“I have two rules when it comes to naming dogs,” my friend Len told me recently.
“Let’s hear them,” I said.
“First, the name has to be one syllable,” he began. “Second, it can’t sound like any command I give him.”
“A lot of training books recommend that two syllable names are easiest for dogs to grasp,” I told him, “and they should end in an “ee” sound — like Bucky or Hayley.”
Len and I typically don’t have a conversation — when we’re together, it’s more like a debate.
“I don’t care what any training book says!” Len answered (as I’d expected). “What do they know? I always give my dogs one syllable names, and I always will.”
Len currently has a 6-month-old puppy named Kyle, and this whole discussion got me thinking … what are the most common names people give their dogs? And how do they decide on a name?
My dogs are usually named for a character in a book I especially liked. And when I’m out at shelters looking for a new dog, I try to find one who looks like that name. It’s actually not as difficult as you might think.
As for what names most people give their dogs, here are the top 10 most popular dog names in 2014 for male dogs (courtesy of Rover.com):
- Max
- Buddy
- Charlie
- Jack
- Cooper
- Rocky
- Toby
- Tucker
- Jake
- Bear
And the top 10 most popular names for female dogs:
- Bella
- Lucy
- Daisy
- Molly
- Lola
- Sophie
- Sadie
- Maggie
- Chloe
- Bailey
If you or anyone you know is struggling with how to go about naming their dog, here are some helpful guidelines from The New York Times.
What’s your dog’s name — and how did you pick it? Let us know in the comments section below!
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