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Petplan pet insurance reveals
2017’s most popular names for new furry family members
WOOF! Annual “Most Popular Name” lists most often focus on babies — but what about fur babies? I
n an effort to give pets a place in the popular name game, Petplan pet insurance dug into their database of protected pets to see which names were most popular for new puppies and kittens in 2017 — and found that one name’s reign of dominance ended after more than a decade at the top.
After ruling Petplan’s Top Names list since the company wrote its first policy in 2006, Bella has been knocked from atop her scratching post and Luna is now the most popular name for Petplan-protected pets under a year old. While it’s always a bit of shock when a contender is dethroned, trends within the last three years indicate that Luna has been consistently clawing her way to the top of the Top Ten.
(C) Allen Pearson |
Petplan reporting analyst Leo Lanahan notes that while naming trends happen year to year, it’s pet names like Bella and Luna that endure. “Sometimes we’ll see a spike in a name’s frequency due to a pop culture reference or a celebrity in the news,” says Lanahan. “But usually, people tend to stick with the classics. I guess good pet names never really go out of style.”
The Top 10 Pet Names for 2017
Here they are — Petplan’s ten most popular names for pets under a year old in 2017, along with results from the previous year:
Top 10 Names for 2017
1. Luna
2. Bella
3. Charlie
4. Lucy
5. Max
6. Cooper
7. Daisy
8. Bailey
9. Molly
10. Oliver*
2016’s Top 10
1. Bella
2. Charlie
3. Luna
4. Cooper
5. Daisy
6. Max
7. Lucy
8. Molly
9. Oliver
10. Penny*
(C) Allen Pearson |
In addition to the upset by Luna, Petplan saw a huge jump by Bailey, who pawed his (or her) way into the top ten. Meanwhile, Penny — who pounced from No. 28 to No. 10 last year — just missed the cut, coming in eleventh place. Better luck next year, Penny!
Here’s a look at species-specific contenders from Petplan’s most popular pet names of 2017:
Top 10 Dogs for 2017
1. Luna
2. Oliver
3. Charlie
4. Lucy
5. Daisy
6. Leo
7. Bella
8. Jack
9. Max
10. Milo*
Top 10 Cats for 2017
1. Luna
2. Bella
3. Charlie
4. Lucy
5. Cooper
6. Bailey
7. Max
8. Daisy
9. Molly
10. Buddy*
Honorable Mention
Petplan also gave bark-outs to a few unusual names worthy of recognition. There’s only one of each in the Petplan database, but they get a paws-up for creativity:
1. Professor Grover Fluffypants
2. Uma Furman
3. Charlie Brown McBearface
4. The Barks: Bark Twain, Bark Ruffalo and Bark Wahlberg
5. Brown Puppy*
“From the sublime to the ridiculous, it’s clear that pet lovers put a lot of time into naming their furry family members,” says Ashton. “Of course, once those new arrivals start piddling on the floor and chewing up the furniture, their names will all be mud anyway.”
*According to Petplan claims data 2016-2017
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Petplan policies are underwritten in the U.S. by AGCS Marine Insurance Company, a member of the Allianz Group (rated A+ A.M. Best), and XL Specialty Insurance Company; and in Canada by XL Specialty Insurance Company-Canadian Branch. XL Specialty Insurance Company is rated A+ by S&P as of 2017. Coverage may not be available in all jurisdictions. For more information about Petplan pet insurance, visit See how PetPlan Pet Insurance Compares to Others or call 1-866-467-3875.