Most Popular Dog Names of 2021

Did you adopt a new dog this year? If so, what did you name him or her?

The most popular dog names chosen often reflect the things that matter most, from our interests to what’s happening in the world around us.

Rover.com analyzed millions of dog names submitted by owners. Many of the names at the top of Rover’s lists are also some of the leading baby names of 2021. Findings from the release are highlighted below. Some of these are perennial favorites – like Bella and Max. But others are newly trending and still others are unique names no one saw coming

Top Female Dog Names

Bella tops the list of female dog names again this year, with Luna, Lucy and Daisy following right behind. Zoe was a new addition this year, which didn’t even show up in the top ten last year.

The top female dog names of 2021 as reported to Rover were:

1. Bella
2. Luna
3. Lucy
4. Daisy
5. Zoe
6. Lily
7. Lola
8. Bailey
9. Stella
10. Molly

Top Male Dog Names of 2021

Max is in the top position again this year, with Charlie in second place another year as well. Buddy maintains the fourth position again while Milo is in fifth place. Rocky also held the seventh position another year in a row.

1. Max
2. Charlie
3. Cooper
4. Buddy
5. Milo
6. Bear
7. Rocky
8. Duke
9. Tucker
10. Jack

Top Trending Dog Names of 2021

COVID-19 Inspired Names

Unfortunately, the pandemic did not end with 2020 and neither did COVID-19 inspired dog names. The top three COVID-19 inspired dog names in 2021 were:

1. Fauci
2. Covid
3. Zoom

Honorable mentions: Pfizer, Vax and Dolly Parton

Olympics Inspired Dog Names

The incredible athletes of the Tokyo Olympics inspired many dog names this year, most notably the name Suni after Gold Medalist Suni Lee, up by 113%.

The top five Olympics inspired dog names in 2021 were:

1. Katie (for Katie Ledecky, Swimming)
2. Tom (for Tom Daley, Diving)
3. Naomi (for Naomi Osaka, Tennis)
4. Simone (for Simone Biles, Gymnastics)
5. Suni (for Suni Lee, Gymnastics)

Travel Destination Dog Names

Maybe it’s because we all spent so much time at home during the pandemic, but travel-inspired names became very popular in 2021. Here are some of the top favorites:

• Eiffel
• Dior
• Caviar
• Dijon
• Baguette
• Champagne
• Voltaire
• Bologna
• Gabanna

Celebrity Inspired Dog Names

Celebrity inspired dog names are a long-time trend, but this year the Korean boy band BTS swept dog parents off their feet! BTS-inspired dog names are up 32 percent this year. The most popular are Suga, Kim, V and Jin.

Other stand-out celebrity-inspired dog name trends were:

• Taylor and Taylor Swift trended down in 2021
• For the first time there are dogs named Aretha Franklin
• Jennifer Lopez, A-Rod, Doja Cat and Armond (from The White Lotus) were new additions to this category
• Marvel’s Black Panther fans honored the tragic passing of lead actor Chadwick Boseman by naming their dogs after him. Dogs named Chadwick were up by 73 percent while Boseman was up 1,063 percent in 2021.

Food and Beverage Inspired Dog Names

People love food and so food-inspired dog names are not a surprise. The most popular food and beverage inspired dog names in 2021 were:

• Bento
• Miso
• Butter
• Loaf

Honorable mentions: Pickles and Ketchup

Meat-Inspired Dog Names

• Bacon
• Brisket
• Ham
• Pork Chop
• Beef

Honorable mention: Ham Bone

Meatless or Plant-Based Dog Names

• Bean or Beans
• Tofu
• Almond

Honorable mentions: Paneer and Tempeh

Fruit Inspired Dog Names

• Mango
• Kiwi
• Coconut
• Lemon
• Cherry

Breakfast Inspired Dog Names

• Eggo
• Toast
• Cappuccino
• Waffle
• Bagel

TV Character Inspired Dog Names

Friends Inspired Dog Names

The long-awaited Friends reunion inspired dog parents to name their pups after their favorite characters.

• Phoebe Buffay
• Joey
• Gunther
• Chandler
• Ross

Honorable mention: Janice

The Mandalorian and Star Wars

• Grogu (up by 4,063% in 2021)
• Baby Yoda
• Boba
• Obi
• Mandalorian
• Chewbacca

For more information on popular dog names in 2021, including most popular dog names by breed and a dog name generator tool, click here.

Did you name a dog in 2021? What name did you choose and why? Please share with the rest of the Canine Campus community! We’d love to hear from you!