami’aagaans, literally “little adopted/supported one.” Sela Wright, a missionary who worked at Red Lake and Leech Lake in Minnesota for much of the latter half of the 19th century, recorded several different terms which he translated as “Live stock” (Wright n.d.:70, 85, 161, 180), but they seem to either be literal translations of English “livestock” or grammatically dubious, so I’m not sure how much stock (no pun intended) to put in them.^[2] But in any event, they are: bemaadizijig awesiinyag / awesiinyag bemaadizijig (lit. “living animals”); <ûn-ga-wi-ĭnt-tcĭg> / <un-gah-we-int-chig>, evidently representing waangawi’injig “those which have been tamed” but lacking the vowel ablaut/infixation known as initial change which is usually found on participles like this; and <Gah-nan-dah-we-zi-chig>, which looks like ganaandawizijig “healthy ones”(??) (again lacking initial change).

Horses

Horses were by far the most important new domesticated animal that Indian tribes came in contact with. They featured prominently in the Spanish excursions in Central and South America and the American Southwest (with many eventually escaping and creating feral populations that exist to this day). They were less important for the early Anishinaabeg specifically, although the Saulteaux who moved onto the western plains and adopted a plains lifestyle, including bison-hunting, did come to make heavy use of horses. In a great many Indian languages the word for “horse” is somehow related to the aboriginal word for “dog,” for example Lakota šúŋka “dog” vs. šúŋka wakȟáŋ “horse,” lit. “sacred/holy dog”; šúŋka on its own seems to also be a possible term for “horse,” particularly in compounds, names, etc. However, this is not always the case in Ojibwe, although there are a number of connections, as we’ll see. The most widespread term for “horse” in the southern and eastern dialects is bebezhigooga(n)zhii, which breaks down as:

be~bezhigw-ga(n)zhy-e
DISTRIB~one-nail-INCORP.AI

This means “has one hoof each,” i.e., referring to the fact that horses have only a single hoof on each foot as opposed to the cloven hooves found on the ungulates which with the Anishinaabeg were familiar. A name with the same or similar meaning is found in several other Central Algonquian languages (mostly loaned from each other), though containing reflexes of the Initial *nekot- instead of *pe·šekw- for “one.” Early Miami-Illinois had neekatokaši(iw)a, which was borrowed into Meskwaki as nêkatô(sh)kashê/âha, Sauk as nêkatôshkashâha, and Kickapoo as neekotikaseeha (the last with a partially re-nativized Initial), and the Kickapoo word may have then been re-loaned into Miami-Illinois, since later records show the Miami-Illinois word as neekatikaša. Modern Potawatomi has nékdosha, but this was earlier recorded, before Potawatomi underwent syncope of all unstressed vowels, as <núkitochˊkichā> and <nag-e-toash-ke-shau> = †/nɛkətoʃkəʃ(ː)ɑ/, a loan from Sauk.^[3] (Another earlier recording, <na gdo kihzha> = †/nɛkətokəʃɑ/, looks more like a native term—though it may be borrowed from Meskwaki—but it did not survive to the present.) Additionally, Menominee has pāēsekokasiw, borrowed from Ojibwe. Given the geographic locations of the various people involved, the most likely original source of this term is Miami-Illinois, so the Ojibwe word is ultimately calqued from the Miami-Illinois one.

Several variants of bebezhigooganzhii are also found, including bezhigooganzhii (without the distributive reduplication); bebezhigoogashkwe in Algonquin (which replaces the body part Medial -ga(n)zhy- “nail, claw, hoof” with the Algonquin equivalent -gashkw-) and its truncated variant bebezhigooshkwe; and bezhooshkwe in modern Nipissing Algonquin, which is an even further truncated version of the Algonquin form(s). In the Nipissing of the late 19th and early 20th century, however, the word was not truncated: <pepejikokackwe>, <Pepejikokäckwe> = bebezhigoogashkwe (Cuoq 1886:332; Lemoine 1909:118).

