Every year, the world’s largest network of pet sitters and dog walkers – Rover.com – compiles a list of the most popular doggy names in the United States. The Rover team sifts through the million-plus dogs in their database to get the lowdown on what’s hot and what’s not.
Of note, 2020 is a year where we spent more time at home with our pets than ever. Thanks to a certain COVID-19, there weren’t quite so many reasons to go outside. Amazingly, this has actually had an effect on the way we name our pups. In a year where adoption rates soared, the name Covi rocketed up 1,159% in popularity. Rover also gives a nod to Fauci, a new name on the block, and one clearly in honor of Dr Fauci.
But, without further ado, let’s kick off with the big hitters on the list. These are the top 20 most popular dog names in the US – nationwide – for 2020.
Top male dog names:
- Max
- Charlie
- Cooper
- Buddy
- Milo
- Bear
- Rocky
- Duke
- Tucker
- Jack
- Oliver
- Teddy
- Leo
- Bentley
- Zeus
- Jax
- Toby
- Winston
- Ollie
- Louie
Top female dog names:
- Bella
- Luna
- Lucy
- Daisy
- Lola
- Sadie
- Molly
- Bailey
- Stella
- Maggie
- Chloe
- Penny
- Nala
- Zoey
- Lily
- Coco
- Sophie
- Rosie
- Ellie
- Ruby
What else can we learn from a crazy year? Well, Carol (Baskin) is up 46%, and America’s love affair with Mr Reeves has seen a sharp rise in dogs called Keanu. Other choices that can only be explained by Netflix shows include Geralt (The Witcher) and Mando (The Mandalorian), both of which have risen by more than a few thousand percentage points in the last year.
On a sadder note, there were a lot of dogs named after the late Kobe Bryant – Mamba, Black Mamba and Kobe all spiked. The most popular dog name in honor of an athlete, however? Soccer star Neymar comes out in pole position, followed by Novak (Djokovic) and Sloane (Stephens), both of whom are tennis players.
In terms of our favorite sports teams, Laker, Raptor and Cavalier are all popular basketball-themed names, while Eagle, Saint, Steeler and Charger owe a debt to American Football.
Did you know? If you own a Rottweiler, you’re most likely to name him/her Zeus/Bella. Boxers? Bella/Rocky. Golden Retrievers: Charlie/Bailey. German Shepherds: Luna/Max.
Looking for inspiration? Check out the other articles on the Under One Woof site for adoption tips tricks and breeds you might want to own.
