Did you know that Max was the top male dog name of 2021? We love seeing the cute and fun names people come up with for their animal companions. As it turns out, some recent studies have uncovered some pretty interesting statistics about pet names. A local vet offers some highlights below.

Top Dog

As mentioned above, Max was the number one boy name for pooches. Other high scorers included Charlie, Milo, Buddy, Rocky, Bear, Leo, and Teddy. For girls, the number one was Bella, followed by Luna, Lucy, Daisy, Zoe, Lily, Lola, Baily, and Stella.

Cat-egory

As for our feline friends, the top girl names were Luna, Bella, Lily, Lucy, Nala, and Kitty. For boys, Oliver, Leo, Milo, Charlie, Max, and Simba were the top options.

Medieval Pets

Edward, Duke of York, wrote a list of 1100 hunting dog names. Some, such as Sturdy, Troy, Whitefoot, Hardy, and Bo, would not seem out of place today. Then we have Clenche, Bragge, Nosewise, Amiable, and Filthe, which would probably raise some eyebrows! As for our feline pals? We all know that Fluffy has been bossing people around for thousands of years. Turns out, most kitties were named Gilbert back in medieval England. Across the English Channel, cats often responded to TIbers or Tibert.

Celebrity Pet Names

The trend of naming pets after celebrities probably isn’t going away anytime soon! The names Taylor and Taylor Swift both fell in popularity in 2021. Pets named after Jennifer Lopez, Aretha Franklin, and A-Rod joined the list for the first time, along with the first feline Doja Cat. And while we’ve been seeing kitties named Oprah for some time, it’s worth noting that those numbers rose last year.

Historical Pets

The ill-fated Anne Boleyn had a dog named Purkoy, a translation of the French ‘pour quoi’, which means ‘Why?’. One of the oldest pet name records would be that of the 14th-century knight, who had a hound named Parceval!

Picking A Name

Choosing the right name for a pet can be pretty tricky. Sometimes you may find the perfect name, only to realize it doesn’t suit your furry friend. Baby name generators can be helpful, but you can also try looking up translations of words that remind you of your pet’s personality, history, or appearance. As your local animal clinic, we’re always here to help! Please feel free to contact us anytime!