What’s in a pet name? The site Rover, which connects dog owners with dog walkers, routinely digs into the topic. For the 10th year in a row, Rover reviewed its database of more than 1 million pet owners to discover the 100 most popular dog names for 2023. Some old favorites made the list, but so did some surprising new names.
Related: Otterhounds, Pulis, and 23 Other Dog Breeds You’ve Never Heard Of
1. Charlie – Male
After a decade, Charlie rose from #2 to the top spot. A simple but traditional name, Charlie takes first place for the first time.
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2. Max – Male
This timeless moniker got bumped for male dog names this first time in over a decade, but it didn’t drop far.
Related: Cute Dog Breeds That Make Terrible Pets
3. Cooper – Male
This cute name is making its second appearance in the top 5 for male dogs this year.
4. Milo – Male
This popular name remained in the Top 5 and scored the fourth spot another year.
5. Buddy – Male
The perfect name for your best friend, Buddy continues to be one of the five most-popular names for male dogs.
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1. Luna – Female
Lovely Luna took the No. 1 spot for female dog names for the second year in a row.
2. Bella – Female
This pretty name for female dogs held at second place this year.
3. Daisy – Female
Daisy remains a Top 5 name choice for female dogs for another year.
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4. Lucy – Female
This playful name remains in the Top 5.
5. Lily – Female
Making its second appearance in the top 5 this year, this flowery name is becoming increasingly popular among owners of female dogs.
Top Trending Dog Name: Alanis
Inspired by ’90s rock star Alanis Morissette, the name rose to No. 1 among trending dog names for 2023 and increased in popularity by a whopping 547%. The name is followed by Drew Barrymore (up 297%) and Ginger Spice (up 47%).
Top Trending Dog Name: Cassini
Cassini seemingly came out of nowhere to become the No. 2 trending dog name this year.
Top Trending Dog Name: Mossberg
Mossberg made the No. 3 spot this year among trending dog names.
Top Trending Dog Name: Mirabel
Inspired by Disney’s “Encanto,” Mirabel became the fourth most-trending dog name of the year.
Top Trending Dog Name: Kyna
Kyna, an Irish name that means royal, joined the top-trending list this year.
Food-Themed Names
Some pet owners continue to name their pets after their favorite things to eat and drink — or in this case, a kitchen appliance. The top food-themed pet name for 2022 was Hotpot.
Food-Themed Names
Another food-themed — or in this case, drink-themed — name of choice among dog owners, Yerba, short for yerba mate, a caffeinated herbal tea, rose 485% as a choice for 2022.
Sports-Themed Names
Newly trending this year are sports-themed dog names, after both legends and newcomers. Shohei, taken from Shohei Ohtani, a pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels baseball team, shot up by 185%.
‘Stranger Things’-Inspired Names
The names of two characters from the popular Netflix series rose in popularity as dog names in 2022. Erica jumped 151%, while Jonathan rose 85%. Vecna, however, didn’t make the list.
The Top Trending Dog Name For a Popular Dog Breed
If you know a lab named Luna, chances she’s not the only one. This year, this popular female name seems to have been bestowed on friendly female labs everywhere.
