Chance

Chance comes from the Old French cheance and Medieval Latin cadentia, related to cadere, "to fall" — referring to the fall of dice and the element of fortune in outcomes. In Middle English, "chance" referred to luck or the way things happen without plan or intention. As a name, it carries a sense of serendipity — this companion arrived, against all odds, and changed everything.

Chance ranks #195 among America's most popular pet names, and it carries a particular emotional weight for many owners. This is often the name given to a rescued companion, an animal who came into someone's life by chance and turned out to be exactly what was needed. It also belongs to one of the most beloved pets in film history — Chance, the impulsive young American bulldog in Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey, who embarked on an epic adventure and discovered resources of courage he never knew he had.