What should Putin name his puppy?

The Russian strongman has enlisted the public's help to christen his pooch, and the possibilities are endless

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin gets in touch with his softer side during a quiet moment with his new Bulgarian Shepherd puppy.
(Image credit: Corbis)

When Vladimir Putin secured an oil pipeline deal with Bulgaria last week, that country's head of state gave the Russian Prime Minister a Bulgarian shepherd puppy as a token of thanks. The only problem: Putin doesn't know what to name his new pet. The 3-month-old pup was dubbed "Yorgo" by its Bulgarian handlers, but Putin wants to Russianize the name — so he's turned to the internet for help, inviting the Russian public to come up with suggestions. Putin says he'll scrutinize each entry before he picks the winner next week. (See Putin and the dog.) Ever helpful, online commentators have already offered advice:

Let's Americanize it

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up