Pet name popularity: The nation's most popular dog and cat names revealed 

From ordinary human names to those inspired by pop culture and all the weird and wonderful names in between, choosing what to call your pet is a serious business.
 
After all, a name has to fit their personality. So what are the monikers we’re most likely to choose for our four-legged friends?
 
We’ve delved into millions of pet insurance enquiries to reveal the nation’s favourite dog and cat names, including the preferred names for hundreds of different breeds.

The UK’s favourite dog names

The results show that the name we choose more than any other for new dogs or puppies is Bella, with over 32,000 owners opting for this classic name.
 
In fact, each of the top four most popular names are female, with Bella followed by Poppy (23,202), Lola (22,950) and Luna (22,795). Alfie is the most popular male dog name, at 20,906.

The most popular dog names by breed

While familiar names like Bella, Poppy and Max are popular across the board, looking at the most common names for some of the most popular dog breeds reveals interesting trends.
 
For example, some owners like to keep their pet’s name close to the name of the breed: King Charles Spaniels are most likely to be called Charlie, for example, and Jack Russell Terriers are most likely to be called Jack!
 
There’s also a trend for smaller, fluffier dogs such as Pomeranians, Shih Tzus and poodles to be named Teddy, perhaps due to their resemblance to teddy bears. (Bear is also a popular name for the Chow-Chow.)

The UK’s favourite cat names

When it comes to our feline friends, a lot of the same popular names crop up.
 
However, this time, it’s Luna which comes out as the nation’s favourite, being the name chosen by 3,303 proud cat lovers.
 
Bella is second, at 2,207, followed by one of the most popular pop-culture influenced names on our list, Simba, with 2,161.

The most popular cat names by breed

Popular names like Luna, Simba and Bella are the most common names of some of the most popular cat breeds, but there are other interesting choices too, particularly relating to the colour of cats’ fur.
 
For example, people with Shorthair black-and-white cats are most likely to call their pets Oreo.
 
Similarly, Bagheera – the name of the popular black panther –  is a popular choice for owners of black British Shorthairs. Owners of ginger cats often opt for Sandy while Casper is a popular choice for white cats. 

Brought to you by our pet insurance experts.

Source

All data taken from the number of enquiries made for pet insurance at comparethemarket.com over the past 12 months (May 2019 to May 2020)