On the other hand, Saulteaux, Border Lakes Ojibwe, Northwestern Ojibwe, and Oji-Cree have borrowed the Cree term for “horse,” mištatim/mistatim, as mistadim, mishtadim, or mitadim. This Cree term, though, is related to the word for “dog”: it literally means “big dog.” Some communities in transitional areas, like Ponemah in northern Minnesota, may use both forms, illustrated nicely by a speaker “correcting” herself during an elicitation session: Ningikenimaag igiweg ininiwag gaa-miinaawaad iniwen ikwewan bebezhigooganzhiin, maagizhaa gaye ‘mishtadim’ indaa-ikid “I know the men who gave the horses (bebezhigooganzhii) to the women, . . . or maybe I should say mishtadim” (Sullivan 2016:192).

Another connection between the words for “dog” and “horse” in Ojibwe is in the possessed form for each word. Ojibwe, like most other Algonquian languages, has a suppletive possessed form for “dog,” based on the root -day- (ninday “my dog,” giday “your dog,” etc.). This suppletive root has been extended to cover horses as well, so that while bebezhigooganzhii or mishtadim or similar mean “horse,” “my horse” is ninday, synonymous with “my dog.” (For other connections between dogs and horses, see the section on male and female animal names below.)

A few older sources give a specific term for foals which I have not found elsewhere and am not sure how to analyze: <máunezhans> (= †maanizhens, with diminutive -ens [Wilson 1874:235]), <Mánijins> (= †maanizhiins, with diminutive -iins [Baraga 1853:215]), and <manicinj> “poulain” (= probably †maanizhiinzh, with diminutive -iins plus diminutive/pejorative consonant symbolism [Cuoq 1886:205; Lemoine 1909:118]). Baraga actually defines it as “a young animal, a colt, etc. any animal not over two years old” and Cuoq also says it means “the young of a large quadruped generally” (“et en général, le petit d’un grand quadrupède”), so it apparently was a term of broader scope that was then sometimes applied to foals/colts/fillies. Another word for young horses in Nipissing is gibonaagosh (Cuoq 1886:171; Lemoine 1909:118; McGregor 1987:122, the last with the additional definition “pony”); this might contain -aagosh “fox,” but I don’t know how to analyze gibon-.

There are also at least two verb Finals associated with riding or being on horseback. The most widespread and productive is -oomigo (composed of the concrete TA Final -oom “carry on one’s back” and a passivizing AI Final -igo), as in banoomigo “s/he falls off a horse” (with Initial baN- “miss, drop”), bimoomigo “s/he rides (along) on horseback” (with Initial bim- “go along; general movement”), omboomigo “s/he mounts a horse” (with Initial omb- “rise”), etc. There is also a Final -ba’igo meaning “ride on horseback; be drawn (by dogs or horses) (AI),” as in bimiba’igo “s/he rides (along) on horseback; s/he rides/drives along (driven by horse or dog)” (again with Initial bim-), apa’igo “s/he rides somewhere with horses” (with Initial a’- “to/on a place”). This Final is composed of the concrete TA Final -ba’ “run” + again the passivizing AI Final -igo.

Pigs

The universal Ojibwe term for “pig” is gookoosh, ultimately from dialectal French cocoche or coucouche (cf. standard cochon; the French terms are originally onomatopoeic and related to similar words in other European languages either for pigs and/or used as hog calls). This is a very widespread loanword—Taylor (1990:200) in fact calls it “the most widespread European loanword in the native languages of North America”—found in Northern Iroquoian languages, Delaware, the Great Lakes languages, many Plains languages (Dakotan, Dhegiha, Chiwere, some Caddoan languages), at least some Eskimo-Aleut languages and Arctic/sub-Arctic Dene (Athabaskan) languages, and many Northwest Coast, northern Plateau, and Great Basin languages.^[4] Like horses, some domestic pigs early on escaped and established feral populations throughout the eastern woodlands, and their ability to consume almost anything made them among the easiest animals for ““acculturated”” Indians to raise, both of which help explain the rapid and broad expansion of the term.

