Animals can take center stage in movies, stealing the spotlight from human castmates in live-action adventures or breaking our hearts in animations. Whether they are dogs, cats or more exotic creatures, these superstar animals can serve as brilliant inspiration when you're choosing a name for your own furry, feathery or scaly friends.
Newsweek has collected some of the best animal monikers from the world of cinema to add a touch of movie sparkle to your shortlist.
Dog Names From Movies
Baxter from 'Anchorman'
Baxter is truly an anchorman's best friend. He wears matching pyjamas and retainer to his owner, Ron Burgundy (played by Will Ferrell), and saves him from being killed by a bear in an astounding stroke of luck.
- Barney from Gremlins
- Beatrice from Best in Show
- Bruiser from Legally Blonde
- Buckley from The Royal Tenenbaums
- Buddy from Air Bud
- Buster from Toy Story
- Butch from Cats and Dogs
- Chance from Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey
- Daisy from John Wick
- Hachi from Hachi: A Dog's Tale
- Hooch from Turner and Hooch
- Jack from The Artist
- Lady from Lady and the Tramp
- Lassie from Lassie Come Home
- Lucky from Dr. Dolittle
- Marley from Marley and Me
- Marmaduke from Marmaduke
Max from 'How The Grinch Stole Christmas'
The Grinch has no time for anyone or anything, except his beloved dog Max. In the film version starring Jim Carrey, the Grinch dresses Max as a reindeer to assist in his Christmas-stealing deeds, but the pooch helps awaken his owner's conscience so he returns the presents to Whoville.
- Milo from The Mask
- Odie from Garfield
- Old Yeller from Old Yeller
- Otis from The Adventures of Milo and Otis
- Perdita from 101 Dalmatians
- Petey from The Little Rascals
- Pongo from 101 Dalmatians
- Samantha from I Am Legend
- Scooby from Scooby-Doo
- Scrappy from Scooby-Doo
- Scud from Toy Story
- Shadow from Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey
- Snoopy from the Charlie Brown movies
- Toto from The Wizard of Oz
- Whisky from Bladerunner 2049
- Winn-Dixie from Because of Winn-Dixie
Cat Names from Movies
- Berlioz from The Aristocats
- Bettleheim from Dr. Dolittle
- Buttercup from The Hunger Games
- Calico from Cats and Dogs
- Cat from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
- Catbus from My Neighbor Totoro
- Chloe from The Secret Life of Pets
- Crookshanks from the Harry Potter franchise
Duchess from 'The Aristocats'
Duchess is the most elegant cat in cinema. She is determined to return to her opera-singing owner after the evil butler, Edgar, tries to drown her and her kittens to win his mistress' fortune—and she does it with style and panache from start to finish.
- Garfield from Garfield
- Jiji from Kiki's Delivery Service
- Jonesy from Alien
- Marie from The Aristocats
- Milo from The Adventures of Milo and Otis
- Mr. Bigglesworth from the Austin Powers franchise
- Mr. Jinx from Meet the Parents
- Mr. Tinkles from Cats and Dogs
- Mrs. Norris from the Harry Potter franchise
- Nermal from Garfield
- O'Malley from The Aristocats
- Oliver from Oliver and Company
- Ozone from The Secret Life of Pets
Sassy from 'Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey'
Sassy is pampered and spoiled when Homeward Bound begins, but changes when she is dragged on the journey to return to her owners. Along the way she is brought closer to her new dog friends, even saving Shadow.
- Sergeant Tibbs from 101 Dalmatians
- Snowbell from Stuart Little
- Tao from The Incredible Journey
- Thackery Binx from Hocus Pocus
- Thomas from The Aristocats
- Tom from Tom and Jerry
- Toulouse from The Aristocats
- Ulysses from Inside Llewyn Davis
Fish Names from Movies
- Carlos K. Krinklebine from The Cat in The Hat
- Cleo from Pinocchio
- Dory from Finding Nemo
Flounder from 'The Little Mermaid'
Disney fans everywhere have probably, at some time or another, had a plush toy of Flounder at home. He is cuddly and cute and there to cheer up Ariel whenever she needs a friend.
- Justice from Serenity
- Nemo from Finding Nemo
- Oscar from Shark Tale
- Ponyo from Ponyo
- Wanda from A Fish Called Wanda
Other Animal Names from Movies
Babe the pig from 'Babe'
If we're talking about brilliant animals that aren't the average pet, Babe springs to mind. Not only is he the best sheep dog around, but he even saves his master's farm in his second cinematic outing, Babe: Pig in the City.
- Archimedes the owl from The Sword in the Stone
- Dunston the orangutan from Dunston Checks In
- Gizmo the mogwai from Gremlins
- Hedwig the owl from Harry Potter
- Jerry the mouse from Tom and Jerry
- Joey the horse from War Horse
- Meeko the raccoon from Pocahontas
- Mr. Jingles the mouse from The Green Mile
- Mufasa the lion from The Lion King
- Norman the guinea pig from The Secret Life of Pets
- Pumba the warthog from The Lion King
- Rodney the guinea pig from Dr. Dolittle
- Seabiscuit the horse from Seabiscuit
- Sebastian the crab from The Little Mermaid
- Snowball the rabbit from The Secret Life of Pets
- Timon the meerkat from The Lion King
- Tina the llama from Napoleon Dynamite
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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