Have you ever had a dog named Max? There’s a good chance that some of you have. Max has always been a popular name. In fact, it was the top male dog name of 2021? We love seeing the cute and fun names people pick for their animal companions. As it turns out, some recent studies have uncovered some pretty fun statistics about pet names. A local veterinarian 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 girl dogs, the top name was Bella, followed by Luna, Lucy, Daisy, Zoe, Lily, Lola, Baily, and Stella. That just sounds like an adorable group of doggy friends!
Cat-egory
For kitties, the most popular 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
Fluffy has been bossing people around for thousands of years. Turns out, back in medieval England, most kitties were named Gilbert. Across the English Channel, these charming balls of fur often responded to TIbers or Tibert.
Ye Olde Doggy Moniker
Edward, Duke of York, wrote out a list of 1100 hunting dog names. Some, such as Sturdy, Troy, Whitefoot, Hardy, and Bo, would not seem very out of place today. On the other hand, the list also contains names like Clenche, Bragge, Nosewise, Amiable, and Filthe, which would probably raise a few eyebrows!
Celebrity Pet Names
The fad of naming pets after celebrities probably isn’t going away anytime soon! The names Taylor and Taylor Swift both dropped in popularity in 2021. Pets who were named after Jennifer Lopez, Aretha Franklin, and A-Rod joined the list for the first time, along with the first (actually) feline Doja Cat. And while we’ve been seeing cats named after Oprah for some time, it’s worth noting that those numbers rose last year.
Historical Pets
History has a few more fun facts to offer. The ill-fated Anne Boleyn had a pet dog named Purkoy, a translation of the French ‘pour quoi’, which means ‘Why?’. One of the oldest pet name records is that of a 14th-century knight who had a hound named Parceval!
Picking A Name
Choosing the right name for your pet isn’t always easy. Sometimes you may find the perfect name, only to realize it just doesn’t suit your furry friend. Baby name generators can be helpful, but you can also try looking up translations of words and/or phrases 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!
