My family recently adopted a rescue dog. When we went through a long list of possible names for our puppy, two of the more charming options were Odin (king of the gods in Old Norse mythology) and Zeus (leader of the gods in ancient Greek mythology). I was worried that naming our dog after someone else’s deity would be disrespectful. After all, would it be OK to name our pets Yahweh or Allah? I once had a friend with a cat named Shiva; I was a kid at the time so I thought nothing of it, but I wonder about it now. Does it make a difference if someone still worships the Old Norse and Greek gods, as opposed to the gods and prophets of the very active Judeo-Christian, Islamic or Hindu religions? For that matter, does the answer differ depending on which active religion we are talking about? — Pablo Halpern
From the ethicist:
If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it still make a sound? Why, yes. If you call your dog Zeus in the park and no one bats an eye, have you done something offensive? Yes, no. When no offense is taken, none is given. Counterfactual violation of extinct civilizations: not high on the list of things to worry about.
I appreciate you thinking through all the angles. When it comes to conventions and politeness, however, reasoning only takes us so far. You will never find yourself explaining to people why they shouldn’t be offended. Yes, people love their pets, and people named Max seem mostly OK with dogs named Max. It is not permission to throw caution and consideration to the wind. Jesus is a common male name in some Christian cultures, rarely in others. Muhammad is said to be the most popular male name in the world, but it is reserved for humans. If people belonging to certain identity groups are known to be offended by a naming practice, then a person’s choice to defy them will itself be a source of offense—and rightly so.
Regardless of your personal beliefs, refraining from offending is simply a matter of respect for actual, living people. It makes sense, in a religiously pluralistic society, to avoid burdening our pets with names that will horrify some complement of our neighbors. Fortunately, the nomenclatural constraints imposed by this are quite small. You can safely call your dog Odin or Zeus. Other popular choices: Thor (a son of Odin) or Hercules (a son of Zeus). Salute the inhabitants of Valhalla and Olympus. Plunder the past; recycle your nephew’s childhood nickname. When it comes to naming our animal companions, we are hardly on a tight leash.