8 Ridiculous Origins To The Names Of Iconic Movie Characters

5. Indiana Jones Is Literally Named After The Dog

The whole idea behind Indiana Jones is that it's a throwback to the cinema serials of the thirties (in much the same way that Star Wars is an approximation of Flash Gordon), so when George Lucas and Steven Spielberg came to naming their action icon, they went for a name that at once had a sense of adventure and reliability.

Lucas' first suggestion was Indiana Smith, which Spielberg didn't take to. It probably took all of two minutes to suggest the equally as prominent surname Jones. And there you go.

But where did the Indiana come from? Well that's where things get funny - it was the name of George Lucas' own dog; that moment at the end of The Last Crusade, where Indy's father reveals his son, Henry Jones, Jr., took his name from the family pet, isn't just a nice comedic beat to end the trilogy on, but a flagrant in-joke.

Indiana (the animal) even cameoed in The Last Crusade... as the Jones' family dog who in-universe gave Junior his self-appointed title. On top of that, the Alaskan Malamute was also the inspiration for Chewbacca, meaning ol' Indiana was behind two of the most iconic creations of the 20th Century. Good boy.