Most Popular Dog & Cat Names Of 2022

Choosing a name for your newly adopted dog or cat can be a fun yet daunting task. Many people turn to their passions, favorite shows, and food for inspiration.

However, some pick names based on what occurred the year they adopted their pet.

So, where do you begin?

Thankfully, Rover, the world’s largest network of pet sitters and dog walkers, just released their most popular pet names of the year.

They analyzed their database of millions of pet owners to figure out the popular and trending dog and cat names of 2022. While the classic male and female dog names have remained mostly the same, there are some interesting trending names for both dogs and cats.

Check out the names below and get inspired or see if your pet’s name made the list.

Classic Dog Names

There are some names that remain popular year after year. I’m sure you either have owned a dog by one of these names or at least know of one. They are timeless and easy to say, so go ahead and give one a try.

Most Popular Female Dog Names

Most Popular Male Dog Names

Rover even broke down the most common and trending dog names by state and dog breed. Find out more here.

Trending Dog Names

TV Show-Inspired

Popular TV shows like Euphoria, Stranger Things, Yellowstone, and Outlander are inspiring dog owners across the country. According to Rover, Euphoria names are off the charts with, “The #1 trending dog name of 2022 is Fezco (up a whopping 2,385%!), with Fez (up 63%), Rue (up 35%), and Faye (up 24%) following suit.”

Stranger Things-inspired names like Erica and Jonathan are trending with Kate Bush making the list for the first time this year.

Yellowstone characters and the name of the show itself are being used by fans to name their beloved pets. The name Yellowstone is trending up 485% with Dutton, Teeter, Rip, and John round out the top five.

Outlander fans are naming their dogs after their favorite characters like “Dougal Mackenzie The Pug”. Milady, Milord, and Fraser are the popular and trending names this year.

This is just a sampling of the trending dog names from popular shows. Check out the complete list here.

Musician-Inspired Names

Check out these amazing names after some popular music stars.

Baby Spice
Ozzy Pawsborn
Gnarls Barkley
Diggie Smalls
Dolly Barkin

Top Food-Themed Names

Other popular food-inspired names this year include Calzone, Oat, Maple Syrup, Bologna, and Feta.

New Food-Inspired Names

Our dogs can be as sweet or “spicy” as our favorite snack, so why not name them after it?! The following names are the newest food names to make the list this year.

Unique Dog Names

Check out these creative names that you are not likely to hear at the dog park.

Classic Video Game Names

Pac Man made the list in 2022 joining other classics like Lara Croft, Brewster, and Tommy.

The five most popular names are: Daisy, Zelda, Harvey, Yoshi and Kirby.

Honoring Late Celebrities

Both dog and cat owners decided to honor celebrities that have passed this year by naming their pet after them.

Top Cat Names

Just like dogs, there are some names that just work well for female and male cats. These names have been favorites for years and it is clear to see why. Look and see if one of the classics is a fit for your feline.

Most Common Female Cat Names

Most Common Male Cat Names

Trending Cat Names

Everything from food, beverages, popular shows and technology have inspired cat owners this year. See the creative results below.

Food-Inspired Cat Names

Beverage-Themed Cat Names

Alcohol beverages were popular once again with Gimlet, Chardonnay, Vino, Scotch, and White Claw all gaining in popularity.

Caffeinated beverages also inspired many with names like:

Tazo
Pop
Cappuccino
Lipton
Matcha

Music-Inspired Cat Names

Rover reports that the top trending celebrity-inspired cat names are Doja Cat, Eilish, Miley Cyrus, Adele, and Cardi.

Popular TV Show-Inspired Names

While similar to dog parents, cat owners are naming their felines after popular shows like Strangers Things and Yellowstone, but they are also going back to the classics for some inspiration.

Stranger Things-themed cat names include El, Hopper, and Mike. While Yellowstone fans are picking Dutton, Rip, John, and
Monica.

Some of the best names come from shows that aired many years ago. Names like Mr. Feeny from Boy Meets World and George Costanza from Seinfeld. The legendary Jeopardy host, Alec Trebec, who passed away a couple years ago also made the list of trending names.

See the full list of names based on popular TV shows here.

Destination Names

Cat parents have taken to naming their fluffy companion after their favorite city, vacation spot, or country.

The top 10 trending destination-inspired cat names are:

Technology-Inspired Names

While movies and sports inspire some cat owners, many turn to technology for ideas. Chip, Apple, and Pixel are the most popular tech-inspired cat names.

The trending names this year are Sim, Data, Zoom, Cortana, Sony, Holmes, and Elizabeth.

Cute Trending Names

Cat parents tend to gravitate towards cute names for their beloved pet. The following names are this year’s trending “cutesy” names:

Sparkle
Bunny
Bird
Fluffy

As you can see, inspiration for your pet’s name can come from anywhere. If you still need help, head on over to Rover’s name generator and see what names are suggested based on your pet’s breed and gender.

If your dog or cat’s name didn’t make it on the top 10 list, it may appear on the top 100 list. Check out the dog and cat lists.

Animal shelters are overcapacity with thousands of homeless dogs and cats who are waiting for someone to adopt them and give them a special name. Head to your shelter and adopt!

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