What’s in a Name?

Taylor Swift's Cat 'Olivia Benson' and More Celebrity Pets with Famous Names

From Taylor Swift to Ellen Pompeo’s pets, Jean Trinh rounds up the best celebrity pets with famous names.

Getty (2)l Fame Pictures; Reuters/Landov

By Jean TrinhJun 19, 2014

galleries/2013/02/01/ben-affleck-s-dog-and-more-celebrity-pets-with-famous-names-photos/celeb-dog-names-tease_dtaptd — Taylor Swift’s cat is named after her favorite TV detective. Martha Stewart’s pooch shares the same name with a historical Asian figure. Ellen Pompeo’s pup has a designer’s name. See more of the best glitterati pets dubbed after famous figures.
Getty (2)l Fame Pictures; Reuters/Landov

galleries/2013/02/01/ben-affleck-s-dog-and-more-celebrity-pets-with-famous-names-photos/140619-taylor-swift-celeb-pets_uzg16h — Taylor Swift has a long history of seeking lyrical revenge against her no-good exes. Now, with feline enforcer Olivia Benson by her side, she finally has the muscle to make them pay. Taylor's new, tiny, white kitty shares a name with Law & Order: Special Victims Unit's detective Olivia Benson, and is the second cat Taylor's named after a fictional television character.

Instagram

galleries/2013/02/01/ben-affleck-s-dog-and-more-celebrity-pets-with-famous-names-photos/130128-josh-hutcherson-dog_lz4jrs — The Hunger Games teen heartthrob named his adopted puppy Driver, after Ryan Gosling’s character in the 2011 hit film, Drive. In an interview with Elle, Hutcherson discussed his admiration for Gosling: “I like his subtleties and how he really internalizes a lot of the emotion. And for me, that’s kind of my style. So he’s definitely a big person to look up to.”
Charles Sykes/AP

galleries/2013/02/01/ben-affleck-s-dog-and-more-celebrity-pets-with-famous-names-photos/130128-george-clooney-dog_n5ls5j — This Hollywood hunk is in a love affair—with his beloved canine, Einstein. Dubbed after the physicist, Albert Einstein, George Clooney adopted this cocker spaniel from a shelter. “I was looking for a dog because I hadn’t had one for a while—and I wanted one that was house-trained,” said Clooney in an interview with Esquire. “I’m just terrible at house-training dogs.”
Getty; Startracks

galleries/2013/02/01/ben-affleck-s-dog-and-more-celebrity-pets-with-famous-names-photos/50-cent-celeb-dog-names_uneh5p — Sometimes people fight like cats and dogs, and then it’s up to Oprah Winfrey to resolve the problem—especially when it involves herself. After a longstanding disagreement, rapper 50 Cent patched things up with the talk show host in a June 2012 interview as he was confronted about naming his miniature Schnauzer Oprah and his cat Gayle—as in Gayle King, her best friend.
Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty

galleries/2013/02/01/ben-affleck-s-dog-and-more-celebrity-pets-with-famous-names-photos/taylor-swift-celeb-dog-names_n1n6ee — Swift, it turns out, is a double-offender. The country singer’s old Scottish Fold kitty (think an adorable cat with forward-bending ears resembling an owl) shares the same name as Ellen Pompeo’s character on Grey’s Anatomy. “Her name is Meredith—Meredith Grey because she’s a gray cat, and because I love Grey’s Anatomy,” said Taylor Swift in an Us Weekly interview.
Francois Durand/Getty

galleries/2013/02/01/ben-affleck-s-dog-and-more-celebrity-pets-with-famous-names-photos/gyllenhaal-celeb-dog-names_ejpbwi — As the saying goes, a dog is man’s best friend. How about two best friends? Jake Gyllenhaal is often seen with his canine buddies in tow—a German Shepherd named Atticus Finch and a Puggle named Boo Radley. Both pups are named after the most heroic characters from his favorite book, To Kill a Mockingbird.

