I get this question every now and then. And the answer is that actually, Charlie’s name comes from several places. For one, I just really wanted to name any dog Charlie. I had the name picked out before I ever met her. It was inspired by two movies that couldn’t be more different, but they were both favorites of mine growing up.
Part lovable goofball, part amnesiac badass. And yes, I watched both of those movies regularly as a kid.
For another, “Charlie” just seemed to fit. When I got her from the Humane Society, her name was Koala.
After playing with Koala for a bit, the name just didn’t suit. Even though she was a bit afraid (she’s still a little skittish), she didn’t seem the least bit docile once she was allowed to jump and play. She was spunky and curious. So I figured it couldn’t hurt to call her by a new name and see how she like it. There she was, with a new sense of freedom, and perhaps the first time she was ever allowed to explore the insides of a car. She gave the passenger seat a try, but quickly decided she liked my lap better. I looked down at her and called her Charlie for the first time.
She looked up at me, almost as if to say, “Yeeeessss?” It kind of looked like this:
Charlie was never called Koala again. And several months later, she’s still a Charlie.
She's beautiful! I adore her big ears.
Charlie seems to be a very fitting name for her. I too adore her ears. But it looks like they were docked? I'm assuming the Humane Society wouldn't do that, I'm guessing whoever gave her up had it done. Shame, that. Those floppy puppy ears kill me!
I just found your blog the other week and have been making my backwards in time. So first off thanks for blogging your adventures! And as to why I choose this post to comment upon, while I know you don't have copious amounts of free time you should check out the book Travels with Charlie by Steinbeck. It's fantastic, although that Charlie is male and a poodle, but still a great dog :) Again Thanks!
I love a) giving “human” names to animals and b) giving animals names typically reserved for the opposite gender! We used to have a female cat named Bill – she always had the same sour look on her face as Bill Murray, haha!
My baby's name is Fred, aka Princess Fred, Fwed Fwed, and a multitude of other monikers. I've always given 'human' names to my monsters, and I didn't want a girly pup, even though she wears a pink collar. She's definitely a Princess, but totally a Fred. (Especially as she's the only white dog at the park who rolls around in the mud!)