Why are hot dogs called hot dogs?
The short answer
Two main theories explain how hot dogs got their name. The sausages were once called "dachshunds" due to their resemblance to the dog breed, making "hot dog" a natural evolution. Another theory links the name to 19th-century rumors that German sausages contained dog meat.
The long answer
Hot dogs, warm cats, cold bunny rabbits.
Only one of these three things is something people eat. How in the world did we come to call this iconic sausage sandwich* a hot dog?
"Hot dog with mustard" by Czar is part of the public domain.
While sausages have been eaten for thousands of years, the story of the hot dog likely begins in 1497 in the city of Frankfurt, Germany, where the frankfurter sausage was invented. In the early 19th century, German immigrants brought their love of the long, thin pork sausage to the United States, and the frankfurter served on a bun became a beloved street food.
The exact reason for the name change is unclear, but here are the two leading theories why hot dogs are called hot dogs:
Theory #1: Frankfurters were originally called dachshund sausages because of their resemblance to the dog breed.
Before hot dogs were known as hot dogs, they had another nickname: dachshund sausages. It's said that around the 1690s, a German butcher named Johann Georghehner started promoting "dachshund sausages" because of how they appeared similar to the dog. It's not a huge reach, with both sharing a long and skinny shape.
Fun fact: "Dachshund" translates to "badger dog" in German, owing to the dog's skill in hunting burrowing animals, like the badger.
"Dachs und Dachshund" by Carl Friedrich Deiker is part of the public domain.
When German immigrants came to America, they brought with them both dachshund sausages and actual dachshunds. Since Germans originally named the sausages after dachshunds, it’s plausible that "hot dog" emerged as a simpler alternative, especially for English speakers who struggle to spell and pronounce "dachshund" (me included).
Theory #2: German sausages were rumored to contain dog meat.
Since sausages make it inherently difficult to know exactly what kinds of meat are being used, a 19th-century rumor claimed that German sausages contained dog meat — and it wasn't entirely unfounded.
According to some reports and historical analysis, the consumption of dog meat wasn't unheard of in Germany. A 1906 New York Times report discussed how the high price of meat led to the increased eating of horse and dog meat in the German Empire.
Evidence suggests the name "hot dog" gained popularity as a dark-humored joke on American college campuses in the late 19th century. One of the earliest references is found in an 1895 issue of the Yale Record in which a lunch wagon called the "Kennel Club" is mentioned to sell hot sausages in buns that the students "contentedly munch[ed] on."
Despite outcry from some dachshund sausage stands, the "German sausages contain dog meat" joke persisted in American culture. There was even a silent comic film called the "Dog Factory" filmed in Thomas Edison's movie studio — yes, that Thomas Edison — which showed a fake machine that turned dogs into sausage links.
Hot dogs may owe their name to rumors that the sausages contained dog meat. And their original doggy dachshund nickname probably didn't help.
🧠 Bonus brain points
*Is a hot dog a sandwich?
Personally, I think a hot dog is a sandwich because it contains a filling held by a partially cut bun, similar to a hoagie sandwich. But the world is divided, so I thought it might be fun just to let you know how different organizations and people feel about this never-ending food argument:
| Hot Dog Opinion-Haver | Opinion |
|---|---|
| National Hot Dog and Sausage Council | ❌ 🥪 Not a sandwich: "A hot dog is an exclamation of joy, a food, a verb describing one ‘showing off’ and even an emoji. It is truly a category unto its own." |
| U.S. Department of Agriculture | ✅ 🥪 Sandwich: "Frankfurter sandwiches" is listed under "Mixed Dishes - Sandwiches." |
| Anthony Bourdain (RIP) | ❌ 🥪 Not a sandwich: "No. I don't think it's a sandwich. I don't think a hamburger is a sandwich either. The fact that it's in between bread--the bread is a delivery system, a ballistic delivery system. It is not a classic sandwich, in my view. I mean, if you were to talk into any vendor of fine hot dogs, and ask for a hot dog sandwich, they would probably report you to the FBI. As they should." |
| New York Department of Taxation and Finance | ✅ 🥪 Sandwich: "Some examples of taxable sandwiches include:... hot dogs and sausages on buns, rolls, etc." |
| Padma Lakshmi | ✅ 🥪 Sandwich: "I mean, it's a poor excuse for a sandwich, but it's technically a sandwich." |
| Oscar Mayer | ✅ 🥪 Sandwich: "for the record a hot dog is one thousand percent a sandwich" |
| Ruth Bader Ginsburg (RIP) | ❓ 🥪 Still up for debate: "You tell me what a sandwich is and then I’ll tell you if a hot dog is a sandwich." |
| Merriam-Webster | ✅ 🥪 Sandwich: "When it's served in the roll, it's also a sandwich." |
| ChatGPT | ❌ 🥪 Not a sandwich: "A hot dog is not a sandwich—it’s its own category, like a taco or a wrap." |
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Sources
Dictionary.com. (2020, July 1). How The Hot Dog Got Its Silly (And Kind of Gross) Name. Dictionary.com. https://www.dictionary.com/e/hot-dog-hamburger/
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Geppert, P. (1992, October 1). [Dog slaughtering in Germany in the 19th and 20th centuries with special consideration of the Munich area]. Berliner und Munchener tierarztliche Wochenschrift. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1463437/
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Mikkelson, D. (2001, March 29). Etymology of Hot Dog. Snopes. https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/hot-dog/
National Hot Dog and Sausage Council. (n.d.). Hot Dog History. National Hot Dog and Sausage Council. https://hot-dog.org/culture/hot-dog-history
Nelson, T. (2021, July 26). How Did Hot Dogs Get Their Name?. Allrecipes. https://www.allrecipes.com/article/hot-dogs-history/
New York Times. (1907, June 23). Germany’s Dog Meat Market. New York Times. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1907/06/23/106756317.pdf
Ofgang, E. (2022, January 12). Did Yale popularize the the term “hot dog”? A frank history. New Haven Register. https://www.nhregister.com/food_copy_3481_20210610165811/article/A-frank-history-of-Yale-and-the-hot-dog-16769788.php
Popik, B. (2004, July 15). Hot Dog (Polo Grounds myth & a full etymology). The Big Apple. https://www.barrypopik.com/index.php/new_york_city/entry/hot_dog_polo_grounds_myth_original_monograph
It’s like an American accent but with calendars.