Top 10 Presidential Dog Names

 

1. Sweet Lips -- George Washington was a true canine aficionado, owning more than 25 dogs. He actually invented a breed -- the American Foxhound -- by mixing his Black and Tan Coonhounds with the French hunting hounds he received as a gift in the 1780s from his Revolutionary War ally, Marquis de Lafayette. Sweet Lips was one of these mixes.

 

Washington’s pack also included several dogs whose names seem to hint that they might’ve had a bit of an alcohol problem: Drunkard, Taster, Tipler and Tipsy. There’s something you don’t learn about in the history books: ol’ hound dogs partying it up at Mount Vernon! Seriously, we’re not sure why the Founding Father decided to name them that – he wasn’t really known for his sense of humor.

 

2. Fido -- Abraham Lincoln gave his beloved retriever mix and family dog this classic name, which comes from Latin and means "faithful" or "loyal."

 

3. Fala -- According to the Presidential Pet Museum, Franklin Delano Roosevelt's beloved Scottish Terrier was named "Murray the Outlaw of Falahill" after a Scottish ancestor of Roosevelt's. Fala was just a nickname. One of the most iconic and beloved First Pets, Fala is even represented at the official FDR memorial at the feet of his owner.

 

4. Checkers – In a famous 1952 speech, then vice-presidential candidate Richard M. Nixon responded to accusations of fundraising improprieties by insisting the only gift he’d ever received was a black-and-white Cocker Spaniel, named by his young daughters Tricia and Julie, and that he would not be returning it. Interesting fact: Checkers never actually lived in the White House. Still, it's an excellent name for a black-and-white spotted pet.

 

5. Macaroni – Okay, Macaroni’s not actually a dog, but a pony, who was a familiar sight at the John F. Kennedy White House. He was named, quite patriotically, after the well-known folk song "Yankee Doodle” (which would also make a great dog name). The Kennedys had tons of pets, including Gaullie, a French poodle who may’ve been named after French president Charles De Gaulle and Pushinka, the puppy of one of the Soviet Union’s famed space dogs, a gift from premier Nikita Khruschev.

 

6. Millie -- President George H.W. and Barbara Bush's hugely popular English Springer Spaniel was the "author" of the best-selling Millie's Book, which she somehow found time to write, despite giving birth to a litter of White House pups, including Spot, who was one of George W.'s presidential pets.

 

7. Bo -- Malia and Sasha Obama held their Dad to his promise that if he won the 2008 Presidential election, they could get a dog. The girls reportedly named their Portuguese Water Dog after musician Bo Diddley, which also happens to be the nickname of Michelle Obama's father. They’ve since added Sunny to the pack. The First Lady, or @FLOTUS, as she's known on Twitter, recently posted a pic of the pair.

 

8. Liberty -- Not only is Liberty a perfectly patriotic Presidential pet name, but this beautiful Golden Retriever was an equally awesome First Dog, a true best friend to President Gerald R. Ford and his family.

 

9. Him and Her – This famous pair of brother-sister beagles were the much beloved pets of Lyndon Johnson. But in the midst of a turbulent presidency, which saw the rise of U.S. involvement in Vietnam and turmoil over civil rights, Johnson created a firestorm of his own, making front-page news as a possible puppy abuser when a picture was snapped of him lifting Him up by the ears.

 

10. Veto – James Garfield may’ve been our shortest-serving president, due to his tragic assassination in 1881, but he did have a dog with a very clever name for someone elected to his high office.