Meet some of the most uniquely named contestants in the dog show world, such as GCHG CH Calicops Sassafras Gonnakikurass, affectionately known as Wrassy. Fred Ortiz, who was grooming this spirited Brussels griffon for competition at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show, described her simply: “She’s a saucy girl.” Such whimsical—yet memorable—names are part of the charm of the event that kicked off with agility and obedience contests over the weekend, leading to the breed-specific judging that began Monday. The pinnacle of this renowned competition is the “best in show” award, which will take place Tuesday night.
During Monday’s semifinals at Madison Square Garden, the judges made their selections, including a bichon frise named Neal, a German shepherd called Mercedes who was last year’s runner-up, a shih tzu known as Comet—who was also a finalist last year and took home the title at the American Kennel Club National Championship in 2023—and a whippet named Bourbon, who has previously placed as a runner-up at Westminster twice. Luke Ehricht, who co-breeds and handles Comet, expressed the joy of participating, stating, “He enjoys every moment of this. He’s such a fun dog, too.” The excitement continues as three more finalists will be chosen on Tuesday night.
If you were to put together the full official names of the dogs that have been selected, it would create quite the lengthy string of complicated titles. While show dogs are often viewed as the crème de la crème of the canine world, their names reflect that status. Registered names used during competition are laden with information about the dogs; they often include capitalized letters at the beginning and sometimes at the end, representing various levels of championship status in the traditional breed-by-breed judging system. Abbreviations like “GCHG” for Grand Champion and “CH” for Champion demonstrate these advancements. The initial word typically denotes the kennel from which the dog originates, while additional names may reference other canines in their bloodlines.
In daily life, however, these dogs have more straightforward “call names” that their owners use. Many of these dogs initially receive a “puppy name” from their breeders that may later change into a more suitable nickname. The intricate and sometimes amusing names serve a dual purpose: avoiding duplicate names in registries that can trace back over a century while also helping breeders keep track of different litters through a system of themes.
Professional dog handlers Rachel Adams and Alberto Montila name their litters alphabetically. For example, Adams was grooming a French bulldog affectionately known as Finn, whose registered name is GCHG CH Elysium’s Adventurous Rapscallion D’Assisi. Similarly, Amie McLaughlin names her Norwegian buhund litters with a focus on creativity, wanting to evoke delight with names. Her champion dog, GCH CH Cloudpointe Nothing Betta Than This CGC, born from a fish-themed litter, is affectionately called Eirik at home with his co-owner Sarah Woodworth.
A lighter touch of humor is also embodied in the name GCH CH Aberdeen’s Zoltar RN BN-V—fondly referred to as Zoltar. His owners, comedian Chris Hardwick and model Lydia Hearst, chose this name in reference to the fortune-telling machine from the film “Big.” Hardwick’s wife shared that they were aware Zoltar would grow to be a large dog, which added even more charm to his name. Zoltar received some recognition during the competition, but his cousin, GCHS CH Dobhran’s Alexa Play Some Music, ultimately won the best of breed title.
The show is also a family affair for some contestants. For example, Patricia Hearst Shaw, who co-bred and owns a French bulldog named Sassy (GCHS Diva’s Sassafras Lass), contributed her expertise to the breed, lending a distinctive pedigree to the competition as a well-known figure in dog breeding. Additionally, Colton Johnson and his family like assigning memorable themes to their litters. One of those is GCH CH Bugaboo’s Give Me S’more, known as Graham, named after the s’mores ingredient, and who boasts a lineage connected to a previous Westminster contender.
Lastly, in this grand showcase, GCHP Kaleef’s Mercedes is set to retire after her last performance at Westminster. With the German name chosen to represent classic excellence, co-owner Cynthian Wilhelmy expresses her thoughts on choosing a name that expresses reliability in a dog. As the Westminster dog show continues, the blend of whimsical, themed, and title-bearing names encapsulates the joyful spirit of the competition, making every name a story in itself.
