History ADogNamedDog / Literature

* There is a tomcat named Tom in ''Literature/WarriorCatsDawnOfTheClans'', who eventually becomes the father of Turtle Tail's kits. Gray Wing finds it really weird that someone would name an animal their own species name.

* All the wild dogs in ''[[http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Literature/Darkeye Darkeye]]'' are named their species name from their country of origin- i.e., "Mhumhi" means "African wild dog" in Shona.

* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire''. Septon Meribald, a wandering priest in the Riverlands, is accompanied by a dog which he only calls Dog, claiming that he can't name it as the dog doesn't belong to him, and it has not bothered to tell him it's name.

* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire''. Septon Meribald, a wandering priest in the Riverlands, is accompanied by a dog which he only calls Dog, claiming that he can't name it as the dog doesn't belong to him, and has not bothered to tell him it's name.

* Haplo in TheDeathGateCycle simply calls his dog "dog". He also refuses to call Alfred by his name for a long time, referring to him simply as Sartan (Alfred's race).

* In ''Literature/ThePrincessBride'', Buttercup's horse is named Horse.

* ''RaptorRed'': The eponymous character -- a Utah''raptor'' of the ''Red''-Snout species -- comes from a species with no names or real language, so the author gives her this nickname for reference. Other characters have similar "names" like "Raptor Red's sister" and "the old dactyl".

** In the [[Film/BreakfastAtTiffanys film adaptation]], Holly [[DiscussedTrope explains]] to Paul that she just didn't feel like she had the ''right'' to give the cat a name because she didn't have any right to ''own'' the cat, instead seeing him as something more like a flat mate.

** A rare human example: Mowgli the man-cub's nickname is Man-Cub. They also call him Little Brother, which works for Bagheera, but sounds odd coming from a porcupine (Ikki calls him that in "How fear Came").

* In the children's book ''Tight Times'' has a mild aversion: the boy wants a pet dog. Eventually he adopts a hungry kitten and names it "Dog".

* Justifed in ''Literature/JamesAndTheGiantPeach'', since the characters are mutated insects who presumably didn't have names when they were normal insects, and they apparently haven't seen the need for a name more descriptive than their own species. After all, anyone can tell the difference between the only giant spider in the world, and the only giant earthworm in the world, without needing to give them any kind of personal name.

* In the rabbit mythology of WatershipDown, there's a hedgehog character named Yona. "Yona" is Lapine for "hedgehog".

* Shows up in ''Literature/IslandOfTheBlueDolphins'', where the protagonist calls the wolf she has tamed Rontu, which means "wolf" in her language.

* ''Literature/WinnieThePooh'': Piglet, Owl, and Rabbit. Played with via mother and joey kangaroo pair Kanga and Roo, and narrowly averted with Tigger.

* Justifed in JamesAndTheGiantPeach, since the characters are mutated insects who presumably didn't have names when they were normal insects, and they apparently haven't seen the need for a name more descriptive than their own species. After all, anyone can tell the difference between the only giant spider in the world, and the only giant earthworm in the world, without needing to give them any kind of personal name.

* ''Dog'' by Daniel Pennac has the main character named... well, Dog.

** A rare human example: Mowgli the man-cub's nickname is Man-Cub. They also call him Little Brother, which works for Bagheera, but sounds odd coming from a porcupine (Ikki calls him that in "How fear Came").

* Shows up in ''IslandOfTheBlueDolphins'', where the protagonist calls the wolf she has tamed Rontu, which means "wolf" in her language.

* ''TheBlackStallion'''s title character is referred to as "The Black" throughout the novel.

* In ''Literature/GoodOmens'' Adam the AntiAntiChrist names his dog "Dog."

* The Moles' dog in the ''AdrianMole'' books.

* In ''BreakfastAtTiffanys'', Holly Golightly's cat is simply called Cat.
** In the FilmOfTheBook, Holly [[DiscussedTrope explains]] to Paul that she just didn't feel like she had the ''right'' to give the cat a name because she didn't have any right to ''own'' the cat, instead seeing him as something more like a flat mate.

* ''Dog'' by Daniel Pennac has the main character named...well, Dog.