We’ve examined the names of more than 1.26 million puppies born in 2012 from Vetstreet’s records to determine the year’s top pet names. In the process of pulling this data, we couldn’t help but notice that many of the trends from last year have persisted, but there are definitely some new names on the rise.
Pop Culture Favorites
Bella has been the number-one female dog name since 2006. The first Twilight book, which introduced us to its heroine, Bella, came out in October 2005. Coincidence? Doubtful. Another prevalent name from pop culture is Bentley, the name of Teen Mom star Maci Bookout’s baby boy.
Gender-Specific Human Names
Many names on this list — Max, Charlie, Jack, Toby, Lucy, Sophie, Sadie, Chloe, Maggie — are single-sex human names, which matches up well with the trend of pets becoming more and more a part of the family. As people develop deeper bonds with their dogs, it makes perfect sense that they’d name them in a way that humanizes them.
Old Standbys and Rising Stars
Max is celebrating its seventh year at No. 1, and for the last 13 years, Rocky has made the top five and Bear has made the top 10 list; some names just hold a spot in the hearts of dog owners. But those male dog names have some competition: Zeus and Thor are rising fast, along with Milo, Blue, Gunner and Jax.
Many of the female puppy names stayed in the same spot as last year, but Lola, a name that’s been steadily on the rise over the past decade, moved up three spots to No. 5. Coco made the Top 10 for the first time this year, and a few other names — Rosie, Luna, and Nala — are looking to make their entrance next year.
Have you named your dog one of these popular names?
(YES, ALMOST ALL OF THEM HAVE BEEN USED BY ONE OR ANOTHER OF OUR PUPPY FAMILIES)
List courtesy of Vetstreet
Most of us put a lot of thought into naming our new dog or puppy. We realize our dog’s name will speak volumes about our own personality, insights, or sense of humor.
And what a great way of revealing just a tidbit of information about yourself to passers-by. Did you hear about the woman at the dog park who was heard calling, “Bella, here Bella!” by a fellow Twilight fanatic, thus sparking a conversation and friendship between the two dog lovers? All because of the name she chose for her dog!
According to 2013 data from VPI pet insurance, Max and Bella remain at the top of the 100 most popular dog names. Curious as to the other 98? Check out the list below.
Top male dog names: | Top female dog names: |
---|---|
1. Max (3*) | 1. Bella (1*) |
2. Buddy (6*) | 2. Molly (5*) |
3. Rocky | 3. Lucy (4*) |
4. Bailey (2*) | 4. Maggie (8*) |
5. Jake | 5. Daisy (7*) |
6. Charlie (9*) | 6. Sophie (10*) |
7. Jack | 7. Sadie |
8. Toby | 8. Chloe |
9. Cody | 9. Bailey |
10. Buster | 10. Lola |
11. Duke | 11. Zoe |
12. Cooper | 12. Abby |
13. Riley | 13. Ginger |
14. Harley | 14. Roxy |
15. Bear | 15. Gracie |
16. Tucker | 16. Coco |
17. Murphy | 17. Sasha |
18. Lucky | 18. Lily |
19. Oliver | 19. Angel |
20. Sam | 20. Princess |
21. Oscar | 21. Emma |
22. Teddy | 22. Annie |
23. Winston | 23. Rosie |
24. Sammy | 24. Ruby |
25. Rusty | 25. Lady |
26. Shadow | 26. Missy |
27. Gizmo | 27. Lilly |
28. Bentley | 28. Mia |
29. Zeus | 29. Katie |
30. Jackson | 30. Zoey |
31. Baxter | 31. Madison |
32. Bandit | 32. Stella |
33. Gus | 33. Penny |
34. Samson | 34. Belle |
35. Milo | 35. Casey |
36. Rudy | 36. Samantha |
37. Louie | 37. Holly |
38. Hunter | 38. Lexi |
39. Casey | 39. Lulu |
40. Rocco | 40. Brandy |
41. Sparky | 41. Jasmine |
42. Joey | 42. Shelby |
43. Bruno | 43. Sandy |
44. Beau | 44. Roxie |
45. Dakota | 45. Pepper |
46. Maximus | 46. Heidi |
47. Romeo | 47. Luna |
48. Boomer | 48. Dixie |
49. Luke | 49. Honey |
50. Henry | 50. Dakota |
* Ranking in VPI’s Top 10 Pet Names in 2012