Hi Dr. Barchas,
My sister has been teasing me for naming my dog Buddy. She says that it is probably the most common dog name in the world. Is there any way to find out whether this is true? I’m tired of her harassment.
Stephanie
Newark, NJ
The Most Popular Dog Names
Your question isn’t exactly veterinary-related, but sibling rivalry is always fun. I was able to track down the most common names of pets according to Veterinary Pet Insurance Corporation. The good news is that your sister is wrong. In the United States, Max is the most popular name for dogs (and for cats). The bad news is that your sister was close. For dogs, Buddy is number three.
In order, the most common names for dogs according to VPI are:
Max, Bailey, Buddy, Molly, Maggie, Lucy, Daisy, Bella, Jake, and Rocky.
For cats, the most common names are:
Max, Tigger, Smokey, Tiger, Chloe, Shadow, Lucy, Angel, Oliver, and Simba.
These rankings are no surprise to me, with the exception of Oliver. I only have a few patients named Oliver. There are dozens of representatives of the other names.
