What Are the Top 10 Dog Names

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The most popular dog names of 2020 image

Which names will be crowned top dog this year? The results are in for 2020's most popular dog names in the US. If you've ever named a dog, you know how important it is to find the perfect name—one that matches their unique personality and maybe says a little about you, too.

Much like human baby names and cat names, dog name trends rise and fall each year. They also shine a light on the things that matter most to us. The names we choose for our pets are often a direct reflection of our passions and preoccupations. And they tell a story about the people, places, and stories that defined our year.

That's why every year at Rover, we take a look at our database of over a million pets to uncover pet name trends and discover what people are naming their dogs—and what stories those names can tell us about the state of American pet parenthood.

Our community's dog names can confirm: We've never experienced a year quite like 2020. It's a year when dog adoption rates soared and many pet parents spent more time at home than ever snuggled up with their pets. From old favorites topping the male and female dog name charts to the unique monikers folks are giving to their pandemic puppies, some of the names pet parents have chosen for their furry family members this year are as surprising as 2020 itself.

The Most Popular Male and Female Dog Names

Variety and creativity are the new normal for pet names. Don't be surprised to hear "Fetch, Waffles!" or "Here, Keanu!" at the dog park this year. Hot baby names are tops for puppies and kittens, too. Move over Fido—it's time for Stella and Cooper.

Top 5 Female Dog Names

Bella ranked number one as 2020's top female dog name, followed by Luna, Lucy, Daisy, and Lola. Last year, Lily took the number five spot but was edged out by Lola this year. New to the top ten, Stella and Chloe are also gaining in popularity.

Top five female dog names of 2020

Top 5 Male Dog Names

The number one most popular male dog name in 2020 is Max, followed by Charlie, Cooper, Buddy, and Milo. Last year, Rocky took the number five spot but was edged out by Milo this year. New to the top 10 are Oliver and Leo, bumping Teddy and Duke down the list.

Top 5 male dog names 2020 graphic

Trending Dog Names

COVID-19 has changed the world—including how some people are naming their pets. Among dogs and cats, the name Covi is up 1,159%, followed by Rona (up 69%), Corona (up 24%) and Covie which is also trending up in popularity. Honorable mentions for the handful of dogs and cats named COVID and Fauci, and a very special shoutout to these two unique pets: a dog named Rona Von Covid and a cat named Dr. Fauci.

An infographic with illustrated dogs in masks to represent covid-19 inspired dog names.

Celebrity Couple Dog Names

Naming pets after celebrities is nothing new, but in 2020 things took a slightly competitive turn. We noticed that certain celebrities are getting more of the dog name love than their significant others: Chrissy is trending up, while Legend is trending down. Kanye, Mila, and Jay-Z are also trending up, while Kim, Ashton, and Beyonce are losing popularity as dog names.

Some couple names are both trending up, from Tom Brady and Giselle (Bündchen) to Blake Shelton and Gwen (Stefani). Sarah (as in Sarah Paulson) and Holland (a la Holland Taylor) are also on the rise. Meanwhile, Russell Wilson and Ciara are both losing ground as popular pet names.

Graphic of the most popular celebrity couple inspired dog names

Couple Names Aren't the Only Celebrity Name Inspiration

Pop culture continues to inspire the names we bestow on our furry family members in 2020.

It's the year of Keanu. Dogs named Keanu are on the rise.

We can confidently say there are no pets named ' X Æ A-12 ' but Dad, Elon, is trending up and mom, Grimes, is trending down.

Betty White can't be stopped : Once again, pets named Betty White are trending.

Music Lovers Rejoice: Dogs Named After Musicians Are on the Rise

The name Lizzo is trending up 458%. Kanye is up 33%, and Nas is also trending up, whereas Drake, Beyonce and JLo are trending down for dog names.

Taylor Swift continues to remain a popular dog name, trending up 92% in 2020. With a newly released album, Kesha is trending up. One year after the release of Rocketman, Elton is trending up. Dogs named Rhianna are also trending up this year.

Lil' Kim is making a comeback, trending up 58% among dog names this year. East Coast vs. West Coast Throwback: Biggie and Tupac are both trending among dogs this year.

Shout out to "Biggie Paws" trending up 258%.

TV Continues to Influence Dog Names

In reality TV, documentaries and, well, Ellen:

Let's talk Tiger King. Carol (Baskin) is trending up 46% in dog names whereas Joe, Tiger and King are trending down.

We even spotted the dog name, Joe the Exotic.

Keeping Up With the Kardashians ends…and so does their popularity among dog names. Members of the long-running show recently announced the last season will end in 2021. Dogs named Khloe, Kourtney, Kim, Kylie, and Rob are all trending down this year.

While cats are more likely to be named after RuPaul's Drag Race than dogs, the name RuPaul is trending up 59%. Jinkx (Monsoon) and Raja are up 59% and 11% respectively. We also spotted the dog name Charisma. Charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent anyone?

Dog owners are on a roll with reality-TV inspired dog names this year. Real Housewives of New York characters are influencing dog names, especially in the year Dorinda left the show.

