This Is the Most Popular Dog Name in America in 2023
Updated: Nov. 19, 2023
Who's the top dog? For all you adoring pet parents out there, we've got the list of the most popular dog names in America this year.
Bringing home a new four-legged furry family member means puppy-proofing your house and preparing for all the puppy snuggles. It also means tackling one of the most fun tasks on your new-puppy checklist: brainstorming puppy names. But where to begin? With no shortage of names to choose from, you might be inclined to start by narrowing the field to one of these funny dog names or one of these unique dog names. Humor and creativity aside, however, choosing one of the most popular dog names might offer a distinct advantage.
That’s because the most popular dog names, as compiled by the online question-and-answer service JustAnswers, all have one thing in common: They’re short and easy to call out, says Laura Cox, head of brand marketing for JustAnswers. There’s nothing too strange or unfamiliar about them, which means learning dog commands (like learning to come when called) tends to be simpler—and of all the dog tricks, recall is arguably the most important.
The most popular dog names
To determine the most popular dog names, JustAnswers used a proprietary chatbot to pore through more than 200,000 online conversations that took place on the site from Jan. 1, 2022, to June 27, 2023, between U.S. dog owners and JustAnswers’s team of verified veterinarians and dog trainers. Since the site’s users range in age from their mid-20s to their mid-60s and are distributed evenly among the genders, JustAnswers concluded that the 10 names that came up most often are, indeed, America’s most popular dog names. Let’s take a look, shall we?
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10. Bailey
Among the most popular dog names, Bailey distinguishes itself as one that expertly straddles the line between girl puppy names and boy puppy names. Plus, it’s the name of our favorite character from one of the best ’90s TV shows, and that never ceases to make us smile.
9. Lucy
“From what we see in thousands of online chats, people favor human names for their furry family members,” says Cox. Case in point: Lucy, which is both the ninth most popular dog name and the most popular human girl name beginning with an “L.”
8. Milo
Many believe Milo stems from the Latin word “miles,” meaning “soldier.” The name has been one of the more popular dog names over the past five years, and we think it fits just about any pup personality—from lovably dopey to cool, calm and collected.
7. Buddy
Buddy is a classic dog name on the list year after year. It certainly can’t hurt that Buddy happens to be one of the best Disney dog names—it’s what Cruella De Vil calls her faithful mixed breed in the 2021 Disney film Cruella.
6. Coco
You don’t have to be a history buff or high-fashion nut to appreciate a pup named Coco—often after Coco Chanel. (It’s also perfect for lovers of hot chocolate—cocoa–as well!)
5. Charlie
Like Bailey, Charlie works equally well as a girl dog name and boy dog name. It’s also popular among all sizes of dogs—from teacup dog breeds to the largest dogs.
4. Daisy
Cheerful, bright and low-key literary, Daisy happens to be the perfect name for a yellow lab—or, for that matter, any of these smartest dog breeds. It perennially sprouts up the top 10 list of the most popular dog names, and for the time being, Daisy stands at fourth overall and third among most popular female dog names.
3. Max
Max just happens to be the most popular male dog name in 2023, and we’re pretty sure most pups named Max are just about the most obedient dog out there. Max can be perfect for a strong, dominant dog, a more reserved and cuddly personality or a just plain lazy dog. For those who dare to be different, Max stands alone among popular puppy names in that it doesn’t end in a vowel sound.
2. Luna
No. 2 on this list, Luna is short, sweet and reminds us of that magical orb that hangs so enchantingly in the night sky.
1. Bella
Latin for “beautiful,” Bella takes top honors as the most popular dog name in America for 2023, and why shouldn’t it? All dogs are bella, after all—and we have the cute puppy photos to prove it.
Source:
- JustAnswers: “Bella Is America’s Most Popular Dog Name, and Pitbulls Are Most Common Dog Breed According to Analysis of Pet Questions on Expert Platform JustAnswer”
