Peruvian Inca Orchid Names, Peruvian Hairless Dog Names

The Peruvian Inca Orchid is one of the oldest dogs on earth, a sleek and ancient hairless companion whose ancestors trotted through the coastal valleys of Peru long before the Inca rose to power. Potters of the Vicus, Moche, Chancay and Chimu cultures painted and moulded these elegant dogs more than a thousand years ago. Peruvians know it plainly as the Viringo or the Calato -- both words simply mean naked -- while the pretty name Peruvian Inca Orchid was coined far more recently by Western breeders in the nineteen-sixties.

Built like a small sighthound, slim and graceful and quick, it comes in three sizes from a delicate small dog up to a leggy large one. Its most famous trait is its bare, smooth skin, warm to the touch -- so warm that for centuries it was cuddled as a living hot-water bottle to ease aches and chills. The skin appears in many shades and mottled patches, from pale through copper to near black. A charming quirk of the breed is that hairless and lightly coated puppies are born in the very same litter, so a fully furred Peruvian Inca Orchid is simply the coated version of the same ancient dog.

Affectionate, loyal, lively and alert, devoted to its family and a touch reserved with strangers, it shares its hairless heritage with Mexico's Xoloitzcuintli. Names can celebrate its Peruvian and Inca roots, its warm sun-baked skin, its sighthound speed, or its sleek small frame. Its homeland suits Inca, Andes, Sol, Puma, Llama, Maya, Diego, and Rio; its warm skin suits Sol, Sunny, Ember, Blaze, Phoenix, Copper, and Mocha; its sighthound speed wears Dash, Bolt, Arrow, and Ace; and a tiny one suits Peanut, Pip, Pixie, Gizmo, and Mango.

Explore our full collection of Peruvian Inca Orchid and Peruvian Hairless names below. Filter by gender, save your favourites, and find a name as ancient, warm, and elegant as Peru's own Viringo.