Do You Want to Give Your Pet Dog a Trendy Name? Let’s Gather Some Insights!

In 2023, studies demonstrated that about 69 million American homes owned a dog, and each pet was called by a name. Naming a pet is familiar to Americans. They mostly call their pets by their favorite food or pop culture. Choices like Luna, Milo, Charlie, and Max vouch for this. Interestingly, some off-beat names also picked up recently, despite the classic ones holding their position firmly. What do you like to call your furry friend? You may have thought about multiple names and rejected them, too, thinking something is missing. Don't worry about this, as it's the usual pet peeve with pet parents. They want the best for their lovely four-legged friends, even when it comes to naming them. After all, this age-old practice is also about creating your pet’s identity, marking your ownership, and bonding with him.

If you struggle with choosing a name, there is an easy solution. You can dig up the list of dog or pup names in 2023 for an idea. Several lists by different categories are provided to make your search for a perfect name for your dog enjoyable. You can refer to ones that resonate with your preferences and your dog's personality. So, here is The Most Popular Dog Names: 2023 Edition for your reference.

• Common popular names for male and female dogs (celebrity-driven)

Those in a rush can choose from the topmost trending names for their male or female dogs. The popular picks for male breeds have been Max, Buddy, Rocky, Charlie, Cooper, Teddy, Bear, Duke, Milo, and Leo. Females were mainly named Lucy, Lily, Bella, Daisy, Bailey, Luna, Zoe, Sadie, Lola, and Stella. It can sound surprising that even the names from the 90s to early 2000s appeared in 2023 dog naming trends. For example, Alanis gained a 547% adoption rate. Alanis Morissette, the alt-rock genre singer, won many Grammy awards and sold millions of copies of her records. 

Besides this, pet owners are choosing Ginger Spice and Spice Girl for their dogs. Although it’s a new entry, Ginger Spice witnessed a 47% rise. Even new entries like Avril, Shakira, Shania Twain, Leonardo Dogcaprio, and Fergie are doing well and may stick around forever. However, the nostalgia trip extends beyond these film and music celebrities, and the proof lies in the popularity of another name, Furby, which has been used by 27% of pet owners. 

• Food and drink-based names for male and female dogs

Pet parents usually name their dogs after their favorite food and drinks. 2023 represented this trend ever so strongly, with Green Bean scoring 217% on popularity charity. Some called their dogs Baguette (79%), Ice Cream (83%), Parsley (89%), and S’More (157%). Cheerios grossed about 198% of votes. Research shows people also selected names akin to Charcuterie-inspired culinary traditions. Options like Stilton, Prosciutto, Brie, Quince, and Fig clarify this. Cornichon can be a relatively new selection, but this charcuterie board special also had a moment with pet parents. Beer has shown outstanding popularity in drinks, rising by 330% on the chart. Other Beer-related names, such as Stella Artois and Heineken, also did well. Some mentions were less popular this time, including Stout, Guinness, and Porter. All these refer to dark Beer. 

Interestingly, some pet parents named their dogs after healthy drink options. They opted for plant-based milk, such as almonds, oat, etc. Oat was the most famous, with 61% growth, and soy witnessed a downtrend, dipping by -52%. Almond garnered 26% votes, and rice was down by -2% this year. Some drinks that deserve special mention in the dog-naming trend include White Claw, Red Bull, and Poppi. Do you want to see a collective list of food and drink-inspired dog names for a quick decision? 

1. Food-based trending options are Cornichon, Pop Tart, Grapefruit, Yogurt, Breadcrumb, and Bubble Gum.
2. Beverage-based trending options comprise Champagne, Beer, Fizz, Pinot, Mojito, Chardonnay, Whiskey, and Gimlet

• TV-inspired names for male and female dogs

Wednesday Addams is a highly-rated Netflix series. Fans named their dogs after this popular television show. While Wednesday Addams garnered a 297% rating, Wednesday was rated 92%, occupying the second spot. Another common choice included the character Enid, a student from Nevermore Academy. Many more also appeared on the list. For example, Survivor attracted the attention of new and old fans during COVID-19. Two names that remind you of the show most are dogs Amanda and Sandra. In 2023, these names caught pet parents’ attention, making them choose those for their furry friends. Even people opted for Jeff Probst, the name of the show host. 

