Naming, onomastic alternation and pet re-naming

The main aim of this article is to analyze the reasons to name dogs and cats with a name, and to show that they do not receive one but several names during their lives. First, we explain the importance of giving a name to pets in relationship with daily coexistence and the affective bonds created with their owners. Second, we highlight the different designations, alternating with the official one, used to allude to the same pet. Finally, we focus on pet re-naming, due to circumstances such as change of owners, sex confusion, dissonance between name and aspect or personality, pronouncing difficulties or political incorrectness. The results are based on several interviews and field surveys conducted for this research, in addition to the existing bibliography and other sources.