If some owners are classic enough to give a name to their dog, others prefer, on the contrary, to play the originality card. They turn to popular culture for inspiration, naming their pet after characters from films, series or even video games.
Exit Médor or Lassie. The trend in dog names is decidedly eccentric, if we are to believe the latest annual report from Rover, the world’s largest network of pet-sitters and dog walkers, on the subject. “Dog parents” want to give character to their furry friend by giving them names that reflect their passions and interests.
This year, the two most popular first names in Europe are Nala, in reference to the famous character from “The Lion King”, and Rio like the famous Brazilian city or the hero of the Netflix series, “La Casa de papel”, interpreted in screen by Miguel Herrán.
On the other side of the Atlantic, the Americans prefer Charlie for a male and Luna for a female. Literature lovers will see in the first a reference to Roald Dahl’s children’s book, “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”, and in the second a nod to Luna Lovegood, the extravagant-looking witch created by JK Rowling in the saga “Harry Potter.”
It seems that the seventh art particularly inspires French people who own a dog since a large number of them have given their beast a name from successful films. Among them are Tigger (+958% compared to 2022), Thor (+148%), Perdita from “101 Dalmatians” (+125%) and even Lupine (+92%). Their American counterparts have set their sights on Wednesday Addams and Enid – the young werewolf who shares her room with Wednesday in the eponymous Netflix series.
Ken more than Barbie
Not surprisingly, the immense success of “Barbie” gave ideas to French and American dog owners. Ken thus appears in the ranking of the most popular first names in 2023 in both countries. But surprise, the name of the doll which inspired Greta Gerwig’s feature film does not appear in the French charts, unlike Pink (pink, in French).
Video games also prove to be a breeding ground for dog names, particularly in the United States. Many doggies in the country have been named Princess Peach during the year 2023, in homage to the character from Nintendo’s “Mario” franchise. In Europe, the most popular dog name inspired by the world of gaming is Pikachu, the adorable yellow monster from “Pokémon”.
Music also gives ideas to dog owners on both sides of the Atlantic. But Americans are more nostalgic than their French counterparts since many of them have opted for a name referring to key singers of the 90s. Their favorites? Alanis and Ginger Spice from the Spice Girls.
While it may be tempting to give free rein to your imagination when naming your dog, French law stipulates that owners whose dog has a pedigree must choose a name starting with a very specific letter each year. Thus, 2023 is the year of the U. Furthermore, veterinarians advise favoring short names so that the animal can assimilate it more easily.