• Gaming-inspired names for male and female dogs

If you love playing video games, you must be familiar with characters like Zelda, Mario, Link, Maple, Princess Peach, Timmy, Browser, Yoshi, Kirby, etc. Which one do you think is the best for your canine friend? You can name your pet Princess Peach if it's a she. About 92% of people voted for it. Surprisingly, Mario was the least preferred, securing only a 0.03% rating. 

• Destination-inspired names for male and female dogs across the globe

Globetrotters can choose their favorite locations to name their dogs. Trends show 47% of pet parents voted for Mexico, 40% for Chile, 22% for Ibiza and Eiffel, 19% for Rome, 10% for Cairo, and 6% for Paris. Even Maui also emerged among the top names. In a different vein, you can also check popular dog names by city. If you live in Atlanta, you will find that most pet owners selected Bentley, Charlie, Max, Cooper, and Milo for their male pups. Females were mainly named Lucy, Bella, Lola, Bailey, and Coco. Those living in Georgia City showed high interest in Butter. In San Diego, people picked Bear, Charlie, and Teddy for their male dogs. Lucy and Coco were most preferred for female dogs.

People in San Francisco leaned more on Leo and Milo for their male pups and Daisy, Pepper, and Lucy for female breeds. In Chicago, Ollie and Max trended the most for male canines. Female dogs were given names like Coco, Lola, and Bailey. 

• A few tidbits on the dog naming trend across the US 

A 2023 study on the top dog name choices in the country revealed that 10,850 of more than 800,000 pups (about 5%) enjoyed the name Bella. Bella has been picked in 37 American states and the District of Columbia. If you look at Florida, 978 of 62,818 dogs were named Bella. In Georgia, 367 dogs were christened with Bella. Overall, 4% of dogs in the US were named Luna, 3% Max, and 2% Daisy and Charlie, each. Let’s quickly uncover some more exciting facts related to dog naming practices.

1. People in Massachusetts preferred Luna more for their pups.
2. The name Buddy enjoyed 7th rank in the national popularity chart, but it featured in the top 5 across 18 American states.
3. Iowa had a higher number of dogs named Lucy, which ranked in the top five in a total of 18 states.
4. Despite enjoying a high position across the country, Bella missed the top five spot in North and South Dakota.

• The significance of choosing a dog name

Humans have a deep bond with their names from an early age. You can witness this in the excitement of a young boy or girl when called by their respective names. The same thing can be challenging to say about your furry friend confidently. What is the relevance of the name for them? Is it the same as the connection of an object to its name, or is there something more? Think of ball, car keys, leash, etc. No matter what, training a dog becomes easy when you make them respond to their names. It allows you to establish a definite relationship with your pet. Hence, selecting your pet’s name after all the considerations is crucial. Once you decide on it, use that name consistently and positively. Maintain its sanctity. 

In this context, some more things also need to be followed. Pet experts say a dog's name should differ from obedience commands to avoid unwanted complications. Suppose you have an option to name your female pup Shay. While it sounds great, the word can easily be confused with the command “stay.” Likewise, you can compare the effects of Mo and No. Another version of the rule is to avoid giving similar-sounding names to different animals in a multi-pet family. Think of calling your cat Grover and pooch Rover. 

How do you overcome all the dog naming challenges? Practice and precaution are the keys! Think of your favorite celebrity, music, food & drink, sports, personality traits, and others to shortlist desirable names for your little furry friend. Please pick one from them and use it to call your dog in different tones. Follow their behavior or response to the name. Do they prick their ears or wiggle their tail? These are hints you have selected the correct name for your four-legged animal.

Naming your dog can mean life's greatest joy, especially if you share a deeper connection. You can get emotional while choosing one for your furry companion. While the emotions are understandable, select your pet’s name carefully. After all, the name you pick for him will be his identity. For an easy search, you can focus on the trending names.