What are the most popular dog names of 2021?
Every year, the folks Rover at put together their rankings of the most popular dog names, and so here are the most popular dog names of 2021.
There has been some movement among the Top 10 for both male and female dogs, with a couple of new additions on both sides, though the top half of the rankings haven’t really budged much.
Unless otherwise noted, all name meanings and origins in the following pages come from Bruce Lansky’s 1998 book The Very Best Baby Name Book in the Whole Wide World.
Once again, Max is the most popular male dog name, while Bella is the most popular female dog name.
There are a ton of traditional people names throughout both lists, which makes sense, as dog moms (and pet parents in general), tend to either have pets over human kids, or practice their parenting skills on their doggos before children come along.
Food, pop culture, and the Olympics are other trendy areas that names came from within the Top 100 most popular dog names of 2021.
Rover also calculated the most popular cat names of 2021 as well, which is also worth looking into.
Now, let’s see what the most popular dog names of 2021 are for female dogs.
What are the most popular dog names of 2021 for female dogs?
The most popular dog names of 2021 for female dogs saw many of the same names returning, though the order was slightly shuffled from last year.
Falling outside the Top 10 this year were Chloe and Sadie, which were No. 10 and No. 6 last year, respectively.
Unless otherwise noted, all name origins and meanings come from Bruce Lansky’s 1998 book The Very Best Baby Name Book in the Whole World.
No. 10 – Molly
2020 rank – No. 8
Molly is an Irish nickname for “Mary,” which is Hebrew for “bitter.” Harry Potter’s Molly Weasley likely plays a large role in this name’s resurgence over the past few decades, though it also just sounds playful and charming, which are very positive canine qualities.
No. 9 – Stella
2020 rank – No. 7
Stella is Latin for “star,” and given how much our pets brighten our lives, it seems quite fitting.
No. 8 – Bailey/Baylee/Baileigh
2020 rank – No. 10
This is an English name meaning “bailiff,” which is a court official who keeps order and occasionally looks after prisoners, among other duties. There are many, many spellings of this name, and possible inspiration could come from YouTuber/makeup artist Bailey Sarian or the Bailey family in the Christmas classic It’s a Wonderful Life.
No. 7 – Lola
2020 rank – No. 5
According to Lansky, Lola is Spanish in origin, and a shortened version of Carlotta, Dolores and Louise, which mean “womanly,” “sorrowful” and “warrior,” respectively.
For most pet parents today, it instantly brings to mind Space Jam’s Lola Bunny, and given Zendaya taking over voicing the character in this summer’s Space Jam: A New Legacy, it’s not much of a surprise that it continues to stay highly ranked.
No. 6 – Lily
2020 rank – No. 15
A lily is a wildflower, of course, and actress Lily James and the Harry Potter character of Lily Potter likely contribute to the continued popularity of this name.
No. 5 – Zoe/Zoey
2020 rank – No. 14
Zoe is Greek for “life,” which seems like a perfect name for dogs, given how they live so in the moment all the time.
The TV series Zoey 101 and Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist probably contribute to this name’s high ranking in the popular consciousness, along with the Sesame Street Muppet of the same name.
No. 4 – Daisy
2020 rank – No. 4
Daisy is, of course, a pleasant wildflower, and has been one of the top girl dog names for what seems like forever.
Star Wars actress Daisy Ridley, the Nintendo character Princess Daisy (Princess Peach’s sister and Luigi’s girlfriend) and Chloe Bennet’s Agents of SHIELD character Daisy Johnson may have been inspirations here as well.
No. 3 – Lucy
2020 rank – No. 3
Lucy comes from Latin for “bringer of light,” and Lansky notes that it’s a female form of the male name Lucius.
Some of the inspirations for this name may include actresses Lucille Ball and Lucy Lawless, or Lucy Van Pelt from the Peanuts comic strip.
No. 2 – Luna
2020 rank – No. 2
Luna comes from Latin for “moon,” and it’s where we get the word “lunatic” from.
No. 1 – Bella
2020 rank – No. 1
Lansky says that Bella comes from Latin for “beautiful,” and it’s a simple two-syllable name that’s easy and quick to spell, while the final vowel stretches out a nice distance when hollered.
It also could be a shortened form of Isabella (for Phineas and Ferb fans) or an alternate version of Beauty and the Beast‘s Belle.
Now it’s time for the most popular dog names of 2021 for boy dogs.
What are the most popular dog names of 2021 for male dogs?
Several new names made their way onto this list, while Leo and Oliver fell out of the top 10 for most popular dog names of 2021 after ranking No. 7 and No. 6 last year, respectively.
Unless otherwise noted, all name origins and meanings come from Bruce Lansky’s 1998 book The Very Best Baby Name Book in the Whole Wide World.
No. 10 – Jack
2020 rank – No. 10
Jack is a nickname for John, which is a Hebrew name meaning “God is gracious.”
It’s a name for action heroes, like author Jack London, Tom Clancy’s Jack Reacher, and Speed‘s Jack Traven, and conjures images of bravery and courage.
No. 9 – Tucker
2020 rank – Outside Top 10
Tucker is an English name meaning “fuller,” a now-obsolete job that was part of the cloth-making process. (More specifically, filtering out the dirt and grime from the wool.)
One of the bigger stars in the Dog Twitter world is Tucker Dude, well known for his Flat Tucker cardboard cutouts that travel around the US and Canada.
No. 8 – Duke
2020 rank – Outside Top 10
The nickname of actor John Wayne and name of a university in Durham, North Carolina, a duke is part of the British monarchy system.
Duke’s most recent appearance on this list was the 2019 No. 9, and brings to mind from the movies. .
No. 7 – Rocky
2020 rank – No. 9
Rocky is an American form of the Italian Rocco, which means, logically enough, “Rock.” It could often be applied to big guard dogs.
In pop culture, fictional boxer Rocky Balboa, actual boxer Rocky Marciano, and the animated squirrel of Rocky and Bullwinkle all have this name.
No. 6 – Bear
2020 rank – No. 8
Some large dogs look like bears if you don’t look closely enough, thus the self-explanatory name.
No. 5 – Milo
2020 rank – No. 6
Milo is German as an alternate form of “Miles,” which in German means “merciful,” in Latin “solider,” which is an interesting juxtaposition.
No. 4 – Buddy
2020 rank – No. 4
A Buddy is slang for friend, which is perfect for a dog’s name, even if it is extremely generic.
The canine hero of the Air Bud movie series is the most famous dog with this name, and actors Buddy Ebsen (The Beverly Hillbillies) and Buddy Hackett (The Love Bug) are probably the most famous humans with the name.
No. 3 – Cooper
2020 rank – No. 3
Cooper comes from the near-extinct profession of barrel-making. LA Rams wide receiver Cooper Kupp is probably the most famous human right now who has this name.
No. 2 – Charlie
2020 rank – No. 2
Charlie is a nickname of Charles, which is “strong and manly” in German and “farmer” in English, either of which seem to work well for a canine.
In humans, it brings to mind silent film star Charlie Chaplin, Charlie Duncan of Good Luck Charlie.
No. 1 – Max
2020 rank – No. 1
Max is a short form of the Latin Maximilan or English Maxwell, which mean “greatest” and “great spring,” respectively.
The Secret Life of Pets character voiced by Louis CK and Patton Oswalt has this name, and so does the Grinch’s dog. Animator Max Fleischer, boxer Max Bauer and pastor Max Lucado are probably the most famous humans named Max.
So, there you have the most popular dog names of 2021 – is your dog’s name included?