The top trending dog names of 2022

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The top trending dog names of 2022

Doggy daycare company Rover have just released their annual list of the most popular dog names, to see what’s hot and what’s not in when it comes to your pup’s moniker - and this year you won’t believe what’s trending at the top of the list… 

In this tenth annual report from Rover it is clear how much pop culture, current affairs, sport and politics are influencing our name choices, but how on earth is the top trending dog name in the UK…Mike

Yes. Mike.

Closely followed by Preston, Smokey and Mabli.

Boxer dogs photo by Nancy Guth on PexelsThey called us what? Boxer dogs photo by Nancy Guth on Pexels

Top Trending Dog Names 2022 

  1. Mike +1731%
  2. Preston +1731%
  3. Smokey +1631%
  4. Mabli +1531%
  5. Katy +1431%
  6. Portia +1431%
  7. Tsuki +1431%
  8. Bree +1281%
  9. Betsi +1281%
  10. Ferris +1231% 

It’s not clear why Mike is trending but Rover have reported that more human names have appeared on the list this year and according to their canine behaviour expert, Adem Fehmi, it’s actually easy to see why:

“A few human names have been favoured over others by pet parents for their pups as dogs have become more central to our lives in recent years’ and are seen like members of the family.”

More traditional names like Lassie, Champ and Fluffy are trending downwards, but names like Gary are being given a new lease of life despite falling out of favour for human babies. But this doesn't mean that EVERYONE is calling their dog Mike, just that it has seen a significant surge in popularity this year. To see the most popular names by volume, scroll a bit further down. 

White dog photo by Simona Kidrič on PexelsWhite dog photo by Simona Kidrič on Pexels

Fun and creative dog names

According to Rover, 29% of dog owners chose fun names for their dogs, including Tuppence, Albus Dumbledog, Brad Pett and Baron Von Tail Wagger.

Sport has also influenced decisions after the English women’s football team won the European Championships. Names including Alessia, Rachel and Lioness have appeared on the list for the first time. Leading goal scorers (Fran) Kirby and Beth (Mead), both trended upwards by 306% and 81% respectively.

Now that the football World Cup in Qatar is almost upon us, Rover also predict that Jack (Grealish), Harry Kane (both names), Jordan, Pickford, Declan and Sterling will trend for the second year in a row as they prove to be firm favourites with footie fans.

Some owners have been compensating for the cost of living crisis in their very own way by naming their pets after luxury brands including Prada, Armani and Dior – I guess that’s one way of saying that you own a Prada without splashing out!

TV and popular culture are also influencing our choices. Love Island clearly influenced this year’s results as the name Paige shot up by 931% followed by her one-time partner Jacques (up by 231%). The big summer blockbuster reboot of Top Gun also saw names Bradley and Maverick trending upwards too, along with Tom and Cruise.

With our turbulent political landscape it’s too soon to call whether the name Rishi is going to appear on the list – but Liz experienced a 69% plummet in popularity, rather like it’s namesake. Although 'Lizzie' has gone up. 

Following the death of her majesty the queen, people have been paying tribute in their own way. The name Queenie shot up by 231% and Lizzie soared by 72%. Other royal names such as Charles and Louis have been declining but Camilla entered the ranks for the first time this year, indicating that there may be a growing public fondness for the new Queen Consort.

Whilst the trending names list shows the big risers and fallers in the chart, Rover also has top ten lists of popularity by volume, which contain all of those conventional favourites that you'll likely hear people shouting out down the park on a Saturday morning. These were:

Collie photo by Kat Smith on PexelsCollie photo by Kat Smith on Pexels

Top Female Dog Names by Volume 2022

  1. Luna
  2. Bella
  3. Poppy
  4. Lola
  5. Daisy
  6. Ruby
  7. Coco
  8. Molly
  9. Rosie
  10. Willow

 Top Male Dog Names by Volume 2022

  1. Milo
  2. Teddy
  3. Buddy
  4. Alfie
  5. Max
  6. Charlie
  7. Bailey
  8. Archie
  9. Oscar
  10. Monty

According to Rover, the majority of dog owners don’t regret the name that they have chosen for their pet, but 18% of those surveyed did admit to considering changing their dog’s name and 8% regretted their decision to use the name that they had chosen. 13% said this was because they had let their kids choose the name (bad idea!) and 26% said the name reminded them of a person that they did not like (ex-boyfriend, anyone?)

Dachshunds photo by Tatiana LM on PexelsDachshunds photo by Tatiana LM on Pexels

Tips for naming your dog

If you’ve just got a pooch and have stumbled across this article as you frantically search the web for a name that is cool, original, witty and will stand the test of time, here are 5 tips for naming your pooch:

1. Choose a short name
This will help your pup to learn and hear their name clearly when you call them, and respond quickly. One or two syllables work well and don’t take too long to say. It can also help when training your dog – e.g. it’s quicker and easier to say “Mike, sit!” than “Ekin-Su, sit!” or “Baron Von Tail Wagger, lie down."

2. Choose a distinct name
Don’t name your dog after something that sounds like a command or the name of some else in your family. For example, Brit sounds like ‘Sit’ and a name like Gnome sounds like ‘No’ which could offer a negative association for your dog. (This is also a good reason not to use their name when you tell them off, i.e. say “No!" rather than “Gary!”)
3. Shorten it if necessary
I don’t know about you, but my dog has got lots of nicknames that he answers to, including ‘Pooch’ and he also knows the word ‘dog.’ If you’re giving your dog a long name or a title for comedy reasons (such as Howling Mad Murdock) then just use part of their name or shorten it when giving commands. This also goes down better down the park when practising recall and you’re shouting “Murdock” rather than “HOWLING MAD!” and seeing who appears.

4. Use vowel sounds at the end of the name. Words with a vowel at the end roll off the tongue more easily and are quicker and easier to pronounce when calling your dog. E.g., Lola or Gary rather than Egremont.

5. Base your name choice on personality as well as looks. Pick something that suits your dog and if you can’t decide straight away, spend some time with them first to see which names come to mind. Sometimes the name you picked out might not suit your pup once you get to know them, so take some time to make sure you’re making the right decision before you commit. Beware of nominative determinism too. I know it sounds silly but my friend who called their dog Tigger has ended up with a dog that bounces up to head height when he’s excited (none of Tigger’s siblings do this) and don’t choose anything menacing or aggressive, just in case!

How did you choose your dog’s name? Were you influenced by pop culture? Maybe you have a 10 year old dog that’s named after something that was super cool back in 2012? As always, share your thoughts in the comments, we’d love to hear about your dog naming experience!

Main photo: Happy dogs by Helena Lopes on Pexels

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