Tarzan appears 64 times at rank 1620 on male pets. Edgar Rice Burroughs published the original Tarzan novel in 1912, and the character has never fully left the cultural vocabulary since. A dog named Tarzan arrives with a century of feral-nobility mythology attached.
The Pop-Culture Anchor
Tarzan, raised by apes and improbably athletic, is a name that implies physical capability and untamed energy. The 1999 Disney animated film kept the character relevant for a generation of millennial pet owners. Dogs named Tarzan are almost always large, athletic, and genuinely difficult to tire out. Rhodesian Ridgebacks and Vizslas are natural fits.
Sound and Calling Distance
TAR-zan is two syllables with a hard stop on the second, projecting well and landing decisively. At a dog park or across a field, it carries authority. The name doesn't lend itself to nicknames, which means owners who choose it are committing to the full performance every time.
The Counter-Reading
Tarzan is a name that tells a story before the dog does anything. A small Chihuahua named Tarzan is a joke; a large, muscular dog named Tarzan is a statement. The name is most honest when the dog earns it. See more active names at pet names.