- Regal-inspired names from shows like Bridgerton have surged in popularity, with notable increases for Lord (+790%), Duchess (+13%), and fan-favourite characters like Lady Penelope (+190%) and Daphne (+10%), showcasing the continued influence of Regency-era charm
- A regency-inspired doghouse, ‘Roverton house’ will make its debut in Victoria Park from 30th November – 1st December
- The highly anticipated return of Gavin and Stacey’s Christmas Special saw the names Smithy (+33%) Pam (+19%) and even Dave (+17%) on the rise, with the show’s loveable omelette queen Gwen (81%) leading the pack
London, 26th November: Rover.com, the world’s largest online marketplace for loving pet care, has today unveiled the UK’s top dog names for 2024, revealing that Bridgerton fever is sweeping the nation, film and tv are reshaping canine trends, and IT girls continue to inspire a new generation of four-legged champions.
BRIDGERTON TAKES THE LEAD
Names like Lord (+790%), Dukie (+290%) and Duchess (+13%) have seen impressive increases, while fan-favourite characters such as Benedict (+591%), Lady Penelope (+190%), and Colin (+22%) continue to leave their paw prints on the nation’s dogs.
This surge reflects a broader movement among pet parents, with new research from Rover revealing that 88% of pet owners are inspired by pop culture, particularly films, music, and TV shows, like Bridgerton. A whopping 39% say they’ve done so because they felt a personal connection to this celebrity or figure, and want their pets name to reflect their interests, while nearly half (47%) say they wanted a unique name and something that stands out.
To celebrate the growing allure of ‘The Ton,’ Rover has unveiled Roverton House, a stunning Regency-style doghouse fit for canine nobility. Making its grand debut in Victoria Park from 30th November to 1st December, this luxurious creation invites London’s most distinguished pooches and their owners to promenade in period style.
Complete with a grand fireplace, an elegant chandelier, and design elements that echo the ballrooms of Regency London, Roverton House offers the perfect setting for pet parents to capture enchanting, period-style portraits of their pups. This unique installation blends nostalgia with the high-society flair of Bridgerton fans, celebrating a surge in regal dog names inspired by the hit Netflix series.
HOWL-YWOOD’S GONE TO THE DOGS
It wasn’t just Bridgerton that got tails wagging this year; Sydney Sweeney’s leading role as ‘Bea’ in Anyone But You sparked an impressive 81% increase in the name’s popularity. With the movie’s nostalgic essence of 2000s rom-coms, Bea rocketed into second place on the trendiest dog names list. Meanwhile, close on Bea’s tail was Baby Reindeer’s complex character Martha (+70%) who stalked her way into the top ten – eclipsing Donny (-9%) in the process.
What’s occurring? – The highly anticipated return of Gavin and Stacey’s Christmas Special saw the names Smithy (+33%) Pam (+19%) and even Dave (+17%) on the rise, with the show’s loveable omelette queen Gwen (81%) leading the pack. And speaking of anticipated releases, Venom (+891%) soared through this year’s ranks, quickly becoming a go-to name for pet owners looking to give their pups a little extra bite – while the Paddington (63%) in Peru movie also landed our furry-friend in the top 10 trendiest names.
GOOD FUR-YOU
The rise of the “IT GIRLS” trend has turned this year’s pet names into a star-studded affair, with pups channelling the same girl boss energy as their human namesakes. Beyoncé made a dazzling debut, proving her reign continues, even without a country album award. Meanwhile, the Brat Summer wave sent Charli soaring by an impressive 315% and Taylor-mania has pet owners shaking off the competition, with Taylor (+55%) and Swift (+70%) both trending upwards. Good fur you Olivia (Rodrigo), who also brought the heat with a 78% increase and the comeback queen Kylie (Minogue) gained a solid 28%.
FAST FUR-WARD – 2025 PREDICTIONS
As nostalgia continues to dominate pup culture, Rover predicts a rise in Britpop-inspired dog names in 2025, fuelled by the highly anticipated Oasis reunion tour featuring brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher. The names “Liam” and “Noel” are expected to rock the charts, with their iconic swagger striking a chord with music-loving pet parents. Meanwhile, baby hippopotamus and internet sensation, Moo-Deng, is set to inspire quirky and playful pet names next year, with “Moo” in pawticular predicted to see a surge in popularity.