Cattle

In general, Ojibwe speakers adopted the native term for bison (bizhiki, Bison bison) for cattle. Thus for most speakers, “cattle,” “cow,” “bull,” “ox,” and “steer” are bizhiki (see below on how to specify “cow,” “bull,” etc.). Nipissing and some Eastern Ojibwe speakers have instead extended the term adik “caribou (Rangifer tarandus)” to cover cattle, while some other Eastern Ojibwe speakers and most Algonquin speakers use a pejorative/diminutive form of this term, a(a)jikosh or ojikosh. (At least, Valentine 1994:677 found both adik and ajikosh as well as bizhiki at the Eastern Ojibwe-speaking community of Curve Lake, ON, but neither term is glossed as “cattle,” “cow,” or similar in Rhodes 1985 [who lacks either term] or NOD, which only has (a)dik meaning “caribou”].) The Northern Algonquin community of Pikogan and some Oji-Cree speakers have instead borrowed the Cree term (cf. Western Swampy Cree mistos, Moose Cree mištos) as mishtoz. This was the native Cree term for bison, from Proto-Algonquian *meʔθoswa (literally “big moose,” but something like “big game animal” in pre-Proto-Algonquian, though it’s not entirely clear what class of animals the ending *-oswa originally applied to), though like bizhiki it has come to mean “cattle.” Valentine (1994:677) also found one Western Saulteaux community with oniijaani and one with bizhikiyooz. The first may be a loan from Plains Cree onīcāniw “cow; female moose; large quadruped female” (though an Ojibwe cognate oniijaani(w) meaning “doe; female ungulate” does exist and could have extended its meaning, either independently or, more likely, under Cree influence), while the latter appears to be the main Ojibwe term plus -ooz, which is the Ojibwe reflex of the Proto-Algonquian *-oswa suffix found in the names of several large ungulates (as in *meʔθoswa).

As a result of the cooption of the original term for “bison,” for many speakers “bison” is now specified as mashkode-bizhiki “prairie bison/cattle,” or bagwaji-bizhiki “wild bison/cattle.” Since Nipissing coopted the term for “caribou,” in Nipissing “caribou” is now ininadik or aninadik “real caribou.”

Cats

The term for “cat” in the south and east is gaazhagens, lit. “little glutton” (or in some Odawa communities, just gaazhag “glutton”). Some Algonquin communities and some transitional communities on the eastern edge of Oji-Cree have coopted the native term for “lynx,” bizhiw ~ bizhii, while the North of Superior communities use a diminutive form of this word, bizhiins “little lynx.” Northwestern Ojibwe, Oji-Cree, and most of Saulteaux have some variant of boozh(ii) ~ booziins ~ boozhens, etc. This is a loan from English “puss(y),” also borrowed by some neighboring Cree dialects (e.g., Swampy Cree pōs ~ pōš ~ pociy; Plains Cree pōsiy ~ pōsīw; Moose Cree pōsikāciš ← “pussy-cat”). A few Western Saulteaux communities have minooz, borrowed from Plains Cree minōs, itself a borrowing from French minou “kitty” with an added diminutive suffix.

Chickens

Almost all Anishinaabe communities have some variant of baaka’aakwenh, baaka’aakwaan, etc. for “chicken,” fairly obviously of onomatopoeic origin. However, some Oji-Cree speakers have coopted the native term for “ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus),” bine (often called “partridges” in English), while a few others have loaned the English word as jikan.

