Fido and Butch are out the door, but can you guess what new names are on top?
Giving your new dog a name can be a great opportunity to let your creative juices flow - you can go wild and pick something far more eccentric than a classic moniker.
Some Vancouver dog owners have even gone the extra mile to ensure when they call their pup’s name in the dog park, only one pooch will be coming back - with some of the best names in the Lower Mainland being 50 Scent, Bark Twain and Jabba The Mutt.
And like every dog owner around the world, we all want to make sure our pooch’s name is unique, just like their personality.
But it may surprise you to find out that your pup’s moniker might not be as distinct as you think it is.
Insurance company Budget Direct pulled together the most popular names across 30 countries around the world, using studies created by national dog registers, animal welfare charities and animal insurance providers. Here’s what they found:
Top female dog name around the world: Luna
Luna tops the leaderboard as the most sought after name for female dogs around the world, with 16 out of 30 countries ranking the name as the top one for dog owners.
Meaning “moon” in Latin, Spanish and Italian, Luna is also the name of the Roman goddess of the moon.
Dog owners in Europe are particularly fond of the name, with Luna coming out on top in countries like Switzerland, Norway and Germany - but also as far away as South America in Ecuador and Mexico.
Top female dog name in Canada: Bella
Coming close behind in the rankings for the top female name in the world is Bella - which also happens to be the favourite female dog name amongst Canadians.
Usually a shortened version of longer names like Isobella, Bella stems from Italian, Spanish, Greek, Portuguese and Latin words for beautiful, as well as the French word “Belle”.
Like Luna, Bella is extremely popular around the world but far more spread out. Like Canadians, Americans favour the name amongst Australians and New Zealanders, as well as Romanians and the Danish.
Top male dog name around the world: Max
There are dog names - like Buddy or Lady - that have stood the test of time, and modern dog owners haven’t shifted their preferences too much when it comes to naming their pups Max.
A firm family favourite throughout generations, the name Max is derived from the Latin name Maximilian and the Roman family name Maximus. A short but sweet moniker, Max means “greatest” - perfect for your furry friend.
The name Max was favoured most in the US, Mexico, Portugal and Eastern European countries like Croatia, Serbia and Romania.
Top male dog name in Canada: Charlie
The top dog name in the Great White North is Charlie. Differing from our neighbours south of the border who preferred Max, Canadian dog owners love the name Charlie, short for Charles, which means “free man”.
According to Budget Direct, male dogs are more likely to have human names - like Max and Charlie - than their female friends, although Bella and Luna both work as human names too.
Along with Canadians, Swedes, Danes and the Irish love naming their pets Charlie.