With the rise in popularity of handbag pups, dog owners have started viewing their dogs as babies and friends, rather than as just an animal companion. Due to this development, it is not surprising that more and more people have started naming their dogs after celebrities. For male dog names there’s been an increase in naming them after old Hollywood stars such as; Charlie, Buster, Bogart and Orson. Max is also a very popular name for male dogs. In fact, 137 out of 12706 registered dogs in San Francisco are named Max.
For female dog names, the names Marilyn, Rita, Liza have increased in popularity; especially Marilyn which has become common after the release of My Week with Marilyn. Molly and Lucy are also two very popular names. In recent years, films such and Wendy and Lucy ha
ve helped propel the popularity of this name. A fun fact to know is that the dog Lucy in the movie is also called Lucy in real life, and has starred in all of Kelly Reichardt’s films.
Another new entry on the list of popular dog names is Marley, after the titular canine star of Marley and Me. The film is one of the highest grossing movies in recent history. Therefore, it is not surprising that many have been inspired to name their new puppies after the mischievous but lovable pup.
The Twilight saga is also inescapable and has left its mark firmly on pet culture. Bella is now the third most popular name out of all registered female dog names. Justin Timberlake most recently named his Yorkshire Terrier Bella. Edward and Jacob are also, just like in the novels, vying for the top spot on the list of popular male dog names.
An interesting development is also the rise in popularity of unisex dog names. Over the last couple of years, the name Casey has skyrocketed in popularity, and is the fastest rising new name for dogs. This can be attributed it the fact that it was the most popular name for both boys and girls in America in the late 80’s. Many parents will name their dogs after their children once their children have move out of the family home. Casey actually originates from Ireland and denotes a warm and friendly personality.
This all leads us to the question -what about future trends for dog names? It is probably fair to say that with the release of Hunger Games, many will opt to name their female pups Katniss, after the tough heroine in the movie. The novels have proven extremely popular, so the film is bound to only further the franchise’s hold on the public’s attention. Additionally, using names that were popular in the early 20th century, such as Beatrice, are also likely to start creeping into the naming of dogs as there is a rising interest in this period at the moment, which can be clearly seen through the success of Downton Abbey and Boardwalk Empire.
