Warning: cuteness overload!

How come Great Danes are not Danish? Read about these dog breeds' names!

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Dog breeds come in all shapes, sizes, and personalities. However, they have at least two things in common: they are all super cute, and their names have a backstory. Do you know how the name "Bloodhound" came to be? And what about "Poodle"? Let’s dig into the history behind some of the most popular dog breed names and uncover the stories they have to tell. You might even discover a fun fact to impress your fellow dog lovers!

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The Basset Hound gets its name from the French word bas, meaning "low." These short-legged scent hounds were bred in 6th-century France and likely descended from St. Hubert Hounds raised in monasteries.

In case you were wondering, their low-to-the-ground build is perfect for tracking scents close to the earth. Despite their solemn appearance, Bassets are gentle and friendly companions.

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The Bulldog’s name harks back to a grittier time when these dogs participated in bullbaiting—a blood sport that was outlawed in Great Britain in 1835 for obvious reasons. Their sturdy build and fearless attitude made them ideal for the task, but thankfully, they’ve left that history behind. Today, Bulldogs are adored for their loyalty and goofy charm. Who doesn’t love their wrinkly faces and stubborn streak?

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The origin of the Beagle’s name is uncertain, but some theories suggest it comes from the French word beugler, meaning "to bellow," a reference to their distinctive howl. These British scent hounds are famous for their loud, expressive voices, which helped hunters locate them during hunts.

Compact and curious, Beagles were bred for tracking and sniffing out game. Their vocal skills are so unique that they’ve inspired legends and stories for centuries.

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Louis Dobermann, a 19th-century German tax collector, bred these dogs to assist him on his rounds. He wanted a companion that was both protective and obedient, and his namesake breed fit the bill. Little did he know that this breed would become widely popular as a working and service dog!

As for the "Pinscher" in their name, it refers to their terrier-like qualities, but it’s Dobermann’s legacy that truly defines them.

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Contrary to popular belief, Bloodhounds aren’t named for their ability to track blood—thankfully! Instead, their name reflects their "blooded," or purebred lineage, which was carefully maintained by European monks.

These dogs were bred for their incredible scent-tracking skills, used for everything from hunting to search and rescue.

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Hey, down here! We know the picture is cute, but here’s the backstory behind the Poodle’s name: It comes from the German word pudel, meaning "to splash in water," which makes sense since they were bred as water retrievers.

Their famous curls weren’t just for show—they helped keep them warm and buoyant in chilly waters. Whether Poodles originated in France or Germany is still up for debate, but there’s no arguing that we all want to pet them!

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The "cocker" in Cocker Spaniel refers to their talent for flushing out woodcocks, a type of bird. These cheerful dogs were originally bred to assist hunters by gently driving game out of hiding.

With a history stretching back centuries, the Cocker Spaniel is one of the oldest recognized breeds.

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Yes, we did work hard to curate the pictures here. You’re getting both the facts and the cuteness! Now, as for Corgis, they get their name from the Welsh words cor (dwarf) and gi **(dog)**—a fitting description of their short, sturdy stature, don’t you think?

Tiny dog, but big personality and energy, for sure. Today, they’re beloved as affectionate family pets with a royal seal of approval—thanks to Queen Elizabeth!

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The name Shih Tzu roughly translates to "little lion" in Chinese, inspired by their resemblance to the majestic king of the jungle. You can’t make this up!

These ancient dogs were often associated with Buddhist legends. Despite their fierce name, Shih Tzus couldn’t be more gentle and affectionate companions. They’ve gone from palace pets to beloved lapdogs around the world.

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Named after Reverend John "Jack" Russell, these terriers were bred for hunting foxes in England’s hilly countryside.

Legend has it that the reverend wanted a dog that was agile and determined, and the breed certainly delivers. With their short legs and boundless energy, Jack Russell Terriers excel at navigating tough terrain.

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The Schnauzer’s name comes from the German word schnauze, meaning "snout" or "mustache." Their facial hair gives them a distinctive, wise appearance that’s hard to miss.

Originally bred in Germany as farm dogs, Schnauzers were valued for their versatility and intelligence. Today, their charming "mustaches" remain one of their most recognizable features.

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Despite their name, Great Danes aren’t Danish—they’re German through and through. However, their name most likely originated from a French naturalist who mistook them for a Danish variation of the greyhound.

These gentle giants were once used to hunt boars, a task that required both strength and courage. Today, they’re known for their affectionate, easygoing nature. Their name might be a mix-up, but their reputation as "gentle giants" is spot on, don’t you think?

Embark on a vocabulary journey

Nightmare, curfew, brunch and more! Curious origins of 10 everyday words

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Thanks to etymology, the science that studies the origins of words, we can learn how and when certain terms began to be used and why they are popular today. Did you know that the concept of brunch has existed since the 19th century? And that we owe the word clue to the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur? Would you like to discover these and other curious origins of common words we use on a daily basis? Keep reading!

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The night part in "nightmare" is self-explanatory, but what about "mare"? You may be interested to know that a mare is not only a female horse but also a term that comes from Middle English and means "suffocating evil spirit." Back in the 13th century, a mare was thought to be a female goblin or ogre that lay on sleeping people and suffocated them.

People were so convinced that a physical being caused this distress that a nightmare was believed to be an actual monster until the 16th century. Eventually, people realized that the crushing, suffocating feeling was an emotional reaction to a bad dream. Isn't that what a nightmare feels like—panic, shortness of breath, suffocation? Fortunately, we have a perfect word to describe it!

