Special meaning behind Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s dog’s name revealed

After months of speculation, the name of Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s dog has finally been revealed – and fans are convinced they’ve unearthed the very special meaning behind the moniker.

The NFL star, 36, posed with the pup in a new ad for Tommy Hilfiger this week, and in an article covering the campaign, Forbes appeared to confirm that its name is Wendy.

‘After Kelce lounges on a couch with his real-life dog – a Samoyed named Wendy – he runs into model Gigi Hadid on the elevator,’ the publication originally wrote, however, the story has since been updated to say: ‘A Samoyed rumored to be named Wendy.’

It comes weeks after the popular gossip Instagram page DeuxMoi reported that the dog was named Wendy. 

Fans have taken the Forbes article as proof that the dog’s name is indeed Wendy, and immediately, a slew of rumors erupted about why the couple chose the moniker.

Many were quick to point out that Swift, 36, has referenced the beloved story Peter Pan many times throughout her lyrics, and that Wendy is the main female character in the tale.

In her song Cardigan, the hitmaker sings about a guy who left her for another woman, and she compares it to ‘Peter losing Wendy.’

‘Steppin’ on the last train / Marked me like a bloodstain / I knew you tried to change the ending / Peter losing Wendy,’ the lyrics read.

She also has an entire song on her 2024 album The Tortured Poets Department called Peter, in which she describes a guy she dated when she was younger who promised to come and find her after he spent some time growing but never did.

Swift previously named her three cats after her favorite characters – Meredith Grey from the show Grey’s Anatomy, Olivia Benson from Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Benjamin Button based off the movie The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – so it would certainly follow suit if she did name the dog after Wendy from Peter Pan.

Other fans have speculated that the dog’s moniker was actually inspired by the character Wendy from the 1993 film The Sandlot.

Kelce has been open about his love of the movie, in fact, he admitted in a May 2025 episode of his New Heights podcast that the character Wendy Peffercorn was one of his childhood crushes.

‘She was so hot,’ he told his brother, Jason Kelce, after he started teasing him about it. ‘You’re gonna watch it and be like, “Alright, she was hot.”‘

Wendy, the lifeguard in the movie, famously had blonde hair similar to Swift’s and wore striking red lipstick.

‘If that’s true then the Tay-tradition to name the pets after their favorite characters lives on. That’s adorable,’ one fan wrote on X. 

‘AWWW they really did name her after his childhood crush,’ theorized another.

‘In honor of the best song (I’m talking about Peter),’ said someone else. 

Swift and Kelce’s dog appeared alongside the three-time Super Bowl winner in the new ad, which dropped on Monday and saw him lounging on a black-and-white sofa on the roof of the Plaza Hotel.

The fluffy canine also made a cameo in a video for the campaign, following her famous dog dad through the iconic New York hotel.  

The American fashion brand had been looking to cast a dog for the advert when Kelce volunteered his and Swift’s own, Vogue reported. 

‘We figured, why not her? She crushed it and actually really fit into that Tommy aesthetic, too,’ Kelce told the outlet. ‘Those are some of my favorite shots.’ 

The athlete went on to gush over his gorgeous new pet, saying: ‘She lights up my day.’ 

The pet’s existence was first revealed by the Daily Mail in exclusive footage from inside the couple’s wedding, which showed a picture of the happy couple posing with their furry friend. 

The NFL star and pop sensation celebrated their wedding in spectacular fashion when they exchanged vows in front of a star-studded guest list at Madison Square Garden on July 3. 

A source told the Daily Mail afterwards that ‘it seemed that Travis made it happen’ regarding the dog.