Sheep

There are wild bighorn sheep native to North America, but they were too far west to be known to the pre-contact Anishinaabeg, who consequently did not have a native word for “sheep.” The Ojibwe word for “sheep” varies considerably, but all the variants are based on the same common root, maani(sh)taanish, with various irregular phonetic changes, diminutive consonant symbolism, etc. Variants include maanijaanis, maanitaanish, maanachaanish, etc. Ultimately this is an old (ca. immediate post-contact) loanword from Swampy Cree *māništān(iš).

Goats

As with sheep, there are native mountain goats in North America but they were beyond the original range of Ojibwe speakers. Two primary terms are used, each with several variants. The most common term is maanadik ~ maanadikosh ~ maanadikoshens, consisting of maaN- “ugly, malformed, weird, wrong, bad, fake” + adik “caribou” (plus in the latter cases a pejorative and then diminutive suffix—resulting in the delightful final term “awful/hideous/freakish little caribou”).^[5]

The other common set of terms for “goat” is based on the word for “rabbit”: either misaabooz, the native term for “jackrabbit (Lepus townsendii),”^[6] in reference to a goat’s longish ears—see “donkey/mule” below; or the Odawa variant (m)zhaabooz with apparent diminutive or pejorative consonant symbolism.

Finally, for an apparently more isolated term, McGregor (1987:177) lists the Kitigan Zibi (Maniwaki) Nipissing word for “goat” as minaago-maanichenish, lit. “smelly sheep.”

Donkeys/Mules

Although the word for “donkey” is not provided in many Ojibwe dictionaries—the only modern ones I have access to that I can find it in are McGregor (1987), NOD, and FOD—the general pattern is clearly that a single term is used for both “donkey” and “mule.” The normal term is memaangishenh or memaangishens, meaning “little one with large ears.” This is the term listed for “mule” in several modern dictionaries which lack an entry for “donkey” (Nichols and Nyholm 1995:83, 216 [Southwestern Ojibwe]; OPD [Southwestern and Border Lakes Ojibwe]), but NOD (Odawa and Eastern Ojibwe), Verwyst (1901:235, 242 [Wisconsin Southwestern Ojibwe]), and Wilson (1874:iv, 163, 296 [Eastern Ojibwe]) have memaangishenh for both meanings. The fact that memaangishenh/ns additionally means “donkey” in Southwestern Ojibwe can also be inferred from the fact that it serves as the term for “Democrat” (as in, a member of the U.S. Democratic Party).

Frederic Baraga’s 1853 dictionary of primarily Southwestern Ojibwe gives both <memángishe> and <mengishkatai> for “ass” (Baraga 1853:226, 227, 436), and <memangishe> and <kitchi memangishe> (the latter with gichi- “big”) for “mule” (pp. 226, 556). The first word is memaangishenh. As for <mengishkatai>, on pg. 227 Baraga marks it as being a specifically “Algonquin” term, though I have not found other sources that attest it in Algonquin. I’m not positive of the interpretation of this word, but the most likely one is that, like memaangishe(nh/ns), it begins in meng-, the initial-changed form of mang- “large,” but without reduplication. It looks similar to *mengishkade, which could mean “one with a big belly” in at least some dialects, but Baraga would not have written final /ɛː/ as <ai>. However, FOD indicates that Oji-Cree has -aday- as the Medial for “belly” instead of -(a)shkad- or -ad or -jii- in the verb “have a big belly” (though this isn’t in AOCD), which is probably a loan from Cree -atay-. My best guess is that at least some Algonquin speakers—at least in Baraga’s day—also loaned this Medial from Cree, and then blended it with the existing Ojibwe Medial -shkad- to produce -shkaday-, resulting in the final term †mengishkaday(e) “one with a big belly,” but this is fairly speculative.

