Although today we have a deeper understanding of dogs being considered members of the family, during the Middle Ages and early modern times they also held an important place in the lives of their caretakers, both in the domestic environment and in activities such as hunting. Historian and writer Kathleen Walker-Meikle, author of several works on animals from the Middle Ages, has compiled extensive documentation on companion animals from this period, demonstrating that although there are few references to general animal care, there is evidence of the names they were givenan aspect that reveals the emotional value placed on them.
Kathleen Walker-Meikle, whose doctoral research at the university focused on pet ownership in the late Middle Ages, says the most extensive literature on domesticated animals from this period was for dogs rather than cats or other species. Among noble archives, such as those of the Gonzaga family in Mantua, Italy, not only were details of care and training recorded, but also the names of the dogs, which is rare in sources of the period. These data make it possible to appreciate the emotional dimension that the dogs had for their owners and the differentiated care they received.
Dogs and medieval nomenclature
In England, the names of dogs were varied and reflected the physical, behavioral traits and even curiosity of the animals. Documented examples include Robust, Whitefoot, Hardy, Jakke, Bo and Terri. Anne Boleyn, wife of King Henry VIII, had a dog named Pourkoyderived from French Whyreflecting his curious nature. Geoffrey Chaucer, in one of his Canterbury Tales (1390), mentions three dogs: Colle, Talbot and Gerland.
In the field of hunting, Edward of York, author of the book The game master In the early 15th century he included a list of 1,100 names appropriate for hunting dogs, such as Troy, Nosewise, Amiable, Nameles, Clenche, Bragge, Ringwood and Holdfast. In Switzerland, a hunting festival of 1,504 registered 80 participating dogs, whose names included Venus, Fortuna and Turgkemphasizing Furst (Prince) as the most popular. Some names reflected the profession of their owners, such as Hemmerli (Hammer) which belonged to a locksmith, while Speichli (Liedecita) belonged to a carter.
In Italy, the noble Gonzaga family documented the care and naming of their dogs. Ludovico III Gonzaga had at least two dogs, Rubino and Bellinaand ordered that Rubino be buried in a casket with a headstone when he died. Isabel de Este, her contemporary and also a figure in Mantua, owned several small dogs, including Aura and Mamia.
In France, the 14th century knight Jehan de Lescurel owned a dog called Parceval and his wife a dog named Dyamant. During the Renaissance, Léon Battista Alberti regularly mentioned his dog in his writings. Megastom (Big Mouth), reflecting a personal and emotional interest in pet names.
Even in 10th century Arabic sources there are references to dog names, such as Muqpraised in a poem that wished the animal to be removed from all misery and suffering. These references show that the custom of naming and assigning an identity to dogs was not exclusive to Western Europe or the nobility.
List of documented names
Thanks to the research of Kathleen Walker-Meikle and other scholars such as David Scott-Macnab, who examined manuscripts such as The Names of All Manner of Hounds (1460-1480), many examples of medieval dog names survive, including:
- Artus
- Balbine
- Belline
- Bembino
- bo
- Borgettus
- Short
- Damn
- Dyamant
- Family
- Fortune
- Furstli
- Guardian
- Gerland
- Hapéguay
- Robust
- Hemmerli
- Jacques
- Lachne
- Udder
- Megastom
- Melesinn
- Cute
- Sir
- Mopsulus
- Mopsus
- Orsine
- Petitcreiu
- Pourkoy
- Rubino
- Saphyre
- Satin
- Soldan
- Speichli
- Stosel
- Robust
- Terri
- Turgk
- Venus
- Alto
- Violin
- white foot
- Zabot
The variety and attention to detail in the records indicate that the dogs enjoyed a differentiated statuswith names that could reflect their character, their appearance, the function or even the creativity and sense of humor of their owners. It may be trivial to know what names they used for their pets, but through these sources we can glimpse the values and emotions of medieval societies towards their canine companions.
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