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To shoot at an arbitrarily selected mark, and senses deriving from this.

 

Etymology: Origin uncertain; perhaps a midland form corresponding to northern rave v.2, either as an analogical formation or as the non-northern reflex of a borrowing < the possible early Scandinavian etymon of rave v.2 (although this would imply a date of borrowing significantly earlier than either English word is attested).

To shoot at an arbitrarily selected mark, and senses deriving from this.

Etymology: Origin uncertain; perhaps a midland form corresponding to northern rave v.2, either as an analogical formation or as the non-northern reflex of a borrowing < the possible early Scandinavian etymon of rave v.2 (although this would imply a date of borrowing significantly earlier than either English word is attested).

The earliest dog named Rover I found is in a 1740 poem.

With him obsequious Rovertrudg'd,
Nor from his heels one moment budg'd;

The earliest dog named Rover I found is in a 1718 list of common names for hunting dogs.

Rover was a common name for a hunting dog in 1718, along with other names such as Bouncer, Fiddler, Gallant, Lively, Ranger, Ruffler, Soundwell, Trouncer, Traveller and Wonder.

With him obsequious Rover trudg'd,
Nor from his heels one moment budg'd;

1718

It appears in a list of "Hunters' TERMS, &c" in The compleat sportsman (1718) by Giles Jacob, and is given as a common name for a hunting hound:

The earliest dog named Rover I found is from 1740.

The earliest dog named Rover I found is in a 1740 poem.

Etymology

The name is most likely from rover, n.2 in the OED, specifically sense 2a:

A person who travels from place to place without fixed route or destination, esp. over a wide area; a wanderer, a roamer; a nomad. Also: an animal which ranges over a wide area.

This is etymologically from the -er suffix applied to rove v.2, the first definition in the OED being:

To shoot at an arbitrarily selected mark, and senses deriving from this.

Etymology: Origin uncertain; perhaps a midland form corresponding to northern rave v.2, either as an analogical formation or as the non-northern reflex of a borrowing < the possible early Scandinavian etymon of rave v.2 (although this would imply a date of borrowing significantly earlier than either English word is attested).

On the other hand, the etymology of piratical rover, n.1 (cf sea-rover) is:

< Middle Dutch rōver or its cognate Middle Low German rōver reaver n. Compare Middle Dutch seerōver , Middle Low German sērȫver sea-rover n. and also Anglo-Norman roveres sur le mere , plural (1429 or earlier). Compare later rove v.1