Alfred is a full-weight formal name on a pet, and that formality is precisely the point. Owners who name dogs Alfred are almost always doing it with some awareness of the contrast — between the Victorian gravitas of the name and the reality of a dog who cannot open doors or manage his own schedule. That gap is the joke, and it's a good one.
The Butler Aesthetic
Alfred Pennyworth — Batman's butler — is the most immediate pop-culture anchor, and some owners are clearly making that reference directly. The name carries associations of quiet competence, unflappable service, and dignified patience, all of which are also qualities we admire in a well-trained dog. Standard Poodles and English Bulldogs seem to attract this name, possibly because their bearing already suggests a mild aristocratic self-possession.
The Old-Name Pet Trend
Alfred belongs to the same generational pet aesthetic as Walter, Eugene, and Harold — names reclaimed from great-great-grandfather's era and repurposed with affectionate irony. This trend has enough momentum now that Alfred doesn't read as eccentric so much as knowing. The human name Alfred is also seeing a quiet revival in baby naming, which adds a contemporary layer to what might otherwise feel purely vintage.
Counter-Read
The name does best on dogs with some natural dignity. On a chaotic, perpetually-muddy dog, the contrast becomes less charming and more just confusing. Freddie as a nickname softens it considerably if full Alfred feels like too much.