Popular Dog Names
If you know many dogs, chances are good that you know at least one dog named Max. The name Max has been the number one choice for dog owners since the year 2000. Popular names for dogs come and go in the same way that popular names for children come and go. Today, the old-fashioned names are coming back for children (for example, Hannah and Isabel are quite common today but rarely used twenty years ago). The popular names for dogs are moving away from classic names like Rover and Fido and moving towards traditional "peopleā? names (like Molly and Katie). This article will touch on some of the popular dog names of the past and of the present.
In the past, the most popular dog names were Rover, Fido, Bowser, and Spot. These names have become nearly synonymous with "dogā? because they are so associated with dogs of the past. Other names from the past include names of movie dogs or cartoon dogs. For example, Lassie, Benji, Snoopy, Old Yeller, and Petey. These classic dog names, while not as popular today as they were thirty years ago, are still common names for dogs that carry with them some connotation about the dog that they were named for. For example, if you meet a dog named Lassie, you might expect the dog to be smart, calm, and extremely faithful.
Other popular dog names come from mythical, historical, or popular characters. Zeus is a popular dog name and so is Loki (although not as popular as Zeus). Names like Winston and Truman have a historical basis, even if the namer isn't necessarily thinking of Winston Churchill or Harry S. Truman when they give the name. Other popular names from history or pop culture include Samson, Oscar, Rocky, Abby, and Ginger.
Of course, there are tons of popular dog names that refer to the appearance of the dog. Bandit is a popular name for a dog that has masked eyes, Blacky and Whitey are popular names for dogs that are either black or white and Spot is a classic name for dogs that feature spots. Other names that enjoy some popularity and refer to the characteristics of the dog are Fluffy, Rusty, Sandy, Socks, Bear, and Midnight. Other popular names refer to the dog's personality characteristics. These names might include names such as Rowdy, Scout, Rascal, Sassy, and Angel. Names associated with appearance and personality of the individual dog will probably always be at least moderately popular.
Titles, especially noble titles, have traditionally been popular names for dogs. Popular names for boy dogs associated with nobility are Prince, Jack, Duke, and King. Similarly, girl dogs might be called, Princess, Duchess, Queenie, and Lady. Some military ranks are used to name dogs such as Major and Sarge.
As I said at the beginning of this article, people names are becoming much more popular for dogs. Today, the most common dog name overall is Max. The most common girl dog name is Molly. These names don't necessarily have historical significance or a personal reference. They are just good names for dogs.
Below is a list of the most popular Boy and Girl dog names from 2005.
Boy names: Max, Buddy, Jake, Rocky, Bailey, Buster, Cody, Charlie, Bear, Jack, Toby, Duke, Lucky, Sam, Harley, Shadow, Rusty, Murphy, Sammy, and Zeus.
Girl names: Molly, Maggie, Daisy, Lucy, Sadie, Ginger, Chloe, Bailey, Sophie, Zoƫ, Princess, Bella, Angel, Lady, Sasha, Abby, Roxy, Missy, Brandy, and Coco.
As you can see, way more than half of these names are names that are also popular names for children. This is the trend in dog names; however, the traditional names are still fairly common.
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