The word for “mule, donkey” in a number of other Algonquian languages is based on the same concept as the primary Ojibwe term: Menominee māmākehsāēw, Meskwaki mâmâkeshêha, Potawatomi mémakshé, mamakshé, or mamakshi, and Sauk mêmâkesêha are directly cognate or close to it (some are loans from each other), while Kickapoo <kakanosea> = †keekaanosea, Miami-Illinois keekaanohšiiwa, later keekaan(o)hšia, Munsee kweekwáanxaash (“donkey”), Shawnee keekaano’še, and Unami kwe·k·ɔ·nxa·s all mean “one with long ears” (many of these forms are taken from Costa [2013:215, 217]). (The Unami term for donkeys specifically is a diminutive of this, kwe·k·ɔ·nxa·t·ət.) Gatschet (1884:16) recorded the word for “mule” from his Oklahoma Odawa informant, Joe Pooler, as <käkanshäĕ>, which is clearly a loan from Miami (representing something like †gegaan’sheya), from when the southern Odawas and the Peorias and Miamis had moved next to one other in Kansas and then Oklahoma, beginning in the 1830s.

In Nipissing and apparently Algonquin (aside from the term Baraga mentioned in the mid-1800s) the term for “donkey, mule” is misaabooz (Cuoq 1886:229; Lemoine 1909:57; McGregor 1987:204; PAD), i.e., the same term used in Odawa and some other areas for “goat,” and the general term for “jackrabbit,” again in reference to the animals’ long ears.^[7] A cognate term is used by their Cree-speaking neighbors: Atikamekw has mihšāpohš for “donkey” (Béland 1978:491),^[8] and Pessamit Innu has mishtapush for both “donkey” as well as “arctic hare.” Another older Nipissing term given by Lemoine (1909:[367]) is <âbitawi pepejikokäckwe> = †aabitawi-bebezhigoogashkwe “half horse.”

In the Freelang Ojibwe Dictionary (FOD), for “Northwestern Ojibwe” (which for FOD also includes Southeastern Saulteaux and Border Lakes Ojibwe) there are two terms listed for “donkey,” maazhi-mitadim, lit. “ugly/weird horse,” and zhoonzho’adim. The latter is at least a partial loan from Cree, from a word containing the Cree Final for “dog/horse,” -atim. Specifically, Plains Cree has sōsowatim as one word for “donkey, mule,” composed of this Final added to a shorter term for “donkey, mule,” sōsow-, which could correspond in other dialects, and in older Plains Cree, to *šōšōw-. However, there are also attestations of what appear to be purely native Ojibwe cognates. Baraga (1853:172) records Southwestern Ojibwe with <Jonjo> and <Jonjówassim> with the meaning “French dog” (the latter variant contains -asim, the Ojibwe cognate of Cree -atim); given the plural form of the word and Baraga’s accent mark, this probably represents zhoonzhoo(wasim). Similarly, Edwin James in Tanner (1830:302) provides a term translated as “Long eared hound,” <Shoon-sho> = †zhoonzhoo. And Bloomfield (1941:16) recorded, in his fieldnotes from Odawa speaker Angeline Williams of Sugar Island, MI, <šōnšō/g> (singular/plural) = zhoonzhoo(+g), which he glossed “big dog for sled.”^[9]

I’m not positive of the ultimate source for these terms, though the presence of nasalization in Ojibwe suggests it was loaned into Ojibwe first, and then from Ojibwe into Cree (but that some Ojibwe dialects then replaced the native “dog/horse” Final with the cognate Cree one?). Its later application to donkeys was due, once again, to donkeys’ long ears, since as Tanner shows, it did not apply to just any dogs, but specifically to long-eared hounds. One possibility is that it’s from joujou “toy,” which is an occasional dog name or nickname in French, but it seems unlikely that hounds, or any other working dogs used by the Frenchmen whom Ojibwe speakers were interacting with, would have cutesy nicknames like this. Another possibility, and one I hope is true, is that it’s related to joual, the stereotypical backwoods/lower class Canadian French pronunciation of cheval “horse,” which has since come to refer to (often lower class) Quebec or Canadian French itself. One of the plural forms, jouaux, is [ʒwo] (SPFC 1930:410). A reduplicated *[ʒwoʒwo] “horsey(s)” might be quite appropriate as a name for dogs or donkeys, especially given the frequent overlap between “dog” and “horse” in Indian languages, but I don’t know why the plural would be used as a base form, nor where the nasalization in Ojibwe would come from. Both of these possibilities are very speculative in any event.

