In honor of National Puppy Day on Saturday, March 23, a dog daycare company has surveyed Americans on their favorite dog names.
Nationwide, the top 10 names are Luna, Charlie, Bella, Lucy, Cooper, Daisy, Max, Milo, Bailey and Sadie.
But what about the Show-Me and Sunflower states? The survey discovered Bella is the most popular name for dogs in Missouri and Kansas this year, according to a list compiled by Camp Bow Wow.
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The top breeds with the name Luna were Labrador Retriever, Goldendoodle, German Shepherd, Australian Shepherd and Siberian Husky. Luna ruled in 27 states, mainly on the East and West Coasts and in the Southwest and northern Midwest.
In the pop culture-inspired category, Maverick had the highest year-over-year increase, and Goose came in third, names that could be paying homage to the 2022 blockbuster “Top Gun: Maverick.” Poppy saw the second-largest year-over-year increase, likely inspired by Anna Kendrick’s character, Poppy, in the 2023 film “Trolls Band Together.” Gigi and Millie also increased year over year, possibly attributed to model Gigi Hadid and actress Millie Bobby Brown.
“Timeless names like Max, Bella and Charlie will always be in style, as they have classic canine charm, are elegant and exude strength and loyalty,” said Erin Askeland, Camp Bow Wow’s animal health and behavioral expert. “We also expect pop culture to continue to influence names this year and anticipate an influx of names like Loki, Greta, Rocket and Barbie, inspired by music, TV, movies and celebrities. Luna will continue to be a popular choice as name inspiration from the natural world continues, from planet names to ocean creatures. Additional trending names in that category include Bear and Willow.”
Food is another common motif for dog names because of its positive associations and pup-matching hues, which inspire names such as Peanut, Olive and Biscuit. Askeland also predicts pet parents will continue to create elaborate and unique names, often born from the many nicknames pet parents tend to give their pups that end up becoming official names. Some favorite out-of-the-box names Camp Bow Wow has seen include “Maxilicious BerryCrunch Master Cylinder III,” “Nyx the Primordial Goddess of the Night” and “Miss California Pumpkin, AKA Callie.”
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