Why Every Latino Dog is a ‘Firulais’—And How It Started as a Question at the Border
Have you ever heard the term “firulais” when referring to a dog? Have you ever wondered where it came from? Well, there is an origin story behind the popular name.
The term became common knowledge during the 20th century and has grown in popularity throughout the years. A search on social media for the term “firulais” returns result after result of sweet puppies filling the feed. So, where did this all begin? Here is what we know about the popular and beloved term for our furry companions.
One theory claims that “firulais” came from Mexico during the 20th century
We have all heard the term “firulais” used when talking about a dog. Sometimes, it is affectionate. Sometimes not so much. Regardless, we know the term is associated with man’s best friend. The most commonly known and accepted origin of the story has to do with Mexico and immigration.
Legend has it that the term originated at the U.S./Mexico border when Mexican migrants crossed into the U.S. American authorities would ask migrants with dogs if the dogs were “free of lice” to gain entry into the country. The phrase eventually became “firulais” and a common dog term.
The word’s popularity spread throughout Latin America and continued to be used in pop culture references for years to come. In the Spanish-language dub of Rugrats: Adventures in Diapers, Spike, Tommy’s dog, is called Firulais.
The widespread use of the term of endearment for our four-legged family members is an enduring reminder of how long dogs have accompanied us. Over the centuries, dogs have become so synonymous with human civilization that we have universally accepted nicknames offering an extra layer of love and respect.
One social media user claims another plausible theory for the creation of “firulais”
According to a thread on X (formerly Twitter), Mexican-American author David Bowles claims that the word firulais actually came from literature. While Bowles doesn’t totally discredit the story of Mexican migrants who invented the word, he does highlight revolutionary Mexican writer Lola Vidrio. If his theory is correct, the term ‘firulais’ is older than some might think.
Vidrio was a prolific journalist, activist, and writer who published stories in the magazine Bandera de Provincias with stories published as early as 1929. As a journalist, she used her voice and talents to write columns for outlets like La Opinión newspaper. Her columns focused on her dislike of the Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI) political party and the capitalist system.
According to Bowles’ thread, he claims that the word “firulais” first appeared as a dog’s name in one of her stories called “Firuláis.” The story was part of a collection of stories published by Bandera de Provincias as part of “Don Nadie y otros cuentos,” which later became a book.
Bowles further claims that “Firuláis” first appeared in El Occidental newspaper in the late 1940s in her “Prisma” column. According to Bowles, she was hired at the newspaper to run the Sociales page and wrote her columns for women under the name Dominga Domínguez.
