Good news, dog lovers! Rover’s dog name data for 2021 is in—and it’s everything you want it to be. Wondering if last year’s champs still reign supreme, if there are any newcomers, or if your dog’s name has made it to the top spot? Look no further...
Luna has taken the top spot for female dog names this year, moving last year’s favourite, Bella, to the number two spot. Poppy and Lola also swapped places this year, with Lola taking third and Poppy taking fourth in the ranking. New to the top five this year is Coco, replacing last year’s fifth place contender, Daisy.
In first place, Milo is the most popular male dog name this year, up from third place last year. Teddy also jumped in popularity, moving from fifth place last year to second this year. Max moved into third place and, both new to the top five this year, Buddy and Alfie ranked fourth and fifth respectively.
The most popular COVID-inspired dog names are Delta, Rona, Covi, and Covid. 2021 put the dog names Rona, Covi, Covid, and Johnson on the map.
While his parents Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan may not technically be royals anymore, Archie still made the list as the 17th most popular dog name in the UK. And with multiple popular on-screen depictions, the ever-popular name Diana is trending up 59% this year.
The Queen is known widely as a lover of Pembroke Welsh corgis and has owned over 30 during her reign. These beloved Corgis are inspiring dog names across the UK. Willow, Monty, Honey, and Holly are the most popular dog names after the Queen’s own dogs.
In honour of the Queen’s gone-to-soon puppy, the name Fergus is trending up 232% in 2021.
England National Football team-inspired names are up! The most popular are Jack, Harry, Kevin, Kane and Luke.
Euros aside, the UK is home to passionate fans of all kinds of sports. We see this trend reflected in dog names, too.
We can’t forget the Premier League! With Man City securing their third Premier League title, it’s no surprise that fans across the UK are taking inspiration from the 2020/2021 champions. The most popular Man City-inspired dog names are Ben, Jake, Romeo, and Ruben. In fact, Ruben was trending up by 239% in 2021.
Pet Parents in the UK are inspired by nostalgic Disney cartoon characters like Winnie the Pooh’s Roo (+212%) and Winnie (+11%), Beauty and the Beast’s Gaston (+209%), Finding Nemo’s Nemo (+259%), and Toy Story’s Woody (+31%).
The UK is serving some serious cozy vibes. The cozy names category is trending up 55% overall with names like: Puddles (+159%), Stormy (+60%), Midnight (+59%), Snow (+59%), and Thunder (+84%).
2021 also put the dog name Lightning on the map.
UK’s pet parents are increasingly naming their dogs after luxury designers. These are the top four most popular:
Rick and Morty: The dog name Morty is the #1 trending in the UK this year and is trending up 1,559%. 2021 also put the dog name Rick on the map.
Dexter’s Laboratory: Dee Dee is in the top 20 trending names in the UK (#15) and is trending up 372%.
Game of Thrones: 2021 marks the 10th anniversary of the first episode of GOT. Winter is coming and so are more dogs inspired by this hit series. The most popular dog names are:
Money Heist: This popular Netflix show took the UK by storm and our dog name trends show it. The most popular Money Heist-inspired names are Rio, Tokyo, Moscow, Arturo, and Monica. Rio is trending up 39% and Tokyo is up 809% while Arturo is down 41%. 2021 also put Moscow and Monica on the map.
Bridgerton: Dog names inspired by the steamy Netflix hit, Bridgerton, are trending. Simon is up 359% and Daphne is up 66%. Duke and Penelope are trending down, 52% and 91% respectively. 2021 put the dog name Eloise on the map.
The Mandalorian & Star Wars: Turns out, UK-based pet parents love Star Wars and The Mandalorian. The top trending names in this category are Kylo, Yoda and Boba.
RuPaul’s Drag Race: Shantay you stay, dog names. Pet names inspired by RuPaul’s Drag Race UK are hot in 2021. The most popular are Ellie, Ginny, Cherry, Kofi, and Lawrence. In fact, Kofi is trending up by 159%.
Love Island: Can I pull you for a chat? The most popular Love Island themed dog names are Teddy, Hugo, Toby, Millie, and Jess. 2021 put the dog names Sharon, Nas, Kaz, Brad, and Aaron on the map.
KUWTK: The final season of Keeping up with the Kardashians inspired pet owners this year. The dog names Stormi (+359%), Kim (+59%) are all trending up this year. Khloe and Scott are trending down 41% and 141%.
2021 put the dog names Kanye, Kylie, Kendall, and Saint on the map.
Both nostalgic and new, Marvel characters continue to be top inspiration for dog names. The top trending for dogs are:
The most popular food-inspired dog names—by total volume—are Pepper, Cookie, Peanut, and Biscuit, but there are a few others quickly rising in the ranks. The top trending this year are:
Top trending alcohol-inspired names for dogs in the UK include Whiskey (+226%), Fizz (+134%), Scotch (+59%), Cosmo (+39%), and Brandy (+26%).
With so many stuck at home, it seems many have turned to video games for both entertainment and inspiration. The top trending video game-inspired dog names in the UK included Astrid (+759%), Hopper (+659%), Dizzy (+659%), Gaia (+509%), and Peach (+509%).
The most popular travel-inspired names for dogs in the UK are Tokyo, China, Chile, Sofia, and India.
What’s the secret to finding the perfect dog name? We looked into it, and it turns out there’s both an art and a science to choosing the right name for your furry special someone.
Is all this talk of dog names making you long for a new four-legged family member? If you feel like you’re finally ready, we’ve put together a list of everything you need to know about adopting a dog to help you find a great match. Here's how much it costs to own a dog.
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