Like Nostradamus, we’re going in to full on prediction mode here at K9 Magazine

The annual popular dog names list is always fascinating reading, particularly in retrospect. We’ve also found some truly amazing adoptable dog names (see below).

It’s great fun to read the previous popular dog names from years gone by, seeing old favourites such as ‘Max’, ‘Ben’ and popular female dog names like ‘Sasha’, ‘Maisy’ and ‘Trudy’ mixed in with Zeitgeist names such as ‘Ga Ga’, ‘Beyonce’ and ‘Britney’.

puppy photo

So what can we expect to be amongst the most popular dog names going forward over the next few years?

Here’s our predictions.

The Regulars (Most Popular Dog Names of Historical Prominence)

1. Bella
——–
2. Max
——
3. Bailey
———
4. Lucy
——-
5. Molly
——–
6. Buddy
——–
7. Maggie
———
8. Daisy
——–
9. Chloe
——–
10. Sophie
———-

The New Entrants (Most Popular Dog Names by Trend Predictions)

1. Lady
2. Bieber
3. Kim
4. Perry
5. Obama
6. Shakira
7. Rhianna
8. Taylor
9. Charlie
10. Kanye

Comparison With 2008 Most Popular Dog Names (International)

For both dogs and cats, Max was the most popular name in 2008. Overall, VPI’s data indicates that traditional pet names, such as Fido, have taken a back seat to “people” names like Max. In fact, some of the most popular dog and cat names – Bella, Chloe, Sophie and Bailey – also rank among the Social Security Administration’s most popular baby names.
Dogs                           Cats
1. Max                          1. Max
2. Bailey                        2. Chloe
3. Bella                          3. Tigger
4. Molly                         4. Tiger
5. Lucy                          5. Lucy
6. Buddy                        6. Smokey
7. Maggie                      7. Oliver
8. Daisy                        8. Bella
9. Sophie                      9. Shadow
10. Chloe                     10. Charlie

“Pets are often viewed as members of the family, treated like members of the family and, as a result, named like members of the family,” said Curtis Steinhoff, senior director of corporate communications for VPI. “Max may sleep on his owner’s bed, eat gourmet food and wear clothes to go out on the town. Rover probably does not. Max is short, yet easy to distinguish from common commands, so it is easy to understand why it’s such a popular pet name.”

This is the sixth consecutive year that Max is the top name for dogs and cats. Since last year’s results, the most notable increase in any name has been Bailey, which was No. 9 in 2007. Other changes in 2008 include the addition of Sophie (No. 9) and Chloe (No. 10) in place of Jake and Rocky for canine names, and Shadow (No. 9) and Charlie (No. 10) in place of Sophie and Princess for feline names. As in 2007, Max joined Lucy and Bella as names popular for both cats and dogs in 2008.

Only 13 dogs in VPI’s database went by Fido in 2008, placing the name at No. 2,866. Rover wasn’t far behind at No. 2,534. Surprisingly, some dog names are more popular than Rover and Fido were Liebchen, Zowie, Munchie, Ginger Snap, Butchie, Dundee and Grendel. Other classic dog names that ranked low in popularity included Lassie (No. 1,572), Pluto (No. 1,009), Patch (No. 667), Spot (No. 659), Fluffy (No. 338), and Rex (No. 138).

Besides being the most common name in 2008, Max also owned the distinction of the name with the most variations. VPI’s database includes such Max-inspired pet names as Maximum Max, Max Power, Max Avalanche, Maximus Gladius Spartacus, Minimax, Sergeant Maxwell T. Steel, Max the Moose, Max Crime Fighter, Cherokee Max, Peanut Max, T.J. Maxx, Duramax, Fatmax, Maxmax, Maxator Midnight and Mad Max McNaughty.

Move over Fido, Buddy is officially the new “top-dog” name. Today, Petfinder.com, the largest online database of adoptable pets, announced its 2011 ranking of the most popular and most unusual names, with an extra category for TV and celebrity “name-a-likes.” For the fifth year in a row, “Buddy” barks at the top as the most trending name for adoptable dogs in 2011, while “Lucy” once again proves to be the purrfect No. 1 choice for adoptable cats.

The top five most popular names for dogs have all remained the same this year, while cats are a different story: “Smokey” and “Charlie” sniffed their way up to No. 2 and No. 4, respectively, while “Midnight” jumped down to No. 10 after coming in No. 2 for adoptable felines last year. As people everywhere swarmed the theatres and the Twilight saga continued to unfold in 2011, the popularity of the name “Bella” for both adoptable dogs and cats has remained strong since 2010.