Adem Fehmi, Rover’s canine behaviourist, comments: “Choosing a name for your dog is more than just a fun task, it’s a decision that reflects their personality, your creativity, and sometimes even your sense of humour. It’s fantastic to see how pet parents are inspired by everything from beloved characters to pop icons – adding a creative and personal twist to their pooch’s name. But remember, a name is something you’ll say countless times a day – whether calling them in from the garden or introducing them to new friends. So, while it’s brilliant to embrace originality, it’s also important to balance it with practicality for a name that is clear, loved by all who own the dog, and stands the test of time.”
For more advice on naming your dog, follow Adem’s tips:
- Keep It Short and Simple: Try to opt for a name that’s short or can be easily shortened—one or two syllables tend to work best. This makes it easier for your dog to learn their name and distinguish it clearly, even in noisy environments. Short names are also practical for training commands, e.g., “Rover, down.”
- End on a High Note
Names with a vowel or vowel-like consonant at the end, such as Bella or Teddy, naturally encourage you to elongate the sound and adjust your pitch when calling. This makes the name more appealing and attention-grabbing for your dog, enhancing recall and response. - Don’t Confurr-se Commands: Choose a name that doesn’t resemble common commands you’ll use, such as Jay (which sounds like “stay”) or Neil (which might be mistaken for “heel”). Test potential names by thinking of rhyming commands and eliminate any that could lead to misunderstandings.
- Make sure it’s the whole family’s ‘pup of tea’. You’ll need to mutually agree on your family pup’s name, as you want consistency when teaching commands and calling for your dog’s attention. If other members of the family or carers of your dog start using an alternative name because they don’t like the one chosen, then this could pose a problem.
- A name is for life, not for Christmas!: To help determine your dog’s name, make a list of names you love, and really take your time to whittle these down to the one you feel suits your dog best, there’s no need to rush into a name. It can be very useful to observe your dog, their temperament, quirks, and personality as a whole. That being said, avoid ‘trying out’ different names on your pooch while you make your decision. Although naturally you will want to find the ‘right name’, you don’t want to confuse your new pup during this process.
Find out more 2024 pet names data at https://www.rover.com/uk/blog/dog-names/
Top 10 Trending Dog Names for British Pups in 2024
- Bluebell (85%)
- Bea (81%)
- Gwen (81%)
- Mason (80%)
- Dakota (76%)
- Martha (70%)
- Gunnar (69%)
- Carlos (67%)
- Paddington (63%)
- Winter (63%)
Ends
Note to Editors:
*This study is not endorsed or sponsored by any of the brands, celebrities, or companies mentioned herein.
About Rover:
Founded in 2011 and operating in ten countries, Rover® is the world’s largest online marketplace for loving pet care. Rover connects dog and cat owners with loving pet care whenever they need it. Millions of services have been booked on Rover, including pet sitting, dog walking, in-home boarding, drop-in visits, and doggy day care. To learn more about Rover, please visit https://www.rover.com/uk/.
For more information, please contact:
rover@brands2life.com / 020 7592 1200
THE ‘BEST IN TON’ COMPETITION – TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Competition: The ‘Best in Ton’ competition is operated and promoted by DogBuddy UK Ltd, of 5 New Street Square, London, EC4A 3TW (“Promoter” or “Rover”), a subsidiary of A Place for Rover, Inc. (“APFR”).
- Entry to the Competition
1.1 To enter the ‘Best in Ton’ competition, you simply need to email rovercomps@brands2life.com with a picture of your dog and no more than 100 words about why you deserve to win this prize, along with your name, your dog’s name, and your telephone number.
1.2 Rover is giving away one Regency dog kennel on the terms and conditions as further described herein. This Regency kennel shall be placed outside in Victoria Park, London for 2 days during the term of this giveaway.
1.3 The competition will be open to entrants from 9:00 am (GMT) on Monday, 25th November 2024, and will close at 6:00 pm (GMT) on Friday, 6th December 2024. Any entries received after the closing time will be ineligible for consideration.
- Eligibility
2.1 Only one entry per person is allowed. No third-party or bulk entries will be permitted.
2.2 Entrants must be aged 18 years or older and be legal residents of either England, Wales or Scotland. For the avoidance of doubt, this competition is not open to residents of Northern Ireland.
2.3 Rover accepts no responsibility for entries that fail to be received or delivered. Proof of submission is not proof of entry.
2.4 Rover reserves the right to verify the eligibility of entrants and may deny entry at its sole discretion. Rover does not accept liability for any ineligible entries.
2.5 Rover may request any relevant information it views as reasonably necessary to verify eligibility. Failure to provide such information upon request will result in Rover denying eligibility for the prize draw.
2.6 Entrants acknowledge that Rover has the right to use any images submitted to the competition for marketing purposes. This includes, but is not limited to, press and social media promotion.
