Bones appears 80 times at rank 1354 on male pets — a name with multiple pop-culture entry points and a straightforward physical logic for very lean dogs. It's a name that can be ironic, affectionate, or directly descriptive depending entirely on the dog's physique.
The Physical Descriptor Angle
Bones as a literal descriptor applies to lean, angular dogs — Greyhounds, Whippets, and Italian Greyhounds whose visible ribcage and prominent hip bones are a breed characteristic rather than a health concern. For these breeds, Bones is honest and affectionate: this dog is all structure, and the name says so without apology.
Pop-Culture Entry Points
Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy from Star Trek is the longest-standing pop-culture Bones, giving the name a warm, crusty-but-caring character association. More recently, Bones the TV procedural drama (2005-2017) centered on forensic anthropologist Dr. Temperance Brennan's nickname. Both references give a dog named Bones a frame of intelligent, slightly unconventional character. Compare with Spock in the same Star Trek naming tradition.
The Counter-Reading
Bones is a name that can attract slightly concerned reactions from strangers who hear it applied to a lean dog — people who don't know the breed's normal physique may wonder about the animal's health. Owners of visibly angular breeds should be prepared for occasional well-meaning inquiries about feeding. For a dog with a normal or robust build, the irony reads clearly and the concern doesn't arise.