Naming your dog is a decision that can either have your friends asking curious questions or leave you screaming embarrassing words across a dog park. It’s important to get it right, and not everyone wants to settle for the basic, regular, or expected names.
Celebrity culture is all around us, and although your dog might not fully appreciate the music of Chappell Roan, the wartime achievements of Winston Churchill, or the movies of Keanu Reeves, naming them after your cultural heroes can give your pooch a place in history and also give a sense of what (and who) is important to you in the wider world.
Whether you’re a Swifty, a sports fan, or a fashionista, here are the top names from this year’s database as well as a host of other ideas that could make your dog the most talked-about member of your household. (To be fair, they likely are already.)
Top 10 Celebrity Dog Names
According to our 2024 database, these are the year’s most popular celebrity-themed dog names. Other notable names that became more popular in 2024 include “Benedict,” “Jude,” “Cillian,” “Zosia,” and “Taylor.” It’s easy to see which events shaped their increased popularity for some – Jude Bellingham’s last-minute overhead kick goal for England, Taylor Swift’s Eras tour, and Oppenheimer.
- Bella (Hadid)
- Lily (Collins/James)
- Maya (Jama)
- Margot (Robbie)
- Dylan
- Sophie (Turner)
- Romeo (Beckham)
- Harper (Beckham)
- Pedro (Pascal)
- Miley (Cyrus)
Dog Names Inspired by Iconic Singers
From current megastars like Chappell Roan and Taylor Swift to celebrations of living and deceased pop legends gone by, you and your dog can celebrate your favourite iconic vocal heroes in style. “Roan,” “Taylor,” and “Olivia” (named after Olivia Rodrigo) are the highest trending names of the year, with Roan out in front. However, “Taylor” and “Swift” are the top-trending overall names in music, while “Harry” (after Harry Styles) is the most popular overall.
And for the first time in the UK, people are anointing their pups “Beyoncé,” giving “Say My Name” a whole new meaning. “Sabrina” (after Sabrina Carpenter) has seen a 60% drop in dog naming frequency from last year, but “Rita” (Ora) has climbed a little. And even old-school names are seeing an uptick – “Priscilla” is up 91%.
- Roan (Chappell Roan)
- Taylor (Swift)
- Olivia (Rodrigo)
- Jojo
- Beyoncé
- Amy (Winehouse)
- Elvis
- Adele
- Madonna
- Cliff (Richard)
- Doris (Day)
- Britney (Spears)
- Gaga (Lady Gaga)
- Prince
- Dua/Lipa
- Dusty (Springfield)
- Charli (xcx)
- Rita (Ora)
- Zayn (Malik)
- Harry (Styles)
Dog Names Inspired by Classic Hollywood Stars
Lights, camera… Fetch! The Golden Age of Hollywood was a time of unparalleled class and style, and you can lend an air of grace to your dog (so long as no one catches them… erm… “greeting” other dogs).
- Marilyn (Monroe)
- Audrey (Hepburn)
- Cary (Grant)
- Humphrey (Bogart)
- Groucho/Harpo/Chico/Zeppo (Marx)
- Marlon (Brando)
- Jack (Lemmon)
- Greta (Garbo)
- Fred (Astaire)
- Ginger (Rogers)
- Judy (Garland)
- Julie (Andrews)
- Grace/Kelly (Grace Kelly)
- James/Dean (James Dean)
- Rock/Hudson (Rock Hudson)
- Hedy (Lamar)
CaptureLight via iStock
Dog Names Inspired by Famous Athletes
Dogs love to run around and stay active, so athletes can be great inspirations for naming them. For example, there are over four times as many dogs named “Saka” after England footballer Bukayo Saka as there were last year following his stellar performance in Euro 2024, and the most trending name from England women’s football is “Fran” after England Women’s Football star Fran Kirby. Both “Harry” and “Kane” are in the top 10 most popular men’s football-themed names, showing the current team captain’s impact, but “Declan” (after Declan Rice) has shown the highest increase from of any name last year.
The Olympics also had an impact. “Lola,” after Team GB gold medallist Lola Anderson, is the most popular Olympics-themed name overall, with “Eleanor” (after Eleanor Aldridge) and “Lauren” (after Lauren Irwin) tied as the highest trending names of the year.
