CM Punk has finally revealed that Larry almost had a very different name.
During WWE Unreal Season 3, Punk and AJ Lee looked back on the day they adopted their beloved dog, sharing the story behind how Larry got his name—and why AJ quickly shot down Punk’s first choice. According to Punk, it all started after they found a photo of a dog with a distinctive underbite.
“He found this photo of a dog with an underbite. I was like, ‘Yes, that’s our boy. Bring him home.'”
The photo immediately reminded Punk of the classic horror film The Wolf Man, and he already had the perfect name in mind: Lon Chaney
“Larry is our little boy. He’s a dog, yes. He looked like the Wolf Man. When Lon Chaney transforms into the Wolf Man, Larry looks exactly like him. So I wanted to name him Lon Chaney. April was not having that.”
AJ wasn’t against the movie reference—she just didn’t think it would work when it came time to call the dog.
“You can’t yell ‘Lon,’ you know? This dog is gonna get on my last nerve. I need something I can shout.”
Punk admitted she had a point, so he went back to the drawing board before landing on a compromise that kept the horror movie inspiration alive.
“I was like, ‘You may have a point.’ I said, ‘How about Larry Talbot?’ Because that’s the character’s name in The Wolf Man. And she said, ‘Larry is perfect.'”
Larry remained a huge part of Punk and AJ’s lives until his passing in November 2025. Punk has spoken openly about how much the loss affected both of them, even honoring Larry with multiple tattoos and describing him as their “little boy.” Now, fans finally know that one of wrestling’s most famous dogs nearly spent his life answering to a completely different name.
Do you think AJ Lee made the right call by choosing Larry over Lon Chaney? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.
