We’re a nation of dog lovers, with a whopping 36% of UK households owning one. After tracking baby name trends for over twenty years, we were interested to see how name trends translate to man’s best friend.
Using data from the Dogs Trust’s National Dog Survey and UK vets, we’ve discovered the nation’s most popular canine names, by gender and breed.
The UK’s top 10 favourite dog breeds:
- Labrador Retriever
- Cocker Spaniel
- Border Collie
- Jack Russell Terrier
- English Springer Spaniel
- Golden Retriever
- German Shepherd
- Staffordshire Bull Terrier
- Shih Tzu
- Dachshund
Top names by breed
Labrador Retriever
Most common male name: Buddy
Most common female name: Rosie
Cocker Spaniel
Most common male name: Bailey
Most common female name: Daisy
Border Collie
Most common male name: Max
Most common female name: Holly
Jack Russell Terrier
Most common male name: Jack
Most common female name: Rosie
English Springer Spaniel
Most common male name: Charlie
Most common female name: Bella
Golden Retriever
Most common male name: Sydney
Most common female name: Polly
German Shepherd
Most common male name: Zeus
Most common female name: Luna
Staffordshire Bull Terrier
Most common male name: Roxy
Most common female name: Sasha
Shih Tzu
Most common male name: Gizmo
Most common female name: Roxy
Dachshund
Most common male name: Monty
Most common female name: Daisy
The name trends
Our analysis shows a significant overlap between pet and baby names. The most common names for the English Springer Spaniel are Charlie and Bella, and the feisty Jack Russel is most frequently named Jack or Rosie – four names you’re just as likely to hear at the park as you are the playground. This is no surprise given 50% of dog owners consider their dog as their child and themselves as “dog parents”.
Interestingly, owners of German Shepherds are more daring with their name choices, with Zeus far less likely to crop up in the classroom. Similarly, with no babies born with the name Gizmo in the UK last year, we’re fairly certain that one of our favourite names for the tiny Shih Tzu is unlikely to reach the top 10 of baby names anytime soon!
If you’re looking for name inspiration – whether that’s for a fur baby, or a real one – take a look at our list of baby names that never go out of fashion.