- Andy/Murray (Andy Murray)
- Harry/Kane
- Jude (Bellingham)
- Marcus (Rashford)
- Tyson/Fury (Tyson Fury)
- Eleanor (Aldridge)
- Dina (Asher-Smith)
- Lola (Anderson)
- Becks/Dave (David Beckham)
- Declan (Rice)
- Saka (Bukayo Saka)
Dog Names Inspired by Legendary Musicians
If you’ve got a favourite musician – someone who has soundtracked your happiest moments, shaped a genre you love, or has a distinctive style – you might want to pay tribute to them. From rock legends like Hendrix and Jagger, soul stalwarts like Aretha Franklin, and pop icons including Annie Lennox to Hip-Hop, Britpop, and dance music mainstays, naming your dog after a musician is a cool, personality-filled way to show who you both are. And both Benny and Bjorn from ABBA feature in the most popular and top trending names for 2024.
(Plus, there are four Beatles to choose from.)
- Willie/Nelson (Willie Nelson)
- Dylan (Bob Dylan)
- Lennox (Annie Lennox)
- Annie (Annie Mac, Annie Lennox)
- Bowie/Ziggy Stardust (David Bowie)
- Jimi/Hendrix
- Aretha (Franklin)
- Jagger (Mick Jagger)
- John/Paul/Ringo/George (The Beatles)
- Thom (Yorke)
- Bushy/Katie (Kate Bush)
- Jaxx (Basement Jaxx)
- Fatboy (Slim)
- Strummer (Joe Strummer, The Clash)
- Weller (Paul Weller)
- Noel/Liam (Gallagher)
- Damon (Albarn)
- Snoop (Dogg)
- Stormzy
- Benny (ABBA)
- Bjorn (ABBA)
Dog Names Inspired by Fashion Icons
If you plan to dress your pup up in eye-catching gear, you might want to pick a name that shows how fashion-forward you both are. You can choose a designer brand like Chanel or Versace or go for the name of a high-end model like either Hadid sister. Bella and Gigi are among the most popular names based on nepo babies this year.
- Chanel
- Versace
- Naomi (Campbell)
- Gigi (Hadid)
- Bella (Hadid)
- Jimmy (Choo)
- Khloe (Kardashian)
- Balenciaga
- Prada
- Louis (Vuitton)
- Croc
- Mossy (Kate Moss)
- Rosie (Huntington-Whiteley)
- Cara (Delevigne)
Dog Names Inspired by Modern Movie & TV Stars
Watching Netflix with your dog is even better when their namesake pops up onscreen. “Margot” (Robbie) and Lily (Collins/James) are the only names in the top celebrity names inspired by actors. However, “Cillian” (Murphy) and “Pedro” (Pascal) have seen modest increases in popularity this year, with “Zosia” (Mamet) ranking in the top two climbers for overall celebrity-themed dog names. “Florence” (Pugh) has also seen a climb due to her continuing rise in stardom.
- Scarlett (Johansson)
- Leo (DiCaprio)
- Zendaya
- Keanu (Reeves)
- Cillian (Murphy)
- Jeremy (Allen Wright/Strong)
- Florence (Pugh)
- Seth (Rogen)
- Margot (Robbie)f
- Ryan/Ry (Gosling/Reynolds)
- Idris (Elba)
- Chadwick (Boseman)
- Joaquin/Phoenix
- Emma/Emily (Stone/Watson/Blunt)
- Tom/Tommy (Hardy/Holland/Wiseau)
- Zosia (Mamet)
- Zac (Efron)
Dog Names Inspired by Historical and Political Figures
The UK has a rich history of influential leaders and public figures to use as naming inspiration. The change of party control this year saw several changes, with a drop in dogs called “Rishi” (sorry, Mr Sunak) after the Conservative ex-Prime-Minister and a bump in dogs called “Angela” (Rayner) and “Rachel” (Reeves) after members of the incoming Labour cabinet. “Ed” (after former Labour PM candidate Ed Milliband) has seen a surprise boost this year, trending highest of any politics-themed dog name.
Whether you look to recent times, pay tribute to wartime heroes, or feel like harking back to the Roman occupation of Britain by referencing Boudica, connect your dog with the past or present if you’re a history or politics buff.
- Winston/Churchill (Winston Churchill)
- Jacob Rees-Dogg (Rees-Mogg)
- Ed (Milliband)
- Angela (Rayner)
- Nelson (Admiral Nelson)
- Rachel (Reeves)
- Newton (Isaac Newton)
- Boudica
- Rob Roy
- Emmeline (Pankhurst)
- Izzy/Isambard (Kingdom Brunel)
- Wallace (William Wallace)
Dog Names Inspired by TV Stars & Presenters
The UK boasts many celebs who bounce from quiz shows to reality shows, presenting, cooking, or dunking people in green goo. (Dave Benson Philips is a national treasure, and your dog would be lucky to share any parts of his name). The most popular Love Island-themed dog names overall include “Lola,” “Hugo,” and “Ronnie,” but the most trending names are entirely different – “Sean,” “Josh,” and “Matilda” have captured more hearts than any other Love Island name this year, which is understandable given the changing yearly roster of contestants.