Terms for Male and Female Animals

If it’s necessary to specify the sex of a domestic animal, there are two general strategies. One is to prefix ikwe- “woman” or noozhe- “female animal,” or naabe- “male,” either as prenouns (thus creating compound nouns), or as Initials prefixed to a noun Final specific to that kind of animal—with horses using the noun Final for dogs, in another connection between the two. This strategy is also used for naming males and females of wild animals known pre-contact, e.g., naabeshib “drake” = naabe-, plus -shib (the deverbal/Final corresponding to the noun zhiishiib “duck”); noozhek “sow bear” = noozhe- + -kw- (the deverbal/Final corresponding to the noun makwa “bear”). The second strategy is to use some more general terms, such as the general term for “female ungulate,” and let context clarify the precise referent. Baraga (1850:18) and Verwyst (1901:91) both mention one additional strategy (and Wright illustrates it without commenting on it), of using the base term for the animal followed by the separate words naabe-aya’aa “a male one” or ikwe-aya’aa “a female one,” but this appears to be less common, or probably archaic. Wilson (1874:15) also lists naabe-aya’aa and noozhe-aya’aa as meaning “a male animal” and “female,” but doesn’t give examples of these following animal names to create terms for the male and female of specific species.

Thus, mares can be designated as ikwe-bebezhigooganzhii, ikwe-mishtadim, etc.; as noozhez, which refers to female ungulates in general; or as gishkishenh, which is also a term for “female dog.” Saulteaux uses the term noozhesim, which is another term for “female dog” (noozhe- “female animal” + -(a)sim, the Final for “dog”). And Baraga (1850:18), Verwyst (1901:91), and Wright (n.d.:95), as noted, give bebezhigooganzhii ikwe-aya’aa. Similarly, “stallion” is either naabe-bebezhigooganzhii (etc.) or naabesim (“male dog”) or bebezhigooganzhii naabe-aya’aa.

Boars and sows, male sheep and ewes, and billy goats and nanny goats are specified with naabe- and noozhe- (or ikwe-). I have not found any actual attestations for words for jacks or jennies (male and female donkeys) or mule stallions or mares.

Hens and roosters are referred to either with noozhe- / ikwe- and naabe-, or with the terms noozhese and naabese(nh) respectively, which refer to “female bird” and “male bird” generally, with the Initials noozhe- and naabe- plus the noun Final -se “bird.”

Like mares, cows can be specified either with the prenouns ikwe- or noozhe- or with the general term for female ungulates, noozhez; Wright (n.d.:70, 79, 85, 179) also recorded oniijaani-bizhiki for “cow” in Red Lake Ojibwe in the 1800s, where the prenoun oniijaani- means “female quadruped” and is derived from oniijaani(w) “doe; female ungulate” (related to terms for “have a child, be pregnant,” etc.), though as with oniijaani for “cattle” which Valentine found in one Western Saulteaux community, the meaning extension here may be due to Cree influence. Meanwhile, bulls, oxen, and steers can be specified with naabe-. “Draught ox”/“drawing ox” specifically is given by Baraga (1853:351), Wilson (1874:214), and Wright (n.d.:79, 85) as odaabii-bizhiki (“drags.things-cattle”) (though Wright also glosses this as just “Ox” on pg. 70) and “ox” is repeatedly given by Wilson (1874) as bizhiki, except for one instance of anokii-bizhiki (“work-cattle,” pg. 139). Wright (n.d.:70, 79, 85, 179) also records ayaabe (normally/originally meaning “buck, ungulate bull”) as (domestic) “bull.” For those speakers who use adik (originally “caribou”) for “cattle,” “(domestic) cow” is noozhedik “caribou cow” and “(domestic) bull, ox” is naabedik “caribou bull.”

