Naming is not one easy task. You have to encapsulate someone’s essence into a few words or letters … and you do it without even “knowing” that person. How can you name a baby something “modern” when you don’t know if they will grow up to be social, extrovert, or friendly? Someone can choose to change their name, but the whole process can be a handful, even if only to make everyone else call them by their new name.
However, this does not apply to pets. Most of the time, you get the dog before you name it. This gives you the benefit of “matching” the name to its physique and even personality. Still, pets can be pretty predictable regarding their attributes because of their breeds. You pretty much know if “Cupcake” is adequate for your dog before it even being born. But not all dogs of one breed have the same personalities or attributes to make name picking easy for the owner.
With that in mind, although the article’s title says “top 10 cute pet names”, we will stall a bit; otherwise, this article would be too short, it would be no fun because we’re talking about pet names. There is no limit on how much you can explore the area, and I’m a big lover of animals and proud owner of a Poodle.
I’ll give you a short story about what I went through when picking her name. She is a medium-sized white Poodle, as we intended when we started looking at puppies. We were set on the name Daisy because daisies are stubborn and grow in the wildest soils – like the Poodle’s intelligence and attitude – and white – and we wanted her to be white. However, she seemed almost apricot when we picked her up due to the less than ideal conditions they held her in. So we changed the name to Linda. Daisy didn’t work anymore … at least, not until we bathed her, but Linda stuck, so she’s Linda.
Let’s see what names people pick for their pets, and we’ll try to see if there is any reason behind those choices. I mean, not all dogs are named Rex or Max, nor are all cats named Sheba or Tom.
Top 10 most common pet names 2018
This one is purely factual. We’re not asserting the coolest ones or anything, just running a few resources of the most common pet names of the year according to our research. Here we go:
1-Bella
Why Bella?, we wonder. Is it still a “Twilight” fever years later? It can’t be. But maybe it’s a reflection of that. Maybe those kids or teens from the Edward Cullen era grew up and are giving their children’s pets the name of their hero? Maybe the live-action movie for “Beauty and the Beast” made an impression and a way to match both was to call the pet Bella instead of Belle. Anyways, it’s a pretty name and we can only picture cats and small and cute breeds like Shih Tzu and Yorkshires. It’s kind of weird to picture a Rottweiler called Bella, but hey, suit yourself. For my Poodle, I went for the Spanish version and it fits her like a glove.
2- Luna
I’ve met several dogs named Luna but the name is ideal for cats as well. Many not many of the newer generations remember Sailor Moon and the cat in the animated series but one of them was also named Luna. There were three, one white, another black, and the last one pink and they all had a crescent moon on their forehead. I met Golden Retrievers named Luna but also German Shepherds and Boxers so the name can be used with ease for many breeds and species.
3- Charlie
We don’t really care as to the “why”s here (because it’s basically impossible to understand it) but we love Charlie as a pet name. It’s sweet, it’s not unique but it’s not too out there either, fits all sizes and even gender! Modern while classic: nice! It works great for male dogs but cats too. Its familiarity makes it as common as it is and the “Charlie bit my finger” video made us all aware of how easy it is for toddlers to say it.
4- Max
Max has been a common pet name for decades – it’s never off the top of the charts. There’s a cult classic horror movie called “Man’s best friend” in which the main character was a cyborg rottweiler (I never said the movie was good; just classic…) called Max, so my mind instantly goes to that place. However, I’ve met cats called Max too and the convenience of a short easy name to fit in the tag is good, so that’s that. If your pet has a lot of attitude you can take it one step further and call them Mad Max and make it an easy pop culture reference.
5- Lucy
Wait a minute… Was the Charlie because of Charlie Brown, and with Lucy we are having a Peanuts revival?! Not likely, probably a coincidence. And despite Peanut’s Lucy, it’s such a calming name for a dog, don’t you think? I can picture a lovely Labrador therapy dog with that name, coming closer and just putting her cute little face on my lap begging for some petting on her head. Also fits fine for cats, lizards, fish, and other cool pets to own, in my opinion. My head also goes to “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” if you’re a Beatles fan.
6-Daisy
The name that almost made it for my puppy. Given its current popularity, I can’t say I haven’t considered changing her name. However, I don’t want to confuse the lovely Poodle that makes it easier to work from home. This name might not be the best fit for cats, in general, as they tend to have claws that don’t remind me at least of daisies. This name fits any animal that is cute, fluffy, resilient, and loving.
7- Bailey
We’re betting the popularity of “Bailey” is due to the long-lasting hit show “Grey’s Anatomy” by way of its charismatic character Dr. Miranda Bailey. It’s this or there’s a lot of Irish drinkers out there naming it in honor of their favorite liquor. We see Beagles for this name. “Bailey, the Beagle” could easily be an off-brand 1990s Nickelodeon cartoon. However, while we might be used to using Bailey for female dogs, maybe even cats, traditionally the name is male. The Old English term is “bailiff” and it was used for the outer wall surrounding a castle or fortified city.
8- Coco
This has always been a somewhat popular name, but being high up on the list is definitely a reflection of Disney’s lovely Oscar-winning animation movie about the Mexican culture of “Dia de Muertos”. And it’s great because “Coco” also suggests chocolate, so it’s a wonderful name for brownish dogs. A versatile name, we believe it fits small dogs and also big dogs. For instance, take a Pitbull, one of the best guard dogs around. They can seem very menacing – and they are, if not properly trained – but if you name it Coco; doesn’t it automatically feel less threatening and more approachable? And if you are one chic person, you can always say you named it after fashion icon Coco Chanel. Oui, tres chic, mon amie!