The same pattern goes for Married At First Sight (MAFS): The most popular names are “Charlie,” “Holly,” and “Polly,” but the fastest-growing names this year are “Ross,” “Eve,” and “Orson.”
- Charlie (MAFS)
- Holly (MAFS)
- Polly (MAFS)
- Ross (MAFS)
- Eve (MAFS)
- Orson (MAFS)
- Lola (Love Island)
- Hugo (Love Island)
- Ronnie (Love Island)
- Sean (Love Island)
- Josh (Love Island)
- Matilda (Love Island)
- Lucas (Matt Lucas)
- David/Dave (Attenborough)
- Benson (Dave Benson Philips)
- Holly (Willoughby)
- Graham (Norton)
9. Dog Names Inspired by Royalty
Your dog is, no doubt, the absolute king or queen of your sofa. If they’re the snooty type, or if you just so happen to be a huge fan of the Royal family, there are both classic (William) and very new (Lilibet) names you can adapt for your pooch. Strangely for a married couple, “Meghan” has seen the highest climb of any Royal-inspired dog name, but “Harry” has seen a slight drop. The number of dogs called “Archie” has remained about the same this year.
- Diana
- Elizabeth
- Harry
- George
- Meghan
- William
- Fergie
- Beatrice (Bea)
- Charles/Charlie
- Henry
- Richard
- Kate (Middleton)
- Camilla
- Archie
- Lily/Lilibet
- Charlotte
- Louis
- Victoria
10. Dog Names Inspired by Influential Writers & Thinkers
Those with an intellectual bent might prefer to name their dog after their favourite author, poet, scientist, or philosopher. “Darwin” has shown that his name has “survival of the fittest” energy when it comes to dog names, ranking as the most popular. And although “Turing” is in the top 8, the name has dropped slightly in popularity since last year. “Einstein” has also seen a boost – likely due to last year’s Oppenheimer – and remains the second most popular name, right ahead of “Newton” and “Tesla.” (Interestingly, “Tesla” is trending down from last year, possibly due to controversies around Elon Musk and his electric car brand.)
While a dog licking their friend’s bum is more Pluto than Plato, some author names simply lend themselves to canine use. (Virginia Woolf? Come on, it’s right there. Ditto for George Berkeley/Barkley.) It’s also a sweet way to give kudos to the writers we really miss, like Terry Pratchett, or poets who made a huge impact before passing on, like Maya Angelou or Benjamin Zephaniah.
- Agatha (Christie)
- Shakespeare (William Shakespeare)
- Hemingway (Ernest Hemingway)
- Plato
- Woolf (Virginia Woolf)
- Jane (Austen)
- Sir Arthur (Conan Doyle)
- Maya (Angelou)
- Zeph (Benjamin Zephaniah)
- Turing (Alan Turing)
- Spike (Milligan)
- Terry/Pratchett (Terry Pratchett)
- Einstein (Albert Einstein)
- Zadie (Smith)
- Charles/Darwin (Charles Darwin)
- Bertrand Jack Russell (Bertrand Russell)
- George Barkley (George Berkeley)
- Brian (Cox)
- Bobby (Robert Burns)
This is far from every famous person in history. If you need further inspiration or would rather look for more inventive names, our full Dog Name Database is available, which refreshes every year. You can also try our Dog Name Generator.
11. The Names of Famous Dogs to Inspire Your Pooch
Calling your dog Lassie or Scooby might give them sizeable booties to fill, but a whole host of famous, funny, imposing, and memorable mutts are all over pop culture. They continue to inspire dog naming trends. Perdy, Dug, Comet, Bruiser, and Einstein top the trending list, with the amount of Perdies more than doubling between 2023 and 2024. That only Sandy appears in both the top trending and most popular lists is testament to how many dogs have an enduring legacy of popularity.
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- Milo (The Mask)
- Max (The Little Mermaid or Max the Dog)
- Marley (Marley & Me)
- Benji (Benji)
- Eddie (Frasier)
- Shadow (Homeward Bound)
- Lady (Lady and the Tramp)
- Scooby (Scooby-Doo)
- Sandy (Annie)
- Snoopy (Peanuts)
- Perdy (101 Dalmatians)
- Dug (Up)
- Comet (Full House)
- Bruiser (Legally Blonde)
- Einstein (Back to the Future)
- Clifford (Clifford the Big Red Dog)
- Bolt (Bolt)
- Sandy (Annie)
- Cujo (Cujo)
- Gromit (Wallace & Gromit)
