The 10 Best Names at the 2023 Westminster Dog Show Include Nods to Marilyn Monroe, David Bowie, and 'That '70s Show'

dad culture - inspired names are ever popular with one dog ’s name even referencing 2021 ’s viral TikTok hit " Fancy Like . "

Naming a hotdog is no easy feat . And when that dog comes from a retentive line of champions and show domestic dog , the pressure for thebest dog nameis on even more .

Canis familiaris show namesare a longsighted and complicated string of varsity letter and parole , but the mouthful in reality means something . The names usually admit the hot dog ’s titles , the breeder ’s name , and then a playfulness , catchy phrase at the end that can be a nod to pop up acculturation , a meaningful word , or something that is just plain playfulness to say . Each dog has a shortened version of the name that they go by on a day - to - daylight basis ( because condition a dog with an 8 - watchword name is just not going to pass off ) .

a german shepherd running the Westminster Dog Show competition ring

Photo: Bryan Bedder / Getty Images

For example , thebloodhoundwhowon the 2022 Westminster Dog Showgoes by Trumpet , but his full name is GCHB CH Flessner ’s Toot My Own Horn . We came to the 2023 Westminster Dog Show to pet some dogs and con the backstory of some of this year ’s competitor ’s fancy figure .

Here are 10 of our preferred public figure from the 2023 Westminster Dog Show .

GCH CH Nexus That 70’s Show (Kelso)

concord to owner Makayla Boeske , theClumber spanielmentality is , " I know I ’m cute but I ’m not very undimmed . " So the name Kelso , Ashton Kutcher ’s eccentric onThat ' 70s Showwho relies on his secure expression rather than intelligence activity , is pretty spot on for the 3 - year - old pup . Kelso is Boeske ’s third Clumber , and she says she know the name she want to use before she even met him . They have that " mute but cute " vibration , Boeske say .

GCH CH Catskill Meses Masni FCAT2 (Masni)

True to thePumi ’s heritage , Masni ’s name is Hungarian for " converted . " The 4 - yr - old dog was mother ready for her spin around the ring during her breed competition , which includes proprietor and breeder Ildiko Repasi using a particular paste to cover up some stains on her paws from the iron in the soil in the Catskills where they endure .

To get and keep a dog ’s tending in the ring , coach keep avariety of toy and treatson hand to bung them throughout judgement . And yes , the handlers even keep some of these bite in their mouth . Masni ’s pet bite in the band ? Beef . " Mine too , " Repasi express mirth .

GCHS CH Hammersmith Heathcliff Heathcliff CGCA TKN (Heathcliff)

A name so nice they named him twice . The 4 - twelvemonth - oldGerman shepherdwon Best of Breed and go on to nab the fourth place maculation in the Herding Group ring . Heathcliff is named after the sketch cat from the ' fourscore telly show , Heathcliff & the Catillac Cats . His owner , stock breeder , and coach Anya Vasilis sadly passed away in a car chance event in January 2020 on the drive home to Pittsburgh from a dog show in Orlando . Rick Lithgow , Vasilis ’s friend , secernate Daily Paws in an electronic mail , " She had a particular sense of humor and when she named Heathcliff , she mostly called him Trashcat . "

GCHB DC Hart’s Up Tall And High RN FDC MC LCX BCAT ACT2J DN CGC TKA ATT (Alta)

GCHB CH Tivio’s Some Like It Hot (Hazel)

A 3 - class - oldwhippet , Hazel ’s name is inspired by the blue brindle of her gleaming coat . Some Like It Hotis a Marilyn Monroe classic , but for Hazel it ’s more of a family name . Her great large great bully gran ’s name was Some Like It Hot , so owner , breeder , and animal trainer Tracey Hite involve that dog ’s stock breeder if she could use the same name , and they agreed .

CH Bumblebear’s Lady Stardust (Biscotti Rose)

The 2 - year - oldOld English Sheepdoghas a meaningful farseeing and short name . Owner Lori Douglas , from South Waverly , Penn . , says , " I thought the name Biscotti was cute and then my granddaughter added the Rose . " An adorable name to match that fluffy pelage and precious face .

Douglas read she names her cad after band from the 1970s . " I like David Bowie , and she ’s Lady Stardust . " ( Ziggy Stardustis a Bowie song . ) Two of her previous whizz Old English Sheepdogs are describe after songs from the ' 70s , too . One was " Daytime Hustler " after theBette Midler songand another " Midnight Rambler " after theRolling Stones birdsong .

GCHS CH Sherwood’s Singing In The Rain At Keeshond Heaven FCAT (Mr. Kelly)

Mr. Kelly the keeshond ’s possessor Karen Evasuik , from Loveland , Colo. , toiled for the perfect name . The breeder had originally named the weenie Leo , but as an advertising designer , Evasuik wanted the name to be " somewhat commercial-grade . " She then realized she has four distaff acquaintance named Kelly , so she key out him Mr. Kelly .

The name has a double substance , too , with a nod to the 1952 hitSingin ' in the Rainstarring Gene Kelly . " It actually really works , " she says . " He require a happy - go - favourable name . "

CH Yukon’s Co-Pilot, Wheel’s Up! (Kodi)

This very sweetgolden retriever’sname fits absolutely with his curious personality and purpose as copilot in his family . Pat Swanson , Rohobeth , Mass. , Kodi ’s owner and handler , says , " He ’s always with me . "

For the " Wheel ’s Up " part of the name , Swanson was watching horse racing and a jockey ’s trouser leg was emblazon with the row " Wheel ’s Up " ( maybe anador love ofCriminal Minds ? ) . intake struck , and pair off with " Co - Pilot " jet Kodi straight to the ring .

GCH CH Corral West Fancy Like Applebee’s On a Date Night (Quiz)

We can only presume that thisPortuguese podengo pequenowas named after Walker Hayes ’s 2021 hit"Fancy Like . “The vocal blew up on TikTok ( perfect with choreography ) and was even used by and by in an Applebee ’s commercial message . Quiz ’s stock breeder , Corral West Cattle Dogs , tells Daily Paws he was named after the song because he , like the vocal , is a rural area dog but also fancy .

GCHB CH Dobhran’s Alexa Play Some Music (Melody)

Do n’t say thisotterhound ’s name out loud unless you need your Alexa to meet you some medicine of her choosing . She might even flirt " Fancy Like . "

White Clumber spaniel with tongue out