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Why are so many fictional dogs named Max?


In a long list of movies and stories, a dog is named Max. What is that about? Is it a reference to something?

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Maybe it’s for ‘max’imum effect, lol.

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👍

Signed, million man.

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I'll only accept this joke if you're drunk.

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Not yet 🍻

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Joke rejected.

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I’ll drink faster 🍺

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Thank you, AndyKing1967. I'm not sure what effect you mean, but it sounds interesting.

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Just a joke.

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Thank you, but I knew that. I was matching your joke.

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As adorable and loyal as they are, sometimes they ain't too bright and simple names work best for them.

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That’s ruff.

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They'll help us fight Skynet but when it comes to spatial skills, they got problems.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/uM-FwojaTzQ

Still better than cats ( :

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Ouch 😣

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Oh stop it you!

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I need to paws for thought.

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That’s it, I’m going to flea from this thread!

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Back to the Future the musical is about to commence - phone off.

Great Scott, Marty!

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Thank you, parkerbot. Yes, animals should have titles that they can follow, but that doesn't explain why the name Max is frequently used for dogs in fiction.

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I should have added, most Hollywood screen writers ain't much smarter than dogs and both prefer short simple names ( :

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Regarding some people, you could be right. It is not a bad joke, but doesn't cover the name Max being flocked to in writing.

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No idea why, but one of my cats is named Max. He is insane, so I guess Mad Max.

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Thank you, 102000. That's a switch. I love cats too.

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If you’re looking for answers you’re barking up the wrong tree.

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‘Tree’mendous!

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Thank you, ShogunofYonkers. That is cute.

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It's the second-most popular name for a male dog, according to this site:
https://dogtime.com/top-100-dog-names

"Max" is short for Maximilian, which is derived from the Latin word maximus, meaning "the greatest."
https://www.behindthename.com/name/maximilian
Throughout history there have been a few monarchs and Christian martyrs with this name.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximilian#List_of_people

Maybe it's related to the practice of naming a dog "King" or "Prince"...?

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Most popular names for dogs and cats include high-pitched consonants (like "X"), a "hissing" sound, because that's what these animals react to, due to their hearing range.

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Oh, an answer! Thank you, jonathan_k80. That fits perfectly.

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You're welcome.

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You forgot "Rover" as well.

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Thank you, AmeriGirl26. No, I haven't forgotten it. I've only known the title Rover to be used in jest when referring to dogs, whether in fiction or real life, never as a real name.

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Actually, in the movie "Independence Day," the Will Smith character's family had a golden retriever named Rover. I only knew his name because of the scene with the firestorm in L.A. His girlfriend, Jasmine was stuck in a traffic jam, unaware that the cars had literally stopped moving, and she saw the firestorm coming in through her rear view mirror. So she grabs her son, busts down the door of a service closet nearby, and then yells "Rover!" calling the dog, who just barely manages to jump into the service closet with them before the flames hit.

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Okay, but as you can probably tell, I have never seen that movie.

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Ah. Watch that and completely avoid the sequel. You'll won't regret it. It was epic when it was in the theaters.

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I know that “Fido” comes from the Latin fidus which means loyal.

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Yes but why did every comic strip in the funny pages always have a doghouse with FIDO over the opening?

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/lifestyle/where-does-the-dog-name-fido-come-from/#:~:text=The%20name%20derives%20from%20a,Latin%20name%20for%20his%20dog.

"So how did Fido gain such a firm toehold in American English that it went from a proper name to generic noun? The surprising two-word answer is:

Abraham Lincoln.

It turns out that in his pre-presidential life as a lawyer in Springfield, Illinois, Lincoln had a dog named Fido.

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I named my black lab Bogart. My son's black lab is Nero.

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When I was a kid we named black dogs and black cats after black r&b artists.

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Oh man, you had to have had a pup named Otis😃

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I'm trying to think because my older sisters always named them. Smokey, Mel, Aretha, Famous (after a dancer on Soul Train) ...

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Legendary pooches😎

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It might be considered racist nowadays. 🤣

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Eh, people need to lighten up. We found an injured, abandoned Pit Bull down by the old Yankee Stadium many years ago, she was a mess.

Vet told us she was a ‘target dog,’ that is a smaller animal used by the creeps and gangs that engage in dog-fighting so their big powerful champs can practice harming and maiming.

People are way worse than animals man!
When we got her all sewed up and washed she was a lovely white color. I named her ‘Whitey’ because she’s the only white girl from that neighborhood LOL😄

She was a good girl, she had about 10 good years with me.

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Yeah, abuse of animals is sickening. Dogfighting is illegal most places but popular among gangsters. And Mexicans have cockfighting.

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The bull fighting is gross too.

I do enjoy fishing and hunting but there is some element of sport involved, the meat gets eaten and state regulations are followed.

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I see nothing wring with fishing and hunting. I'm not a pacifist in terms of animals. I mean food chain and we eat meat.

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I knew someone who named their black cat the most offensive name for a pet.

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Negro, please. I suspect that's actually quite common though.

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If I get another one I might go with Lincoln or Augustus.

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Elagabalus is also a good name. 🤣

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titus
valerian

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