Sunday, November 17, 2024

Is your pooch called Luna, Bella or Milo? Huge survey reveals the most popular dog names in the UK – as ‘classics’ like Fido and Rex fall out of fashion

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Fido, Rex and Rover are traditionally the classic names for our beloved pet pooches.

But it seems the country’s canine naming preferences has moved on to more modern and fashionable alternatives. 

Data from a huge survey reveals the most popular names chosen by dog owners across the UK.

More popular than any other is ‘Luna’ – potentially due to the character from the Harry Potter books – followed by Bella and Milo. 

So what are the most popular names for your dog’s breed? Search below using MailOnline’s interactive tool. 

In Britain, ‘Luna’ is the most popular dog name for several breeds, including Labrador Retriever and Border Collie, the results show. ‘Hugo’ is the top name for French Bulldog, while ‘Milo’ is the top name for Cocker Spaniel, Jack Russell Terrier and Jack Russell Terrier Cross

UK’s favourite dog names 

  1. Luna (1.39% of UK dogs)
  2. Bella (1.29%)
  3. Milo (1.09%)
  4. Lola (0.98%)
  5. Poppy (0.95%
  6. Teddy (0.91%)
  7. Buddy (0.85%)
  8. Max (0.78%)
  9. Daisy (0.68%)
  10. Alfie (0.66%) 

The survey, which took data from more than 330,000 dogs across the UK over the last 12 months, was by by pet care rewards app Biscuit.

‘Dog owners adore the name Luna – in fact, one in every 72 dogs takes the name,’ said Claire Greenyer, co-founder of Biscuit Pet Care. 

‘New owners are advised to pick simple two-syllable names ending in a vowel to help their furry companion recognise when they’re being called and Luna hits the spot on that front.

‘And the influence of popular culture shouldn’t be overlooked – Luna Lovegood from Harry Potter has played a big part here.’ 

It seems the boundary between dog and people names is now more blurred, as many of the most popular choices are human Christian names – like Poppy, Daisy and Alfie. 

Owners who want less common names should opt for the likes of Bruno, Ralph, Oscar and Dexter, the data indicates, as these are among the least popular options. 

The survey also found Labrador Retriever (pictured) is the nation's most popular breed, with Cocker Spaniel second, followed by Cockapoo, Dachshund and French Bulldog

The survey also found Labrador Retriever (pictured) is the nation’s most popular breed, with Cocker Spaniel second, followed by Cockapoo, Dachshund and French Bulldog

UK’s favourite dog breeds 

  1. Labrador Retriever (8.1% of UK dogs)
  2. Cocker Spaniel (6.8%)
  3. Cockapoo (5.9%)
  4. Dachshund (3.8%)
  5. French Bulldog (3.2%) 
  6. Border Collie (2.8%)
  7. Staffordshire Bull Terrier (2.6%)
  8. Jack Russell Terrier (2.3%)
  9. Chihuahua (2.2%)
  10. Mixed breed (2.2%) 

Greenyer even suggests using some even more unique names such as ‘Cornflakes’, ‘Goat’ and ‘Mozzarella’. 

‘These are some of the more uncommon names Biscuit app users call their dogs,’ she said. 

Statistically, one in every 72 dogs is called Luna, one in every 78 is called Bella and one in every 92 goes by Milo, the data shows. 

Milo has been popularized by Milo, the Jack Russell Terrier in the 1994 film ‘The Mask’ starring Jim Carey. 

While Luna is the most popular dog name overall (across all breeds in the UK), the survey reveals some interesting naming trends when looking at breeds individually.

For example, Luna is the top name for nine breeds of dog – including the Labrador Retriever, Border Collie and Golden Retriever. 

Second-placed ‘Bella’ is the top name across five breeds of dog, including Beagle, Bulldog and Staffordshire Bull Terrier. 

Meanwhile, ‘Milo’ is the top choice across three breeds of dog, including Jack Russell Terrier and Cocker Spaniel. 

And interestingly, fourth-placed ‘Lola’ is the most popular option for small breeds – Chihuahua and Pug. 

The name 'Milo' has been popularized by the Jack Russell Terrier of the same name in the 1994 film 'The Mask' starring Jim Carey

The name ‘Milo’ has been popularized by the Jack Russell Terrier of the same name in the 1994 film ‘The Mask’ starring Jim Carey

It also found Labrador Retriever to be the UK’s most popular breed, with 8.1 per cent of UK dogs a Labrador Retriever. 

This is followed by Cocker Spaniel (6.8 per cent) Cockapoo (5.9 per cent) Dachshund (3.8 per cent), French Bulldog (3.2 per cent) and Border Collie (2.8 per cent).

Rounding out the top 10 are Staffordshire Bull Terrier (2.6 per cent), Jack Russell Terrier (2.3 per cent), Chihuahua (2.2 per cent) and mixed breeds (2.2 per cent). 

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