2.7 Entrants take full responsibility for ensuring they have secured the necessary permissions to capture their image and that it can be used for the promotional purposes outlined in clause 2.6.
2.8 Directors, officers and employees of Rover or APFR and any of their respective affiliate companies, subsidiaries, agents, professional advisors, development and promotional partners, and advertising and promotional agencies, and immediate families of each, are not eligible to win any prizes.
- The Prize
3.1 There will be one (1) winner of the prize draw.
3.2 The prize consists of one Rover Regency kennel valued at approximately £1000. The prize will be sent to the winner by courier within fourteen days of being notified of their win. Prizes returned as undeliverable may be forfeited and awarded to an alternate winner. 3.3 Theprize is non-transferable.
3.4 The prize is as stated and the winner acknowledges that it comes in “as-is” state, and that the winner is not entitled to obtain another product or cash alternative from Rover. The winner acknowledges that the prize has been placed in a public outdoor setting as part of a promotional event and may show signs of minor wear and tear due to weather exposure and handling. By accepting the prize, the winner agrees to take it “as-is” and acknowledges that it may exhibit such natural wear and tear. Further, to the extent permitted by applicable law, the prize is awarded without warranty of any kind, express or implied, (including, without limitation, any implied warranty of fitness for a particular purpose).
3.5 All applicable taxes associated with the receipt or use of any prize and expenses not specified in the prize description are the sole responsibility of the winner.
- Selecting the Winner
4.1 From the total number of eligible entries received, one (1) winner will be selected by the Rover team. Rover will select one winning entry that the Rover team determines, in its sole discretion, to be the most apt, interesting and appealing based on the following judging criteria: originality of photo and whether the dog looks particularly ‘regal’ and quality of argument put forward in the text as to why they should win the prize. The doghouse is 1m x 1m x 1m (best suited for small-medium sized dogs) with a 20cm tall plinth underneath (comes in two parts).
4.2 Rover will select and notify the winner by email before 6:00 pm (GMT) on Wednesday, 11th December 2024. The winner will be asked to email rovercomps@brands2life.com to confirm acceptance of the prize.
- Claiming Your Prize
5.1 If Rover does not receive a response from the winner within 48 hours of being notified, Rover reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to deem the prize as unaccepted and to offer the prize to an additional entrant.
5.2 If a prize is not accepted by the winner in accordance with the terms above, Rover may select an additional winner via the same process used to select the initial winner. Such subsequent winner will be notified as per clause 4.2, save that such notification will be later than one day after the date of the applicable prize draw.
- Privacy
6.1 Personal data provided to Rover for the purpose of entering this prize draw will be processed in accordance with the Rover privacy statement or as otherwise set out in these terms and conditions. We will only use personal data submitted for the purposes of selecting, contacting, and announcing winners.
- Other Restrictions
7.1 Rover shall be entitled to terminate or modify the prize draw or to modify these terms and conditions at any time prior to the closing date of the prize draw by publishing any such modification or termination on any Rover website.
7.2 Failure to comply with any aspect of these terms and conditions will result in the invalidation of your entry. In the event of a dispute, the decision of Rover shall be final and binding, and no correspondence will be entered into.
7.3 Rover reserves the right to promote this prize draw on Rover, Facebook.com, Instagram.com, and Twitter.com, subject to the terms and conditions governing the use of the aforementioned websites.
7.4 Rover shall be under no obligation to run the prize draw or award prizes in the event it is unable to do so due to circumstances or causes beyond its reasonable control. You agree that by entering this prize draw, no obligation on the part of Rover shall be attached for such events described in the preceding sentence.
7.5 Rover accepts no responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, or disappointment suffered by any entrant resulting from entering this prize draw or by the entrant’s acceptance of the prize, provided that Rover does not exclude or limit liability for any liability that cannot be excluded by law and nothing shall exclude Rover’s liability for fraud or death or personal injury resulting from its negligence.
7.6 This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter shall not be liable for any loss, damage, or liability caused by matters relating to this prize draw.
7.7 For entrants from England or Wales, this promotion shall be governed by the laws of England and Wales, and all disputes arising from it shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the English and Welsh courts. For entrants from Scotland, this promotion shall be governed by the laws of Scotland, and all disputes arising from it shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of Scotland.
General Terms and Conditions
8.1 Promoter reserves the right to amend these Official Rules or to terminate the competition where it becomes necessary to do so. If such amendments become necessary, Promoter will inform and provide an overview of the relevant amendments to all participants by email.
Rights Reserved
9.1 All rights reserved. © 2024 A Place for Rover, Inc.