This Year's Most Popular Pet Names Were Inspired by Our Favorite Desserts, According to New Survey Data
There are so many important decisions you have to make as a new pet owner, but none are as exciting as choosing a name for the newest member of your family. These days, however, it seems like classic pet names—everything from Fido to Lassie and Gidget—aren't as influential as the most delicious treats we'd normally find in our kitchens. According to new survey data collected by pet experts at Rover.com, dessert-inspired names were among the most popular options for both cats and dogs in 2019. Names like "Cupcake" and "Croissant" rapidly rose in popularity this year, adorable monikers for sweeter-than-pie pets. But our favorite desserts weren't the only trend this year: Healthier snacks like kale, chia, and bobba tea also influenced top pet names, including "keto," which was up 57 percent in popularity this year.
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Our favorite television series and musicians also inspired new pet owners. Using on-site data as well as the results of a survey issued by Pollfish to 1,500 shoppers between September and October, Rover's analysts discovered that The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel helped its title name ("Maisel") rise in popularity by over 1,000 percent; other television fans also used Game of Thrones as inspiration by naming their pets after character Arya Stark. Music had a big influence on our pets this year, too: Beyoncé is still a perennial favorite, but performing artist Lizzo was doubly as popular for inspiring pet names this year, and Taylor Swift's latest album lead to 400 percent more pet names in her honor in 2019.
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Unsurprisingly, Queen Elizabeth and the British royal family also inspired many pet owners this year. The name "Meghan" is up by 42 percent, but Diana is still wildly popular over the rest. If you're thinking about giving your new pet a name that's fit for a person (royal or not), you're not alone—around 55 percent of pet parents in Rover's survey said their pet either has a human name or they'd considered giving them one. Twenty five percent of pet owners said they'd also consider giving their pet a name they'd considered for a child, with top baby names being Dorothy, Elaine, and Dennis. "The names we give our pets provide a peek into our passions, aspirations, happy places, and guilty pleasures, reinforcing what we at Rover know to be true: our pets are as unique as the names we lovingly bestow upon them," Kate Jaffe, a trend expert for Rover.com, said in a press release.
Despite all the trends in the report, the most popular names by frequency seem to be more classic choices that can stand the test of time. For dogs, Rover experts say the eight most popular names are Bella, Luna, Lucy, and Daisy for girls, while Max, Charlie, Cooper, and Buddy earned top marks for boys. Cat owners, however, may be a bit more playful—they too love the names Bella and Luna, but the most popular cat name is a touch ironic. "Kitty" came in as the top cat name this year! For more insights into Rover's data and name inspiration for your own new pet, head to the site's survey results here.
