Kentucky

Named after the U.S. state of Kentucky — from the Iroquoian name Ken-tah-ten meaning land of tomorrow or possibly land of meadows — a name suggesting the American South, bluegrass music, magnificent horses, and the particular warmth of Southern hospitality.

Kentucky is a name that arrives with a whole landscape: the rolling blue-green hills, the white-fenced horse farms, the particular quality of a Southern summer evening. For a stately, large dog — especially anything in the hound family, given Kentucky's hunting traditions — or any pet with a certain slow, dignified Southern quality about them, Kentucky is a name of unusual character. There's also the fried chicken association, which some owners find irresistible as a source of gentle humor.