Dog names inspired by binge watching

It's not just reality TV having a moment: people continue to name their pets after Friends characters. Phoebe, Chandler, Ross, Rachel and Monica are all trending up this year, while Joey is trending down.

With so much time spent at home in 2020, pet parents streamed a lot of TV shows, a trend which is reflected in popular dog names this year. The name Geralt ofThe Witcher is trending up 9,308%, Mando ofThe Mandalorian is up 2,658%, and Carol (Baskin) ofTiger King saw a more moderate (but still impressive) increase of 46% this year.

dog names inspired by popular tv shows

The release of Hamilton on Disney+ had an impact: Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson are trending up as dog names. Golden Retrievers are mostly likely to be named Hamilton in 2020. Despite being a Broadway hit, the name Hamilton is trending more in Atlanta and Denver than New York City.

Video Game Dog Names Are Leveling Up

Streaming TV shows aren't the only digital media getting extra love from pet parents this year—video game-inspired dog names are on the rise in 2020 as well. All of these names have leveled up in popularity this year: Midas fromFortnite, Hanzo fromOverwatch, Shep fromAnimal Crossing, and Griggs and Gaz fromCall of Duty.

dog names inspired by video games infographic

Baked Goods, Sourdough and Booze, Oh My!

In the year of the sourdough starter, are dogs named after flour-based items on the rise? Yes!

Baked goods continue to trend among dogs in 2020 with Roti, Tart and Arepa tying for first trending up (58%) followed by Pumpernickel (36%) and Crackers (23%).

Breakfast favorites Waffles (5%), Wheatie (8%), Croissant (8%) and Toast (12%) are also on the rise among dogs, while Brioche, Bagel and Pancakes trended down this year.

We also spotted the name Sourdough for the first time in 2020.

Don't forget theboozy favorites: Pinot Noir is up 258%, Whiskey Girl is up 58%, Whiskey Bear is up 58%, and Pinot G is up 58%. Sazerac, Rose, Gimlet and Cider are also trending up while Gin, Pinot Grigio, Beer, Spritz, Amber and Sidecar are trending down for dogs.

Honorable mention: There are dogs named Chuggington, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot and Beerus (which might actually be a nod to the Dragon Ball Z character).

Coffee-inspired dog names are trending in 2020.

Sports Are a Dog Name Mainstay

With the sports seasons cancelled or delayed, are sports-inspired names trending down in 2020?

Sports names as a whole are trending down this year among dogs and cats, which could be tied to the fact that we had no live sports for most of the year due to COVID. Overall, dogs tend to be named after sports teams or athletes more so than cats.

In commemoration of the talented Kobe Bryant, Kobe (16%), Mamba (111%) and Black Mamba (58%) are trending up in dog names this year.

His daughter, Gianna is also trending up 20%.

Top trending Basketball-inspired team names:

Cavalier
Spark
Aces
Sun
Hornet
Raptor
Laker

The name Storm is also up in 2020: shoutout to the Seattle Storm for winning the WNBA National Championship.

Football-inspired team names Texan, Eagle, Saint, Steeler and Charger are all on the rise this year for dogs.

Soccer player Neymar (58%) tops the list of the most trending athlete inspired-dog names of 2020, followed by tennis players Novak (25%) and Sloane (15%).

Dog Owners Draw Name Inspiration From Plenty of Trends

As we lean on our pets more and more for comfort and support, are cutesy names back on the rise? Overall, yes. Dogs named Angel Baby are up 134% this year. Lil Baby and Babycakes are trending down, 27% and 22% respectively.

Border Collies named Babe are trending up (98%). Shih Tzu and Maltese named Sugar Baby are trending up. Jack Russell Terriers, Boxers and Newfoundlands named Sweet Pea are trending.

What about marijuana-inspired names? Marijuana inspired names are alive and well among dog owners in 2020. The name Ganja is the top trending marijuna-inspired name for dogs at 658%, followed by Hash (58%), Sativa (33%), Haze (21%) and Dank (13%).

What about vintage names ? Dog owners are more likely to give their furry companion a vintage name than cat owners. Here are some of the standouts trending by dog breed:

Greyhounds named Quinn are trending up by over 1000%.
Mini Australian Shepherds named Penelope are trending up (126%)
Goldendoodles named Arthur are trending up (126%)
Terriers named Alice are trending up (120%)
Golden Retrievers named Hazel are trending up (25%)
German Shepherds named Otis are trending up (37%)

While cats are more likely to have punny names in 2020, these are the top 5 most popular pun names for dogs:

Sherlock Bones (309%)
Karl Barx (59%)
Bark Wahlberg (59%)
Ozzy Pawsborn
Winston Furchill

Cheesiest cities:

San Antonio (Empress 247%)
Eugene (Chewbacca 212%)
Dallas (Biggie Smalls 50%)
San Diego (Winston Furchill 48%)

Love is not cancelled! Dogs named Habibi, Arabic for "my love", are trending up. Other l ove-inspired names are also trending, including Amor (Spanish), Love (English) and Liefde (Dutch).

Top Dog Names by Breed

What Are the Top 10 Dog Names

Source: https://www.rover.com/blog/dog-names/