Previous Top 10 Most Popular Dog Names Previous Top 10 Most Popular Cat Names
1.   Buddy (15,184) 1.   Lucy (4,195)
2.   Max (13,810) 2.   Smokey (4,105)
3.   Daisy (12,948) 3.   Bella (3,978)
4.   Bella (11,773) 4.   Charlie (3,752)
5.   Lucy (11,418) 5.   Tiger (3,735)
6.   Molly (11,049) 6.   Oreo (3,574)
7.   Charlie (10,607) 7.   Daisy (3,371)
8.   Jack (9,949) 8.   Molly (3,355)
9.   Sadie (9,232) 9.   Max (3,346)
10. Rocky (8,475) 10. Midnight (3,273)

Incredible/Insane/Memorable – Dog Names!

Most Unusual Adoptable Pet Names Best Celebrity Name-A-Likes
1.   Dodgy Wodgy Schnookum Doodle 1.   Barry Meow-nilow
2.   Polly Picklepuss 2.   Katy Purry
3.   Sukimayapoo 3.   Ally McBeagle
4.   Iben Hooked 4.   Brad the Pit
5.   Blue Sparkles McGillicutty 5.   Rascal Catts
6.   Killer the Dog Dominating Declawed Cat 6.   Ringo Starr
7.   Purr-etzle 7.   Cindy Clawford
8.   Fluff Dog Millionaire 8.   Cindy Dogford
9.   Jimmy Chews 9.   Vera Fang
10. Ishkabibble 10. Lady Gaga

Because they are just too cute to ignore, Petfinder.com also handpicked the most unusual, wacky and celebrity-themed names of adoptable pets for 2011 from nearly 300 submissions by shelters and rescue groups across North America. This year’s top creativity honors go to “Dodgy Wodgy Schnookum Doodle” and “Barry Meow-nilow.”

“Everybody loves to have a Buddy, but many shelters and rescue groups give their adoptable pets creative names to help them stand out from the crowd,” says Betsy Banks Saul, co-founder of Petfinder. “Their names can give a peek into their personalities. For instance, ‘Killer the Dog Dominating Declawed Cat’ speaks for itself. But if your new cat doesn’t respond to his shelter-given name or you can’t imagine yourself hollering for ‘Polly Picklepuss’ at the dog park, never fear. Animal behaviorists tell us it’s okay to change their names. Here’s how: Add their new name to their old name for a few weeks, then gradually phase out the old one.”

According to a pet health website’s study, here are the popular dog names for puppies….

Boy Puppy Names

Ace – Ace is a human moniker commonly given to dogs. Two of the most famous Aces include dog actor, Ace the Wonder Dog, and Batman’s loyal pooch, Ace the Bat-Hound.
Aztec – Possibly named after the Aztec civilization, Aztec is not a common moniker for children, making it a unique puppy name (except for the fact that it made our list of popular boy puppy names).
Max – Max is Latin for “greatest” and a popular baby boy name as well, making it another popular human name for “great” male puppies.
Byron – Byron is yet another human name, possibly coming from poet Lord Byron, famous for his wildness and debauchery. Byron is a terrific puppy name for any rambunctious pup.
A.J. – A.J. has become a popular human name in its own right, though originally the initials probably stood for something. Perhaps perfect for the puppy that is an “awesome jumper”?

Girl Puppy Names

Bella – Bella is French for “very pretty.” Though these days, girl puppies (and babies) named Bella are likely named after the main character from the widely popular Twilight series of books and movies.
Abby – Short for Abigail, Abby is consistently one of the more popular girl names given to babies.
Zoey – Meaning “life” in Greek, who wouldn’t want to name their puppy Zoey? For baby girls, the name has risen in popularity from 409th in 2000 to 47th in 2010.
Buttons – A long-standing favorite for dog names, Buttons may come from the phrase “cute as a button.”
Daisy – A daisy is a flower, and a name commonly given to baby girls throughout the 20th century. Daisy’s popularity briefly declined, but is again on the rise.

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2 comments
  1. Whats with no Rambo puppy name?,, I have a blue heeler and Rambo fits him just fine, he is full of adventure and mischief, loves to ramble in the long grass, challenging dogs bigger and older than himself, not at all afraid, he’s a full blown hand-full.

  2. No Alfie or Bobby for dogs.. no Tom or Sox for cats Im shocked… Bobby will become popular now the coke advert I think

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