9- Zoe
Resulting from the simple but powerful Greek word for life. At one point the Hellenized Jews adopted Zoe for the classic name “Eve”. There are many variations available like “Zooey”, “Zoey”, “Zowie”, or “Zoie” all pronounced the same. This name is common for both humans and furry companions because it’s simple. Calling your puppy back at the puppy park will be easy with a name like this – if properly trained. Given the name’s etymology, lively breeds like Golden Retrievers or Border Collies can carry this name to the heights of its meaning.
10- Milo
Seeing as the name has Germanic origins, its meaning makes it stand out. While describing both “soldier” – from Latin roots – and “merciful” – from Slavic roots – the name is strong and needs a strong animal to carry it. While it might seem friendly and easy-going, a German Shepherd named Milo will make anyone think twice about approaching you on the street or in the dog park.
Unique pet names – how to create one?
If you want to run from names that every dog has and you want to create a name that will be an ice-breaker when you’re in a dog park and someone asks “what’s your dog’s name?”, we have a few pointers for you.
Think of characters. Read a book you liked? A movie or TV show? What about giving the name of one of the characters to the pet in question? Sherlock, Gatsby, Khal Drogo, and even Homer make for some unique names, right? If I ever get a large black dog, I will name him Sirius or Padfoot based on a Harry Potter character.
Think of food. I’m partial to this one because I had a dog that was named Pastrami but what about Oreo, Butterscotch, Spaghetti, Falafel, Lasagna, Big Mac… what? No, I was just naming things that I like and would like to order – is this not the drive-thru? Anyways, food – whether the brand name or the ingredient itself – always makes for unique pet names. Still, maybe Broccoli isn’t the go-to vegetable for pet names. However, Honey, Peach, Olive, Piper, Muffin, Cookie, or Chocolate can fit and work with different colors in the pet’s fur.
Think of brands. Isn’t Starbucks the perfect name for a millennial-owned labrador? Nike, Abercrombie, Nordstrom, Deezer, Amazon… There’s a lot of fun to be had when you get brands to name your pet after. Another option can be Jack from Jack Daniels for a Jack Russell Terrier.
Think of established celebrities. Teddy Roosevelt, Mickey Mantle, Jackie O… those make for great and unique pet names. Sure, you will only call them by their first name – Teddy, Mickey, Jackie – but once it does something wrong and you give them a hard time using the full name, people will go bonkers over it! But think of time-tested legendary people, don’t settle for the latest celeb because 3 years from now no one might remember people like Quavo and Cardi B (well, those bad examples because both are excellent pet names regardless, but you got the point!)Think of ironies. A big dog called Tiny is unique. Think of things like that – how can you subvert the expectations for a dog’s name to make it an unique pet name? Make a comment about its shape or its manners.
Top 10 unique pet names
1- Moana
2- Conan
3- Cheddar
4- Tahiti
5- Bentley
6- Vanilla
7- Kodak
8- Walnut
9- Bagel
10- Clint Eastwood
And now, finally, to close things off: the Top 10 cute pet names. See if yours is on the list
Top 10 cute pet names
1- Chewie
One of the most beloved Star Wars characters, Chewbacca (nickname “Chewie”) is the cutest name for a furry dog. It’s perfect because aside from being a unique pet name is pretty fitting for dogs, as they, well, chew on a lot of things.
2- Happy
Can’t you already picture a silly bouncy puppy with that name? Or even a super poodle! I just wanna hug one and a puppy named Happy will bring happiness to your life. Actually, any puppy brings happiness to your life regardless of its name.
3- Domino
Perfect for Dalmatians, Beagles, and other breeds that have black-and-white fur. Really cute. Similar to Spot, it can also be used for pets that have distinct black-and-white patterns like half white and half black or strong contrast between the two colors.
4- Mike Tyson
Special irony points if it’s a boxer dog. Cute name but it’s even better if the animal goes in complete contradiction with its namesake and is as chill and a bag of potatoes.
5- Taco
A chihuahua called Taco is to die for. But it fits well for larger dogs too; very cute pet name. I can just imagine a Saint Bernard with this name. Everyone will be shocked when they see your Taco Saint Bernard galloping your way.
6- Pepper
A feisty little dog called Pepper is lovely. Male or female. Think of Pepper Pots and get an IronMan or IronWoman mate.
7- Vegas
Vegas is actually an interesting name for a person, right? If Paris is acceptable, why not Vegas? We think it’s cute.
8- Monkey
Isn’t this one adorable? For dogs, for cats… only if you have an actual monkey, then maybe- you know what? It’s still cute for a monkey to be called Monkey. Go for it!
9- Cleo
Great for dogs, even better for cats. Can’t you picture a cat dressed up as Cleopatra? I can.
10- Zelda
This one might be a bit nerdy but you are searching for pet names on the internet, so I guess you fit the target, my friend.
In Conclusion
Well, that’s it! What did you think about those names? Are you ready to give one to your best friend?
Don’t worry if you’re not or if you are thinking of giving a bland name like Rex or whatever. Names mean little. What’s really important is for you to give all the love you can – it’s a great investment because they give it all back with interest! – and if you’re worried enough to research names for your pet, it’s a great indicator you will, so thank you and congrats for that!