In addition, for “bull” specifically, some speakers have doonoo, a borrowing from French taureau. I’m not certain how widespread this variant is. It’s the primary term at Mille Lacs, MN (Southwestern Ojibwe: Nichols and Nyholm 1995:46, 151; OPD) and is also found in Long Point/Winneway Algonquin (Piggott and Grafstein 1983:186), and Aubin (1981:40) and McGregor (1987:7) show Nipissing Algonquin has both naabedik and dooloo, with a re-gallicization of /n/ to /l/.

However, the term doonoo/dooloo is absent from Baraga (1853, older eastern Southwestern Ojibwe; term given is naabe-bizhiki, pg. 256), Wilson (1874, older Eastern Ojibwe; term given is naabe-bizhiki, pg. 180), Cuoq (1886, older Nipissing; term given is naabedik, pp. 67, 245), Verwyst (1901, older Wisconsin Southwestern Ojibwe; term given is naabe-bizhiki, pg. 91), Lemoine (1909, older Nipissing; term given is naabedik, pp. 92 and [477 (unnumbered)]), Campbell (1940, older White Earth Southwestern Ojibwe; no term given), Rhodes (1985, Eastern Ojibwe and Odawa; no term given), AOCD (southern and eastern Oji-Cree; no term given), and NOD (Eastern Ojibwe and Odawa; no term given). At the moment I have limited access to lexical resources on Saulteaux, however, and the term may well be present there. Its specification in the Ojibwe People’s Dictionary as a Mille Lacs term suggests that it isn’t in wide use elsewhere in Minnesota or the Border Lakes region of southern Ontario. Costa (2013:207) does note that Kickapoo (tonooha) and Menominee (tōnōh) also loaned the term, to which can be added at least Atikamekw Cree (tōrō(w) [Béland 1978:583; DAtk]). It’s possible that Menominee and/or Atikamekw loaned the word via Ojibwe (particularly likely in the case of Menominee), though Pentland’s (1982:111, 112) wording and data suggest—though don’t make this explicit—that the term is found in at least Swampy Cree as well.

Sources Used [click to expand]

(“AIL” = Algonquian and Iroquoian Linguistics)
(“AL” = Anthropological Linguistics)
(“CESP” = National Museum of Man, Mercury Series, Canadian Ethnology Service Paper)
(“KWPL” = Kansas Working Papers in Linguistics)
(“SCOIL” = “Survey of California and Other Indian Languages)