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Didn't you hate it when you were young and your parents set a curfew for you? Surely you didn’t know that this custom comes from the sounding of a bell reminding medieval Europeans to cover their fires at night. Today, a curfew is imposed by parents on rebellious teenagers or during periods of emergency or conflict as a way of keeping people off the streets at night.

However, in the Middle Ages, the curfew was the time when people were reminded not to set their own homes on fire. Back then, an evening signal bell would give the order "Cover fire!" But what exactly does curfew mean? Well, the term curfew is an Old French word brought to England by the Norman conquerors, which comes from cuvrir, "to cover" and feu, "fire."

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A long, long time ago, before there were machines, a scavenger was a person who swept the streets. Their job was to remove trash and dirt from the roads. Some of them may have pocketed items they found while pushing around their brooms, but that’s not what gave rise to the modern concept of a scavenger.

For that, the English language has tax collectors to thank. In London, those tasked by the crown with collecting a form of tax called scavage from foreign merchants were called scavagers. By the 16th century, the word was modified by adding an "n," mutating it to scavengers, used to describe people who combed through looking for useful items. Later, the concept was borrowed for animals such as vultures and hyenas.

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If someone called you silly today, you would be offended, but a medieval Englishman would have been pleased. The word is an alteration of the earlier term seely, from an Old High German root meaning "luck, happiness." Therefore, the Old English sense of seely was "happy, fortunate, blessed by God."

In the later Middle Ages, the term developed into "holy," then "innocent, defenseless, deserving of pity." So, what happened? How did we go from a positive term to one with a more negative connotation? The simple explanation is that people often regard goodness and simplicity as a lack of intelligence, which is why, since the late 16th century, the primary sense of silly has been "foolish."

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We all know that vaccines save lives, but few know where the term comes from. Believe it or not, its origin is in the animal world. In the 18th century, English physician Edward Jenner observed that milkmaids who had come into contact with the virus causing cowpox did not contract smallpox, a more serious disease. In 1796, he deliberately infected a couple of children with small amounts of cowpox and proved his theory.

Two years later, Jenner reported his findings in an article written in Latin in which he referred to cowpox as variolae vaccinae, derived from vaccus, meaning "cow." Thus, at the dawn of the 19th century, the term vaccine, used at the time to refer to cowpox material used for injections, later evolved into other nouns and verbs such as vaccinate and vaccination.

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Today, for some reason, the word amateur has a negative connotation. However, in its origins, it had a much more positive meaning. Borrowed from French in the 18th century and ultimately derived from the Latin word amator, meaning "lover," it was originally used to describe a person who loves or is fond of something, as well as a person who practices an art or sport as a hobby rather than professionally. In other words, an amateur does something for love rather than for money.

Interestingly, the word aficionado, a synonym for "amateur," started out as a term for an aspiring bullfighter and later came to refer to a devotee of bullfighting. Aficionado is a Spanish word meaning "to inspire affection" and is now used to describe any ardent follower of an activity.

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The words of a sarcastic person can be sharp and painful, and this may be because the term sarcasm hides the idea of biting into the flesh. The word came into English in the mid-16th century from French, and is based on Greek sarkazein, meaning "to tear flesh," which also came to mean "to gnash the teeth" or "speak bitterly."

Interestingly, the word sarcophagus has a similar history. The original Greek term meant "flesh-eating" and is a combination of sarx, meaning "flesh," and -phagos, meaning "eating." Sarcophagi were originally made of a type of limestone that the ancient Greeks believed consumed the flesh of any dead body in contact with it.

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Without clues, Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot would not be the detectives we know and love. The word clue is a modern spelling of the Old English term clew, meaning "a ball of thread." How did we go from a thread to our modern sense of clue? Well, it derives, no less, from the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur.

After killing the bull-headed monster, the Greek hero manages to escape the labyrinth thanks to the ball of twine that Princess Ariadne gave him to find his way out. From this ancient story, a clue became anything that you can follow to reach a solution.

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Brunch conjures an image of a contemporary urban lifestyle. Although we all picture a cool New Yorker coining the term in the 20th century, it actually came into being in 19th-century Britain. Back then, many upper-class families would give their servants Sundays off, during which the servants would prepare a buffet that included breakfast and lunch dishes. Hence, brunch is a combination of the words breakfast and lunch.

Don’t believe us? An 1896 article in the "Fashionable and Seasonable" section of the English satirical magazine Punch stated: "Nowadays to be fashionable, we have to go ‘brunching.’ An excellent compound word, introduced, by the way, last year by Mr. Guy Beringer in the now-defunct Hunter's Weekly magazine, indicating a combination of breakfast and lunch." Later, in the 1930s, the practice became popular in the United States.

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If you own a garden, you’ve probably seen a caterpillar or two eating away at the leaves of your precious plants. If not, you might remember the blue smoking character from Alice in Wonderland. But do you know where the peculiar name of this furry insect comes from?

The term caterpillar first appeared in English in the form catyrpel, probably an alteration of the Old French word chatepelose, which literally means "hairy cat." The extended form -piller is believed to come from the Old English word piller, meaning "a plunderer or ravager." Given the damage that caterpillars do to plants, it is likely that this influenced how the word is now spelled.