Camp Bow Wow Unleashes Top Dog Names Nationwide for National Puppy Day on March 23
For the third consecutive year, Luna dominates as the nation’s top dog name, according to the annual list of dog names compiled by Camp Bow Wow. The list, released in honor of National Puppy Day on March 23, is based on the doggy day care and boarding franchise’s database of more than 300,000 four-legged campers who visited in the past year.
Rounding out the top 10, in order, are Charlie, Bella, Lucy, Cooper, Daisy, Max, Milo, Bailey and Sadie. This year, Charlie, Lucy, Cooper and Milo each rose one spot on the list, Luna and Sadie held out at first and 10th, respectively and Bella and Bailey fell one place each.
In order, the top breeds with the name Luna were Labrador Retriever, Goldendoodle, German Shepherd, Australian Shepherd and Siberian Husky. Luna ruled in 27 states, mainly on the East and West Coasts and in the Southwest and northern Midwest. Coming in second, Charlie ruled in Minnesota, Alabama and Tennessee. Third-place Bella led in Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.
Since opening its first Camp in 2000, Camp Bow Wow has had an estimated 50 million dog visits and seen firsthand the evolution of dog name trends. Camp Bow Wow’s Animal Health and Behavioral Expert Erin Askeland, M.Sc., CPDT-KA, CBCC-KA, projects that the top naming trends in 2024 will be classic dog names, nature- and pop culture-inspired names, food favorites and out-of-the-box names.
In the pop culture-inspired category, Maverick had the highest year-over-year increase and Goose came in third, names that could be paying homage to the 2022 blockbuster “Top Gun: Maverick.” Poppy saw the second largest year-over-year increase, likely inspired by Anna Kendrick’s character, Poppy, in the 2023 film “Trolls Band Together.” Gigi and Millie also increased year over year, possibly attributed to model Gigi Hadid and actress Millie Bobby Brown.
“Timeless names like Max, Bella and Charlie will always be in style, as they have classic canine charm, are elegant and exude strength and loyalty,” said Askeland. “We also expect pop culture to continue to influence names this year and anticipate an influx of names like Loki, Greta, Rocket and Barbie, inspired by music, TV, movies and celebrities. Luna will continue to be a popular choice as name inspiration from the natural world continues, from planet names to ocean creatures. Additional trending names in that category include Bear and Willow.”
Food is another common motif for dog names due to its positive associations and pup-matching hues, which inspire names like Peanut, Olive and Biscuit. Askeland also predicts pet parents will continue to create elaborate and unique names — often born from the many nicknames pet parents tend to give their pups that end up becoming official names. Some favorite out-of-the-box names Camp Bow Wow has seen with recent new campers include “Maxilicious BerryCrunch Master Cylinder III,” “Nyx the Primordial Goddess of the Night” and “Miss California Pumpkin, AKA Callie.”
Camp Bow Wow also offers a range of naming, training, health and safety tips for new pet parents in honor of National Puppy Day.
For more information on the top dog names, name trends and tips for naming a new puppy, visit Camp Bow Wow.