America’s most-popular dog names for 2025 have been revealed.
Many believe a pup’s name can tell you a lot about their owner. Stephen Zawistowski, an animal behaviorist with the ASPCA, is a firm believer in that concept. “Naming a dog is often geared towards what the owners want to see expressed,” he previously told Forbes. To Zawistowski’s way of thinking, those who opt for unusual, striking pet names are “striving to express their individuality and stand out.”
However, the most-popular names tend to be common ones. There is a distinct reason for this too, according to Zawistowski “That is because people are looking for a comfort zone,” he said.
Common names lead the way when it comes to a newly released countdown of the 100 most popular dog names in the U.S. The findings are part of a study conducted by Rover, the popular pet-care services marketplace, and are based on an analysis of millions of user-submitted dog names on the company’s database.
Luna leads the way as the most-popular dog name, according to Rover. It is also the most-popular female canine moniker, having overtaken Bella in 2022, while Charlie is the most-popular male dog name, according to the study, having replaced Max in 2023.
The Top 100 reads as follows:
- Luna
- Bella
- Charlie
- Daisy
- Max
- Lucy
- Milo
- Cooper
- Coco
- Bailey
- Lola
- Teddy
- Lily
- Bear
- Rocky
- Sadie
- Penny
- Zoe
- Buddy
- Stella
- Nala
- Rosie
- Blu
- Leo
- Maggie
- Willow
- Ruby
- Remi
- Duke
- Beau
- Molly
- Ollie
- Roxy
- Tucker
- Millie
- Winston
- Koda
- Oliver
- Nova
- Winnie
- Bentley
- Moose
- Ellie
- Bruno
- Murphy
- Pepper
- Finn
- Loki
- Chloe
- Jack
- Toby
- Harley
- Zeus
- Piper
- Louie
- Sophie
- Gus
- Scout
- Gracie
- Honey
- Hank
- Jax
- Hazel
- Maverick
- Mia
- Archie
- Riley
- Ace
- Callie
- Apollo
- Poppy
- Frankie
- Oakley
- Lulu
- Oreo
- Shadow
- Marley
- Olive
- Ginger
- Lucky
- Benny
- Goose
- Henry
- Kona
- Cookie
- Maple
- Bandit
- Benji
- Lady
- Athena
- Thor
- Dexter
- Sunny
- Cash
- Gunnar
- Peanut
- Ziggy
- Chewy
- Theo
- Simba
Looking at the list, Nicole Ellis, a certified professional dog trainer and pet lifestyle expert with Rover, noted the inclusion of names like Rocky, Loki and Maverick in the top 100 as telling.
“When adults get the opportunity to name their pets, they often draw inspiration from their favorite movies, actors, and pop culture heroes,” she told Newsweek.
Ellis also noted the inclusion of names such as Nala and Simba on the list, putting that down to the fact more parents were letting their kids pick pet names.
As part of the research, Rover surveyed 1,000 pet parents on the subject of naming their four-legged friends.
The results revealed 33 percent already had a name in mind, while 45 percent of pet parents chose a name based on their pet’s personality or appearance.
When it comes to personality, entertainment plays the largest role (30 percent) in deciding a name with other factors including breed (21 percent), human names (18 percent), and nature (14 percent).