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• Haugen, Jason D. (2011). “19th Century Missionary Linguistic Documentation of Ojibwe (Red Lake & Leech Lake, MN): Linguistic Materials from the Sela G. Wright Collection in the Oberlin College Archives.” Paper presented at the 7th Conference on Endangered Languages and Cultures of the Americas (CELCNA 7), April 22, 2011.
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1. People did occasionally tame random wild animals for amusement; Kohl (1985:35-36) mentions various bird species including ravens, magpies, and eagles; deer; foxes; “and even bears,” and reports on a man with a pet bear that he once carried “on his back, because the brute was very tired, and its whining had moved his tender heart.” (Though, PSA: bears, and most wild animals, don’t make good pets!) However, these taming episodes did not occur on a regular basis, and these tame animals did not lead to domesticated animals, and certainly not domesticated animals with any real use to humans. ↑
2. There are other instances in the vocabulary where Wright has clearly just literally translated an English name, e.g., for “Cat-fish” he has <Kac-a-gens ki-go> = gaazhagens giigoo(nh) (pg. 35), which is just the words for “cat” plus “fish” strung together, rather than an actual native term for one of the varieties of catfishes, such as maanameg. ↑
3. My source for these other Algonquian terms and the likely borrowing relationships is Costa (2013), except for the <nag-e-toash-ke-shau> attestation for Potawatomi “horse,” which is from Pentland (2002:352). Regarding Potawatomi <núkitochˊkichā>, Costa (2013:277, n. 27) comments that “[t]he <ú> [representing what must be /ɛ/] in the first syllable of Gailland’s [the missionary who recorded the word] form is unexplained, though he seems always to transcribe it with this vowel.” ↑
4. In most cases the direct source of the loan in a given language is another Native language, e.g., most or all of the Dene languages probably loaned their terms via Cree (or a neighboring Dene language which took it from Cree)—which probably got the word from Ojibwe in the first place—while the Northwest Coast languages loaned their terms from Chinook Wawa (Chinook Jargon). ↑
5. The Freelang Ojibwe Dictionary (FOD) lists what would appear to be another variant of this, “maa’adik,” marked as being a specifically Southwestern Ojibwe term. It contains the term for “caribou,” but the initial element is obscure. However, given Freelang’s list of sources (Weshki-ayaad el al. 2019:11-20), the specification of the term as being confined to Southwestern, and the lack—as far as I can find—of other attestations of it, I suspect it was taken from Campbell (1940), a fairly brief, unsophisticated, and poorly produced lexicon of the Ojibwe speech of White Earth, MN, where “goat” is given as <mah-ah-dik> (pg. 19). This is almost certainly a misprint, either for <man-ah-dik>, with a handwritten <n> having been misread as <h>, or for <mah-nah-dik>, with the <n> of the second syllable accidentally missed. The lexicon seems to have been printed by the family of the author several years after his death—that is, by people who would be working with his manuscript but who did not know Ojibwe themselves and would be unable to catch such errors (there are various other unquestionable errors in it). Thus I strongly suspect “maa’adik” in fact does not and never did exist. ↑
6. Apparently mishaabooz (the forerunner of misaabooz) was also the Old Ojibwe name for arctic hares (L. arcticus). Because they don’t live in Anishinaabe territory they generally don’t have any Ojibwe name, but the Jesuit missionary Louis Nicolas, in a Natural History of New France from the late 17th century, reported on a kind of large hare which he never saw but which lived far to the north, and which was much larger than the rabbits of the more southerly parts of New France; he said that “[t]he natives of these lands call them oulana, and our Westerners call them michabous” (“Les natifs de ces terres les nomment oulana, et nos Occidentaux michabous” [Gagnon 2011:312, 442]). In spite of his exaggeration of the size (“grands comme des veaux de quinze jours ou comme des moutons d’un an” = “as large as ten-day-old calves or as one-year-old sheep”), attributable to the fact that he never actually saw one, his description can only fit arctic hares, which are indeed considerably larger than snowshoe hares and other leporid species more familiar to the Anishinaabeg and French. This is supported by the fact that cognates of misaabooz mean “arctic hare” in some other Algonquian languages: Naskapi mistaapus, Innu mishtapush.

   (I’m not sure what language “oulana” is from. It has the shape of an Iroquoian noun, but I can’t find any Mohawk or Huron or similar words that would fit . . .) ↑

7. The English word “jackrabbit” is semantically parallel, originally referring to donkeys as well: it’s an abbreviation (Klammerform) of “jackass rabbit.” ↑
8. This also means “camel,” and due to its shape it actually must be a loan from Algonquin, with added diminutive consonant symbolism. DAtk instead gives <micakoc> = mihšākohš “big fox,” perhaps distorted from mihšāpohš by folk etymology(?), though cf. the Nipissing word for young horses, gibonaagosh, mentioned above. ↑
9. An edition of the Freelang Dictionary which came out after I originally wrote this post (FOD) lists zhoonzhoo with the meaning “mutt,” zhoonzhoons (containing the diminutive suffix -(e)ns) meaning “little mutt,” and zhoonzhoowasim meaning “cur dog,” but I don’t know the ultimate source(s) for these terms or their definitions. ↑