UK’s favourite dog names revealed (and it’s another ‘ruff’ day for PM as Boris falls down list)

Vaccine-themed names are rising in popularity with pet owners calling their puppies Pfizer and Zeneca
Research from pet insurer Agria found that Teddy, Milo and Buddy are the most popular names for male dogs
Lorca Wiles/Unsplash
Sami Quadri7 February 2022

The UK’s favourite dog names appear to signal a drop in popularity for the Prime Minister.

In 2020, 313 puppies were named Boris but this plummeted to 123 in 2021 as dog owners opted for other monikers.

Research from pet insurer Agria found that Teddy, Milo and Buddy are the most popular names for male dogs.

This is followed by Puppy, Reggie, Cooper, Loki and Max.

For females, the most widely chosen names are Bella, Willow and Daisy.

The next most popular are Lola, Ruby, Poppy, Rosie, Mabel, Bonnie and Nala.

There has also been an increase in vaccine-themed names with a surge in the number of Pfizers and Zenecas on the list.

Meanwhile, there has been a 60 per cent increase in the number of dogs named Rover, which researchers believe could be a nod to NASA’s space drones.

Tom Vaughan, head of marketing at Agria, said: “It’s fascinating to see the shift in pet names each year and the impact popular culture and everyday life can have on the names we give to our family pets.

“Like we often see with baby names, there will always be ‘classic’ big names that appear on the list, but the pandemic appears to have had a significant role to play in this all-important decision over the last few years — as we can see with not just virus or vaccination-themed names, but through people that have made a lasting impression on society, too.”

Female names that have taken the biggest nosedive in popularity include Roxi, Libby and Peach.

For boys, the likes of Spike, Nacho and Alan have experienced the biggest drops.

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