Palau Dog Names

Palau doesn’t have a lot of films, TV shows, or celebrity dogs, but there tends to be a connection between the following two dogs – Poe and Arthur – and Palau.

Poe is a common Palauan name for a girl, meaning ‘pearl.’ The name’s origin is Tahitian, and it’s a short, sweet name that would make an excellent working dog name. Short names tend to be easier to train dogs with than longer names.

Poe is also the name of the Gaskill’s dog in the 2000 comedy-drama film Wonder Boys. The movie starred Tobey Maguire and Michael Douglas and included an American Pit Bull Terrier by the name of Poe.

The movie followed Professor Grady who taught creative writing at a Pittsburgh University. Grady is having an affair with Sara, a university chancellor. Sara has a husband, Walter, who is the English Department chairman, while Grady’s third wife has left him.

During a party at Sara and Walter’s house, with two students James and Hannah, Sara announces to Grady that she is pregnant. When Grady goes outside, James is holding a “replica” gun which turns out to be real. When Poe, the Gaskill family dog attacks Grady, James shoots the dog with the gun. Therefore, Poe’s role in this film is quite short-lived!

Another dog in pop culture which shares a name with a reputable Palau local is Arthur. Arthur is the name of a Jack Russell Terrier in the 2010 film Beginners but is also the name of the Chief Justice in the Palau Government, Arthur Ngiraklsong.

The film Beginners follows a young man who finds out his dad has both a young male lover and terminal cancer. Believe it or not, the film gets its inspiration from the movie director’s life story. Arthur’s role is quite minor in the movie, but the dog that plays his character is well known in the animal acting world. Cosmo was adopted in 2007 from a Jack Russell rescue society by Mathilda DeCagney, a dog trainer.

He made his debut on Hotel for Dogs as Friday, then in Paul Blart: Mall Cop. He then played his role in Beginners, where the team dyed his fur with non-toxic vegetable coloring to look more like the dog Mile Mills, the movie director, remembers from his childhood.

Believe it or not, along with his movie name of Arthur, Cosmo also shares a few personality traits with Palau Government’s Chief Justice, Arthur Ngiraklsong. Both Cosmo and Arthur are well-respected in their fields, with friendly dispositions.