Drunkard, Merryboy, Younker. Some 17th-Century Names for Dogs.
Recently, historian John Reeks shared this amusing list of 17th-century hunting dog names on Twitter. The list, he said over email, came from a 1686 book by Nicholas Cox, The Gentleman's Recreation in Four Parts, which is available digitally via Early English Books Online.
Nicholas Cox may have written this compendium of hunting, hawking, fowling, and fishing lore for the benefit of aristocratic friends, Reeks told me. An earlier edition of the book, published in 1674, contains a preface dedicating the work to unnamed "Gentlemen" who might find the work useful.
While the list of names below is amusing, the table of contents of this book is also an interesting read. The section on "Hunters' Terms" includes a subheading for "Terms for [beasts'] Noise at Rutting Time" and one for "Proper Terms for the Noises of Hounds." "A Short Account of some Particular Beasts that are not Hunted In England, but in Forrain Countries" offers advice on "Terms to be used in Boar-Hunting" and "The Nature and Properties of a Bear, and after what manner Hunted." And a short section on "Dogs Diseases" names remedies for "the Dumb Madness," "the Falling Madness," and "the Lank Madness."
This list of dogs' names was added to the book's second edition in 1677 and retained in this 1686 republication. Cox headed his list with a suggestion that "such young Gentlemen as in time may keep a Kennel" might retain it as a resource.
Cox's "Catalogue of some general Names of Hounds and Beagles":
Banger
Beauty
Blue-man
Blue-cap
Boman
Bonny
Bouncer.
Captain
Capper
Chanter
Countess
Cryer
Caesar.
Dido
Driver
Drunkard
Drummer
Damosel
Darling
Dutchess
Dancer
Daphne.
Fancy
Fidler
Flippant
Flurry
Fuddle.
Gallant
Gawdy.
Hector.
Juggler
Jewel
Jocky
Jenny
Joler
Jollyboy
Jupiter
Juno.
Keeper
Kilbuck.
Lively
Lovely
Lady
Lilly
Lillups.
Madam
Maulkin
Merryboy
Mopsie
Motley
Musick.
Nancy
Nacter.
Plunder
Pleasant
Pluto.
Rockwood
Ringwood
Rover
Ranter
Ratler
Ruler
Ranger
Royal
Rapper
Rusfler.
Spanker
Singwel
Sweetlips
Soundwel
Stately.
Troler
Thunder
Thisbe
Truman
Truelove
Tickler
Tattler
Tulip
Truelips
Touchstone
Traveller
Tracer
Touler
Tunewel
Tidings
Trouncer
Trusty
Truescent
Tryer.
Venus
Vulcan
Violet.
Wanton
Wonder
Winder
Whipster.
Yerker
Younker.