December 10, 2021
Did Your Dog Make The List?: The Most Popular Dog Names of 2021
2020 was a record year for dog adoptions in the U.S. , and pet adoptions hit their highest levels during the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2021. A new four-legged family member brings all sorts of excitement and change, but it also brings one of the biggest decisions you’ll have to make in your pup’s life: picking a name!
Here are 2021’s most popular dog names in the United States, the world, and in our very own DogWatch pack! We’ve also included our top-10 favorite unique names. Did your dog’s name make the cut?!
Top 10 Dog Names in the United States in 2021 – Female
- Bella
- Luna
- Lucy
- Daisy
- Zoe
- Lily
- Lola
- Bailey
- Stella
- Molly
Many of these names have cracked the top-10 for the second consecutive year! We like to think that Daisy is a nod to Keanu Reeves’ Dog in John Wick.
Lily and Luna from DogWatch® Hidden Fences of Greater Cincinnati
Top 10 Dog Names in the United States in 2021 – Male
- Max
- Charlie
- Cooper
- Buddy
- Milo
- Bear
- Rocky
- Duke
- Tucker
- Jack
2021’s list of male dog names was dominated by go-to American classics like Max and Duke. Charlie is also a classic, but it’s also the name of Bradley Cooper’s labradoodle in A Star Is Born. Coincidence? We think not.
Max from Dogwatch® of Northern IN and NW OH
Don’t see your dog’s name? Check out Rover.com’s Top 100 List!
Top 10 Dog Names Globally in 2021 – Female
- Luna
- Bella
- Lola
- Molly
- Lucy
- Kira
- Daisy
- Mia
- Nala
- Nina
The top-10 dog names globally include a few repeats from the United States top-10, but with some newcomers like Nala. Nala has been a popular name since The Lion King was released in 1994.
Bella from DogWatch® of Mid-Alabama
Top 10 Dog Names Globally in 2021 – Male
- Max
- Charlie
- Buddy
- Rocky
- Jack
- Milo
- Toby
- Leo
- Bruno
- Rex
Max and Charlie remain in the top 2 spots globally, with Rocky and Jack being even more popular globally than in the United States. Leo cracking the top-10 is probably a nod to a certain Oscar-winner who also happens to be one of the top-5 most popular actors in the world.
Leo from DogWatch® of Omaha
Top 10 Dog Names of DogWatch® customers in 2021 – Overall
- Bella
- Charlie
- Lucy
- Luna
- Max
- Daisy
- Cooper
- Finn
- Bailey
- Molly
Cooper from Stateline Dogwatch® Hidden Fences
Top 10 Dog Names of DogWatch® customers in 2021 – Female
- Bella
- Lucy
- Luna
- Daisy
- Bailey
- Molly
- Lily
- Coco
- Rosie
- Sadie
Bell and Lucy once again held the top two spots on this list for the fifth year in a row! They were also the two most popular female dog names for DogWatch Customers in 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020. Coco and Sadie are newcomers to the top-10!
Sadie from Fido’s Fences
Top 10 Dog Names of DogWatch® customers in 2021 – Male
- Charlie
- Max
- Cooper
- Finn
- Tucker
- Jack
- Oliver
- Buddy
- Louie
- Rocky
Charlie is once again king of the male dog names for the third year in a row. Cooper and Max flipped the 2 and 3 positions from last year, and Finn and Tucker climb from top-10 to top-5!
Tucker from Dogwatch® of Omaha
Top 10 Unique names of DogWatch® customers in 2021
- Indy
- Apollo
- Moose
- Chewy
- Jazz
- Jagger
- Waffles
- Everest
- Marshmallow
- Neo
At DogWatch®, we have no shortage of creative customers and had so many fun names to choose from in creating this list. We’re big fans of everyone’s favorite archeologist, Indy, and the nod to the upcoming Matrix movie with Neo!
Moose from Dogwatch® of Central Indiana
What’s your dog’s name, and the story behind it? We’d love to hear from you! Share your reactions to the list and your dog name stories on our Facebook page. We may include your story and photo in a future blog post!