Fame Pictures

galleries/2013/02/01/ben-affleck-s-dog-and-more-celebrity-pets-with-famous-names-photos/jenner-celeb-dog-names_id4944 — It’s hard keeping up with the Kardashians, especially when they have so many dogs named after luxury-style brands! The Jenner sisters added chocolate Labradors, Louis and Vuitton as newest members to their family in December 2011. The dogs were aptly named to fit in with the family’s other fashionista pups, Dolce and Gabbana.
Imeh Akpanudosen/Getty

galleries/2013/02/01/ben-affleck-s-dog-and-more-celebrity-pets-with-famous-names-photos/ellen-pompeo-celeb-dog-names_zf8kvh — Grey’s Anatomy star Ellen Pompeo named her brown Toy Poodle after her favorite clothing designer, Valentino. The actress won the Favorite TV Drama Actress award at the 2013 People’s Choice Awards, but instead of wearing Valentino on the red carpet, she switched things up with a dress from Lanvin!
Fame Pictures

galleries/2013/02/01/ben-affleck-s-dog-and-more-celebrity-pets-with-famous-names-photos/martha-stewart-celeb-dog-names_mbaysx — Martha Stewart isn’t just the queen of design, she’s also one of the best at grooming her beloved fluffy Chow Chow for the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. Her pooch, named after Mongolian warrior Genghis Khan, won best in breed in the 2012 competition. The day before the competition, Genghis Khan was photographed having lunch with Stewart at the Plaza Hotel in New York, sitting in a seat at the table.
Shannon Stapleton/Reuters, via Landov

galleries/2013/02/01/ben-affleck-s-dog-and-more-celebrity-pets-with-famous-names-photos/ben-affleck-celeb-dog-names_uselgw — Who’s the fifth member of power couple Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck’s family? Their gorgeous white Labrador named Martha Stewart. Affleck’s latest flick Argo recently won Best Picture (drama) at the 2013 Golden Globes.
Fame Pictures

galleries/2013/02/01/ben-affleck-s-dog-and-more-celebrity-pets-with-famous-names-photos/jessica-alba-celeb-dog-names_xheqno — Pug lover and Sin City star, Jessica Alba is rarely seen without her precious pugs, who are named after torrid punk rock lovers—Sid and Nancy. Keeping with the rock theme, she also has a rescued Bulldog named Bowie, as in David Bowie—the Thin White Duke.
Animal Fair Media/Getty

galleries/2013/02/01/ben-affleck-s-dog-and-more-celebrity-pets-with-famous-names-photos/pete-wentz-celeb-dog-names_oyi6tq — Not only is rocker Pete Wentz’s English Bulldog named after his favorite author, Ernest Hemingway, but the pup is a little star himself. Hemingway got his acting chops in the “The Take Over, the Breaks Over” music video for Wentz’s former band, Fall Out Boy.

Rick Diamond/WireImage, via Getty

galleries/2013/02/01/ben-affleck-s-dog-and-more-celebrity-pets-with-famous-names-photos/eric-stonestreet-celeb-dog-names_zr2mic — Does the name Coleman Hawkins ring a bell? No, it’s not just the famous jazz musician, but also the name of Modern Family cast member Eric Stonestreet’s rescued pup. “He was named Coleman Hawkins at the rescue,” said Stonestreet, in an interview with Modern Dog Magazine. “Apparently, the people who found him on the street must have been jazz musician fans. I did a little research on Coleman Hawkins and found out that he’s from Topeka, Kan. I’m from Kansas, so I felt it was an appropriate name for him.”
Youtube

galleries/2013/02/01/ben-affleck-s-dog-and-more-celebrity-pets-with-famous-names-photos/reese-witherspoon-celeb-dog-names_h1soyf — Using the names of the classiest celebrities, actress Reese Witherspoon dubbed her canine companions after clothing designer Coco Chanel and Rat Pack crooner Frank Sinatra. The French and English Bulldogs lived with both Witherspoon and ex-husband Ryan Phillippe before their split in 2006.
Todd Seligman/Splash News, via Newscom

galleries/2013/02/01/ben-affleck-s-dog-and-more-celebrity-pets-with-famous-names-photos/katherine-heigl-celeb-dog-names_lvphsi — “Romeo, Romeo. Wherefore arf thou Romeo?” Knocked Up star Katherine Heigl is living in a full house with two daughters and seven dogs—one of which is named after Shakespeare’s star-crossed lover Romeo. The animal lover co-runs the Jason Debus Heigl Foundation, an organization that supports the humane treatment of animals.
Gregg DeGuire/WireImage, via Getty

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