'firedog' originates from the English compound of 'fire' and 'dog', where 'fire' comes from Old English 'fyr' meaning 'fire' and 'dog' comes from Old English 'docga' meaning 'dog'.

'firedog' developed in Middle English as the compound 'fire-dog' referring to a metal support placed by the fire; this Middle English compound eventually became the modern English 'firedog'.

Initially the term literally combined 'fire' + 'dog' (a 'dog' placed at the fire); over time it came to refer specifically to the metal support (andirons) used to hold logs in a hearth.