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Coming up with names for your pets is always a fun process. Some people opt for classic pet names while others take a more trendy approach, naming them in honor of their current favorite movies, TV shows, athletes or celebrities.
So what are people naming their pets these days? A new study has revealed the most popular and trending pet names of 2023 — read on, they might surprise you or even give you inspiration for your next pet!
Rover, a site that connects pet owners with sitters and dog walkers, recently unveiled their annual report of the most popular dog and cat names in the US, drawing from a database of millions of pet parents.
According to the site, Charlie is the most popular male dog name, finally taking the top spot after a decade as #2. It switches places with the previous long-reigning champ, Max.
Other popular names include Cooper, Milo, Buddy, Teddy, Rocky and Bear. The most popular female dog name is Luna, followed by Bella, Daisy, Lucy, Lily and Lola.
Luna was also the most popular cat name, followed by Milo, Oliver, Leo and Bella.
The study also calculated the most-trending dog names in the country, the names with the biggest increase in popularity with at least 50 entries — and the winner will come as no surprise to football fans and Swifties.
The top-trending dog name of 2023? Kelce, thanks to the soaring popularity of Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, a two-time Super Bowl winner and new boyfriend of Taylor Swift. (Some of the pets might be named after Travis’ brother Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles, but Travis is having more of a moment.)
The second-most-trending dog name was Wednesday, after the goth Addams Family daughter who had her own hit Netflix series last year, followed by Oak, Lainey, Minnow, Smoky and Estrella. The most trendy cat name was Norbert, followed by Soju, Snoop, Choco and Fuzz.
Rover also highlighted some interesting trends they saw in this year’s pet names. Their study showed a big uptick in nostalgia-driven names referencing 1990s and 2000s pop culture, with names like Alanis, Drew Barrymore, Ginger Spice and even Furby all getting a huge boost.
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Dogs and cats named after Brad Pitt, Halle Berry and Winona Ryder were also trendy this year, as were names of ’90s boy bands (especially NSYNC) and hip hop artists. Pets named for characters from ’90s TV staples like Saved by the Bell, Beverly Hills 90210 and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were all trending upward.
While many are nostalgic for decades past, others are living firmly in the present, naming their pets after today’s biggest shows, movies and celebs. Everything from hit kids cartoon Bluey to reality shows like Real Housewives and Survivor inspired new pet owners this year, as did The Bear, Yellowstone, The Mandalorian, Ted Lasso and Succession.
So did Hollywood blockbusters: Barbie, the Marvel Cinematic Universe and Disney’s The Little Mermaid all inspired several trending pet names. Athletes, politicians, members of the British royal family and even social media sites also made the list.
Several musician-inspired names trended, including Donna, Ciara, Cardi and Harry Styles, but megastar Taylor Swift was in a category all her own, inspiring all kinds of trending names from “Swiftie” to “Cardigan.”
READ MORE: Taylor Swift makes donation to Tennessee animal shelter, has four puppies named in her honor
Rover’s site also breaks down the most popular names for certain dog breeds: for instance, the most popular beagle names are Daisy and Buddy, while Yorkie owners prefer Cooper and Luna.
We love hearing people’s unique dog and cat names — it’s so interesting to see the different kinds of names that were trending in 2023!
Please share this story and let us know your pets’ names! 😸🐶
