2019’s Top Dog Names Revealed

Rover has reported, and Bella and Max lead the pack once again!

All of the top names for dogs of both genders are human names this year. Such popular baby names as Lily and Milo have joined the Top 10 for dogs, while popular dog names such as Bear and Duke are increasingly used for babies.

Lily and Rocky join the Top 5, replacing Lola and Jack — each of which now rank at #7. Along with Lily and Rocky, Zoe, Milo, and Teddy have broken into the Top 10, while Sophie, Toby, and Tucker have dropped out.

Popular Female Dog Names

1. Bella =

2. Luna +3

3. Lucy -1

4. Daisy -1

5. Lily +7

6. Zoe +15

7. Lola -3

8. Molly -2

9. Sadie -2

10. Bailey -1

Fastest Rising Female Dog Names

Fastest Falling Female Dog Names

Popular Male Dog Names

1. Max =

2. Charlie =

3. Cooper +3

4. Buddy -1

5. Rocky +1

6. Milo +7

7. Jack -2

8. Bear -1

9. Duke -1

10. Teddy +4

Fastest Rising Male Dog Names

Fastest Falling Male Dog Names for Boys

Names new to the Dog Top 100 include Arya, Aspen, Blue, Diamond, Dolly, Georgia, Ivy, Koda, Paisley, Poppy, and Skye for girls, and Mac, Oakley, Odin, Theo, and Zeke for boys. Remi and Remy cracked the list for both male and female dogs.

Names that left the Dog Top 100 for girls were Allie, Cali, Cocoa, Grace, Gypsy, Heidi, Lacey, Lilly, Roxie, Sydney, and Zoey. For boys, Bo, Brady, Bubba, Chester, Mickey, and Rufus left the Top 100.

Dog Name Trends

Trends in dog names parallel many baby name trends. Gemstone names are rising for babies and dogs, as are mythological names such as Apollo, Odin, and Athena.

Names introduced to us by pop culture are big, with Game of Thrones names, The Lion King, and The Avengers being the biggest influences for dogs this year. Arya, also a fast riser among baby names, is a new entry into the Dog Top 100, and Simba and Nala both rose in rank. Loki and Thor each rose over 15 places, and other superhero names including Pepper, Nebula, Okoye, and Drax all increased in use for dogs in 2019.

Perhaps the most closely linked trend between pet names and baby names is that of unisex names. Gender-neutral names are rising among babies—both girls and boys. Historically parents have abandoned unisex names for boys as they’ve become more gender-neutral. It’s been a phenomenon of the 21st century that parents are embracing unisex names for boys. Names like Charlie, Lennon, and Oakley are used fairly equally for boys and girls and are rising among both genders.

Now we are witnessing this among dogs as well. Remy and Remi burst onto the scene this year as popular choices for both male and female dogs. Androgynous names including Oakley, Blue, and Skye are also newcomers to the Top 100. Some of the fastest-rising dog names of 2019 were unisex names, including Nova, Koda, and Harley for girls, and Scout, Coco, and Blue for boys.

Of course, not all of the dog name trends match up with baby names—it’s unlikely that you will name your child Waffles, for example. Besides being named after delicious treats, dogs are also more likely to get old-fashioned names that haven’t come around yet for babies. This can be used as a predictive tool for names that will be revived among babies in the coming years. We’ve got our eye on Winston, Bonnie, Hank, Gus, Dixie, and Dolly, none of which currently appear in the US Top 400 for babies.